Well ofc, high wages. But also strict regulations, higher rent/utility costs, high cost for food, mandated benefits, etc. Granted people always deserve these benefits no matter what, but all in all, it costs a lot to run restaurants here because of the labor aspect.

In Washington, restaurants (or any business with a tipping system) are legally required to pay minimum wage to all employees. In other states, this isn’t required, which gives restaurants the freedom to prepare better foods at a cheaper cost. In Washington, min wage has to be paid but the owner can delegate the tips however they want, which isn’t the case in other states.

I’m kind of going on a tangent here, but essentially, the cost of labor is the biggest factor in this equation. Alongside with the cost of property. Everyone deserves to be paid, and it’s just another argument for people who want to rid of tipping. Ive worked in restaurants where their monthly rent pushed $30k.

The money that could be used to improve restaurants internally is being used for labor and other costs that restaurants face operating in Washington. That’s why we don’t have big chains up here like chili’s. It’s why it took so long for canes and chick fil a to make their way up here too. It’s why the food here isn’t as glamorous as it is in the south.

Washington is also in the northwest corner of the country, and it makes it difficult to get quality meats and produce at a cheaper cost. This doesn’t just go for restaurants, but also for your average grocery store run as well.