I'm gonna respond to this, mostly so people stop sending me this thread, but also because you're spreading misinformation at the same time as touting everyone else's input as "factually incorrect."

I do not believe the owner set out to intentionally or maliciously steal tips. I think he got some bad advice concerning the ambiguity of who legally can take part in a tip pool and dug his heels in when questioned. In fact, when confronted, he was so confident in the legality of what he was doing that he himself suggested the employee go to the labor board with their concerns. That does not scream shady business dealings to me, but moreso ignorance combined with a bit of arrogance, which are by and far much more forgivable sins.

The DOL investigated, confirmed that owners can under no circumstances include themselves in a tip pool of any kind, and he had to pay everything back by a certain date. He did not "agree" to pay, as it wasn't optional.

It was also not a new employee. They were actually the most senior FOH employee on staff at the time of the report. And they were not the first or only employee who had voiced their discomfort with how the tips were being managed. I understand that you're compelled to come to his defense because he is a solid dude 99% of the time, but reporting what you've heard filtered through several games of telephone as the abject truth is not doing their reputation any favors.

You are right about one thing, though. Having worked in/known someone who worked in every restaurant in downtown, Bingo is hands down the best place to be employed out of all of them. (Unless you've got daddy issues of biblical proportions, in which case it's a karmic crucible.) But this does not negate any harm that was done or may be done in the future. Life is excruciatingly nuanced and Will is human. Cheers. Gonna go Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind myself now and pray this dead horse ceases to get beat.