Blackbird Cafe

Hi Kim, thanks for the feedback. Can you email us your order number to [email protected]. We would like to make it right. We can look into what transpired with your order. Thank you for reaching out. Respectfully Luke & Katie

Update: April 6th 2023Hi Gary, We appreciate the update in your review. Please feel free to email us or call us in regards to your feedback. We would gladly meet for coffee to help explain it further. It is not right for you to suggest Social Security contributions are not being made or that Blackbird Cafe & owners don't pay a fair wage. Blackbird Cafe pays all of our staff over $15 per hour. We as an employer contribute thousands of dollars every 2 weeks into social security. Massachusetts has a 6.25 Meals tax rate. Acton, Burlington, Groton each town assess an additional .75% local meal tax bringing state & local Meal tax to 7%. This 7% meals tax that Blackbird Cafe generates for the state and town is completely different than our payroll taxes we pay as an employer in the state of Massachusetts. Neither account for credit card processing fees or inflation. To clarify, our fee is NOT taxed as you suggest. Our elevated rate of pay for entry level employees, in addition to our generous customers tipping, created an imbalance in pay for many of our staff who are exempt from tipping pool, by law. At Blackbird those excluded from tipping include: All kitchen staff, any team leader, managers, dishwashers, etc. - all of whom make large contributions to the customer experience. I believe you may be confused with our specific program and I am willing to meet with you to explain it further. This is another attempt to help explain and to be transparent with. our system. It is equally OK that you disagree with our approach and do not like our method, but I ask you to please refrain from spreading false information in regards to the reasoning behind why you dislike our fee. Respectfully,Luke & Katie Kenney (978)263-7722Original Reply Below:Hi Gary,Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. We are proud to kickoff the new year with our new policy. We made this change to create a more equitable & transparent employee experience. Our employees are the best in the business and this helps elevate ALL our workers experience at Blackbird Cafe! For example, if a Blackbird Cafe customer tip on average 17%. Unfortunately the state tip law only allows us to distribute this tips share to a very small percentage of our workforce. Many workers at Blackbird are in a leadership role. This removes them from the tip share opportunity. Causing an imbalance. With our new no tipping required policy its essentially the same if the average customer were to tips an additional 5%. Our 12% fee plus a 5% tip is 17%. We are cautious of this and have set the following policy to achieve a greater balance while still giving our customers the choice. We are thankful for all the love and support we have been receiving about the new policy! Find out more on how Blackbird Cafe is impacting community on our website: www.myblackbirdcafe.com. As we regretfully loose customers like Greg, we are equally excited & more hopeful than ever that Blackbird Cafe represents the values that are important and reflective of the community in which we serve. Thank you for taking the time to visit Blackbird Cafe in providing your feedback. Of course our friends at Dolce Amar are fabulous too! Much Love. Luke & Katie

Hi Katrina, Thank you for taking the time to review our business.We appreciate your business. Luke & Katie