
3

"Under owner Ali Fong, employees start at $11 an hour with quick merit-based raises (to $13 within a month) and a stated goal of reaching $15 by year-end; the business offsets higher wages through menu pricing rather than relying on tips. Leadership stresses that wage increases must be paired with fair operating practices to combat pervasive industry wage theft, and company representatives say legislative action raising the minimum wage would help level the playing field against better-capitalized competitors that can underprice independents." - Terrence Doyle