"Led publicly by co-founder and CEO Todd Carmichael—who has advocated for a $15-an-hour minimum—this specialty coffee company has faced criticism for low entry wages in some markets (reportedly starting at $9 an hour in Philadelphia before tips), causing many employees to rely heavily on gratuities despite customers’ assumptions that the company pays well. An anonymous former employee who worked there for two years helped spur a crowdsourced survey to expose pay levels, saying the shop’s progressive reputation masked inconsistent compensation. Company representatives declined to comment for the article." - Matthew Sedacca