E20 - Controlling the Table
Published: March 7, 2026
Duration: 40:44
Amuse Booze: 20% Martini
In Episode 20 of Flavorphiles, Tanner and Jerry explore the power dynamics shaping modern hospitality — from tipping culture to food journalism to the way television has redefined what we think kitchens look like.
We begin with a listener question that sparked a bigger debate: if someone tips $40 on a $500 bill, and the server balks, who’s in the wrong? That conversation opens the door to the economics of service, why 20% has become the standard, whether tipping should disappear altogether, and why even industry leaders like Danny Meyer ultimately returned to the system they tried to re...
In Episode 20 of Flavorphiles, Tanner and Jerry explore the power dynamics shaping modern hospitality — from tipping culture to food journalism to the way television has redefined what we think kitchens look like.
We begin with a listener question that sparked a bigger debate: if someone tips $40 on a $500 bill, and the server balks, who’s in the wrong? That conversation opens the door to the economics of service, why 20% has become the standard, whether tipping should disappear altogether, and why even industry leaders like Danny Meyer ultimately returned to the system they tried to re...