KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lorena Garcia has worked at Manny's Mexican Restaurant in the Crossroads for over 20 years, and she would like to see taxes on tips eliminated, like both presidential nominees are campaigning on.
"Everything little helps," she said.
Her general manager, David Lopez, agrees.
"People deserve to make as much as they can with the effort they give and how hard they work," Lopez said.
The restaurant is named after Lopez's late father, Manny.
It's been open for 44 years, but Lopez says nothing compares to the last five.
"The game is completely changed," he said.
Lopez says the pandemic changed everything, from inflation to food delivery services.
"There are so many things that are being picked at within our industry, and it’s happening so rapidly that it’s so hard to keep your kind of finger on the pulse of what’s occurring," he said.
Just like the possibility of no tips on taxes and a minimum wage measure on the November ballot in Missouri.
“I do think you have to be very careful with the minimum wage because there’s only so much we can do as small businesses," Lopez said.
In November, Missourians will decide whether or not to increase the minimum wage from $12.30 to $13.75 as soon as January 2025. Other increases could follow.
Lopez said that vote could come with an added cost to customers.
“You’re going to see those things tick up because that money has to come from somewhere," he said.
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