Anthony Valletta on tech, training, and tearing up the traditional pay model | 070

What if your dishwasher earned the same as your most tenured line cook? At bartaco, that’s not a hypothetical—it’s the reality. In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Valletta, President of bartaco, to discuss the innovative strategies fueling their nationwide growth. Anthony pulls back the curtain on their revolutionary compensation structure, where every hourly employee receives the same base wage and an equal share of tips, eliminating pay disparity between the front and back of house. He explains how this model has not only provided a true living wage but also fostered unprecedented teamwork and a self-managing labor force. We also dive into bartaco's philosophy on technology as a tool to enhance hospitality and their unique leadership academy that invests in developing the whole person, not just the employee.

Key Takeaways

• Tech as an Enabler: Learn bartaco's philosophy on using technology to handle transactional tasks, giving staff more time to engage with guests and enhance the human element of hospitality.
• A Radical Pay Structure: Discover how bartaco implemented a system where every hourly employee—FOH and BOH—earns the exact same base wage and receives an equal percentage of tips.
• The Unintended Benefits of Equal Pay: Hear how the equal-pay model has led to remarkable teamwork and a culture where the team holds each other accountable, creating a self-managing labor model.
• Developing People, Not Just Managers: Explore the "bartaco Leadership Academy," a program that provides executive-level coaching on life skills to every salaried employee, leading to profound personal and professional growth.
• Career Pathing That Works: Understand their "edible carrots" approach to career development, which provides clear, accessible, and attainable steps for advancement within the company.

Resources Mentioned

• bartaco: https://bartaco.com/

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7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.