By Genevieve Trainor, Iowa City
Like the rest of the Iowa City community, I’ve known since April that very public foreclosure proceedings made the fate of the businesses in the Chauncey Building and elsewhere uncertain (other than FilmScene, which owns its locations). But I only just saw the headlines yesterday that SpareMe was definitely closing.
My family loves SpareMe. Knowing my youngest daughter had a bulging pouch of tokens saved up, we decided to swing by for dinner on what turned out to be its second-to-last night.
SpareMe came to Iowa City during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic in August, 2021, opening in a building once steeped in controversy (remember the Coalition Against the Shadow?). And it not only thrived, it became “beloved.”
The place was jam-packed. Food was half-price and several menu items were out. It can’t ever be easy to wind down business operations quickly; doing so during a holiday week must have been a nightmare both to organize and to experience.
The team delivered exemplary service. Every single person in view was kind and efficient. The patience of the staff was phenomenal, even when faced with an adorably annoying 8-year-old demanding to know why they couldn’t just stay open if people spent enough money there that night.
When taking our food order, our server said the wait might be a “little long” — as much as 30 minutes. Quite honestly, that would be an expected turn-around on a normal night at many places, let alone a busy one! The food came out that quickly if not sooner, and was of course delicious, especially our favorite, the cast-iron cookie.
When closing my tab, I was helped by someone whose name I do not know, but whose face was familiar from her time in the town’s service industry. (I’d swear she was our server at The Mill when my now-23-year-old celebrated her 13th birthday there.) She offered a simple reminder: “We just ask that you tip on what the total would be before the food discount.”
All I could think was that I hoped people were tipping that and much, much more! And that I hope all of those outstanding staff members are snatched up by other area restaurants before they even cash out for the last time at SpareMe.
Servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff are reliant on customers’ knowledge of tipped wage rates and tipping expectations to survive. So I’d like to issue a challenge to everyone reading this: Let’s make December into Tip 50 Percent Month here in Iowa.
The staff at SpareMe last night were busting their butts, but they’re not unique. Iowa City is blessed with an incredible contingent of service workers. Tipping 50 percent isn’t likely to become a “new normal.” And I dream of a day when tipping is passé because all workers are paid a thriving base wage. But in honor of these stellar examples of the profession, let’s give with extra grace in the coming month.
December is a time when everyone is at our most harried, managing wild kids with erratic school schedules, fighting mall crowds for holiday gift bargains and generally facing down the dreariness of the coming winter. If you budget for dining out, consider reserving a third of that this month for gratuity. Or, if not 50 percent, at least bump your usual 20 percent to 25, or 25 to 30. And if any elected officials with the power to issue proclamations are reading this, let’s codify the idea! Make Tip 50 Percent Month a standard for December, here and elsewhere.
Servers have our backs at the very worst of times. We should make sure they know we appreciate that.
Genevieve Trainor is a former Little Village staffer and current contributor. This letter is an expression of personal opinion.
