Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Pastis, Balthazar Get Their Lawsuits Handed to Them on a Plate
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 10, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 10, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
On Wednesday three former waiters filed suit against Keith McNally, owner of upscale eateries Pastis and Balthazar. The AP reports that the "restaurants had failed to pay minimum wage and overtime while letting non-tipped employees share in their tips."
Both restaurants are established, having opened in the late '90s, so the trio sought a class action which would allow them to include any workers who were employed by McNally over the past six years. It's expected that more than 100 people will be involved, including current workers who will be protected by anonymity.
It accused the restaurants and McNally of setting corporate-wide policies that caused workers to suffer financially, including a requirement that waiters repay the amount of a bill whenever a customer walked out without paying.
The restaurants also deducted money from a waiter's pay if his cash submitted at the end of a shift was short and took out another $5 per shift to cover the pay of the person who folds napkins on the tables, the lawsuit said.
Expensive eateries screwing over employees? Shocking. Maybe frequent patron of Balthazar, Nick Denton, can get them to institute some sort of newfangled pay system...but then McNally would likely end up waiting the tables himself.
Photo of waiters at Balthazar via sMacshot's Flickr.
Tagged
balthazar
flickr
keith mcnally
lawsuit
Nick Denton
On Wednesday
pastis
The AP
Wednesday
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .