Forked

"With this book, a diner trying to choose between Chipotle, which earns ROC's praise, and Taco Bell, which has been sued repeatedly over employee rights, can make an informed decision . . . A revealing expose of the realities of restaurant work that makes a strong case for reform." --Kirkus Reviews"No one has done more to move forward the rights of food and restaurant workers than Saru Jayaraman. This is the story of the next steps in the movement, as told by the woman who is creating them." --Mark Bittman, author of The Kitchen Matrix and A Bone to Pick: The Good and Bad News About Food"That restaurant workers can be paid as little as $2.13 an hour and require food assistance to survive is a national scandal. Forked tells the stories of enlightened restaurant owners who treat and pay workers decently, with immediate returns in employee loyalty, better customer service-and profits. This book should inspire all restaurant owners to take the "high road," and all of us restaurant customers to demand that they do." --Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University and author of Soda Politics: Taking on Big Soda (and Winning)"Saru Jayaraman makes a powerful case that an employee-first restaurant culture is not just the right thing to do, but also leads to more sustainable-and more profitable-business fortunes. It's especially gratifying to study her list of 'high road' employers, peppered with real life examples that will no doubt inspire and light the way for others." --Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and author of Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business"A critical book that shines light on the restaurant industry and all the practices that undermine workers-especially women. Saru Jayamaran brilliantly and bravely moves us toward the day when the industry is transformed and sustainable wages are the norm, providing examples of restaurant companies doing it right, and naming those that still have a long way to go." --Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and founder of V-Day and One Billion Rising"

Saru Jayaraman is Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United) and a graduate of Yale Law School and the Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. She has been named one of Crain's "40 Under 40," CNN's "Ten Visionary Women," New York magazine's "Influential of New York," and a 2014 White House "Champion of Change." Her work has been profiled extensively in the New York Times, and she has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Bill Moyers Journal, NBC Nightly News, Today, and Real Time with Bill Maher.

Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: Why We Are Forked 2. Casual and Family-Style Restaurants: Tipped Over the Edge The Olive Garden Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe 3. Fine Dining: The Great Service Divide Craft The Capital Grille 4. Mexican Food: Climbing the Ladder Taco Bell Chipotle 5. Burgers, Bills, and No Benefits McDonald's In-N-Out Burger 6. A Tale of Two Sandwiches Zingerman's Subway 7. The Coffee Cafe: A Place for Debate? Starbucks Manifesto Cafe 8. Diners: Change Is Possible Denny's Florida Avenue Grill 9. Conclusion: The Road from Here Index