No tips for servers at new Willy Street restaurant

Restaurant-goers at Sultan Restaurant, which is opening this spring on Madison’s Williamson Street, will not be expected to tip their servers, according to a report from the Wisconsin State Journal.

Employees of the Pakistani restaurant will make $20 an hour plus a 5% profit share, notes owner Sultan Ahmed, 31. Servers can still accept tips, but receipts will instruct customers to not leave a tip and there will be no space for one on credit card slips.

Servers will be instructed to let customers know the restaurant is “a no-tip establishment,” but if tips are left, they will still be provided to the servers.

Ahmed is a former project manager at Epic Systems and enrolled in culinary school at Madison College last fall with intention to open his own restaurant.

Sultan Restaurant is slated for a May 15 opening at 1054 Williamson St., in a 1,700-square-foot space that was formerly home to Roman Candle Pizza.

Even with the no-tip policy, the restaurant will not operate at a higher price point. Ahmed said each employee will get additional pay each month equal to 5% of the profit the restaurant makes after he accounts for all expenses and costs.

The restaurant will have six employees: three in the kitchen, two at the front of house, and a bartender.