Café Gratitude Settles Lawsuit

Bay Citizen reports that Café Gratitude has settled two lawsuits filed by former employees last year. The lawsuits, brought by employees Sarah Stevens and Ravi Shankar, cited unfair tip pooling practices and wage complaints, among other allegations. In late November, the California-based vegan restaurant chain announced that it would be closing all of its Northern California locations due to the lawsuits’ resulting legal fees, which owners Matthew and Terces Engelhart said were more than the company could manage. Though the details of the settlement and the events to follow haven’t been released, owner Matthew Engelhart tells Bay Citizen that some Bay Area locations will stay open, while others are still set to close. The Los Angeles location will remain unaffected.