A FLOW IN THE DARK PRODUCTION
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EXPLORING A WORLD WHERE THE TIP IS INCLUDED
ABOUT THE FILM
Tipless is a feature length documentary focusing on the tip free restaurant movement in the US.
After discovering their business plan would no longer be sustainable in the face of new minimum wage increases, Homestead restaurant owners Fred and Liz Sassen make the decision to switch their Oakland establishment to a tip-free pay structure in order to survive the changes long-term.
Fred and Liz invite the audience into their journey, highlighting the morality that comes with their decision to switch to a tipless operating model, the intricacies of the pay structure that has been built into the modern American Restaurant and explores whether the tipless model could be the future for restaurants in America.
FEATURING
AMANDA COHEN
Dirt Candy
JOHN CONNELY
Fat Olives and Salsa Brava
JONATHAN MEER
Texas A&M Professor of Economics
SARU JAYARAMAN
ROC United Founder
PRODUCTION TEAM
JEFFERY SMILEY
Director of Photography
CASSIDY POLING
Director and Executive Producer
JERROD SABA
Editor
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? CONSIDER LEAVING
A TIP
Starting July 25th, 2026 Tipless will be made available to screen for free via YouTube, followed by a longform conversation series to help jumpstart what we think is a much need conversation about tipping and restaurant ownership in America. If you like the project and want to support us in continuing this conversation, you can contribute to our efforts here.
Think of it this way:
You're getting the meal for free... we're not above accepting a tip.
