Over the past few years, service charges became the standard for stabilizing restaurant wages. But with the OBBBA introducing new federal tax incentives for tipped income, the math is changing. This webinar is for restaurant owners and finance leaders who need to decide if their current model is still the best path forward, or if it's time to pivot back to voluntary tipping.

What to Expect During This Webinar?

We’re skipping the fluff. This is a practical session for operators who manage complex labor environments.

What Will You Learn?

➤ The OBBBA Impact: Why your staff is paying closer attention to tip income again.

➤ The Pivot Strategy: How to transition models without upsetting BOH staff or payroll workflows.

➤ The Transparency Gap: Why many servers miss out on benefits due to poor reporting.

➤ Scheduling & Tips: How hours worked connect directly to tip distribution and employee trust.

Speakers

Sohail Punjwani, Product Compliance Counsel, Deputy

Sohail Punjwani serves as Product Compliance Counsel at Deputy, where he acts as a strategic legal advisor on regulatory exposure for a global workforce management platform. With a strong background spanning SaaS, labor and employment, and public-sector advisory, he specializes in guiding leadership through complex, multi-jurisdictional wage-and-hour compliance. His diverse career includes serving as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Oklahoma, as well as holding senior in-house and private practice roles where he led nationwide compliance strategies and represented employers in complex labor disputes.

Webinar Host: Kirk Grogan, COO, TipHaus

Kirk Grogan, co-founder and COO of TipHaus, leverages over two decades of hospitality expertise from fine dining to luxury resorts, driving innovation and operational excellence in his ventures. A leading voice on OBBBA compliance, Kirk frequently speaks on federal tax law's impact on hospitality labor. He champions company culture and believes in the power of great employees to foster a transparent work environment, enhancing TipHaus’s ability to innovate and provide exceptional customer experiences. An accomplished public speaker and mentor, Kirk enjoys the outdoors, tech startups, and motorcycle touring from his base in Dallas, Texas.