Minneapolis Cafe Cuts Prices to Zero in Protest-and Profits Rise
Newser • • business
Key Points:
- A Minneapolis diner, Modern Times, transitioned to a donation-only model in January as a protest against government actions during a large ICE operation, initially expecting financial collapse but instead experiencing increased business.
- Owner Dylan Alverson stopped collecting sales tax, viewing the government as harmful to his community, and now reports earning more than he did with the traditional restaurant model despite many customers paying nothing.
- The diner, renamed "Post Modern Times," has become a social and economic experiment, emphasizing economic equality and maintaining a scratch-cooked, streamlined menu with security and staff mediation to manage tensions.
- Alverson employs 22 people and supplements income with merchandise sales and outside donations, declaring the new model a permanent change that outperforms the previous conventional business approach.
- The New York Times article explores the financial impact, community response, and broader industry implications of this unique business experiment.