Family Meals (Cont.)

Following last week's City Mag piece on the beauty of a restaurant family (staff) meal, a writer on GigaChef.com wonders why some restaurants make employees pay: "I was shocked to learn from a friend who works for Gramercy Tavern...was having $15 a week deducted from his paycheck for the 'privilege' of eating it...since staff meal usually strives to be more edible than enjoyable, is it right to charge for it?" Reps at USHG say they only charge $2 per meal, that it's lower than the industry standard, and that they take great care with the staff meals. Which brings us to this: which restaurants charge, which don't, and what do you waiters think of it all? Discuss [GigaChef (with subscription); previously]