New York City ordered Starbucks to pay $35 million to more than 15,000 New York City employees because of alleged workplace violations from 2021 to 2024, as reported by Gothamist on Monday, December 1.
The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection investigated the coffee corporation in 2022, per the website, over employees not being given regular work schedules and randomly getting hours cut, which are violations of the Fair Workweek law.
Across the country, the Starbucks Workers United union had been striking since Thursday, November 13, as part of its Red Cup Rebellion — future NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani joined a picket line in Brooklyn earlier this week.
Michelin will begin ranking wineries
Fresh off revealing the winners of Michelin Guide’s Northeast region for New York, the French tire company announces it is getting into winery ratings. The new Michelin Grapes (duh, since stars are for restaurant dining and keys for hotels) will rate wineries and vineyards in wine-producing regions with one (“very good producers”), two (“excellent producers who stand out as exceptional […] for both quality and consistency”) and three grapes (“exceptional producers” where people drink anything “with complete confidence”), as well as selected designations.
The announcement invites more scrutiny for wine lists at New York’s starred restaurants, particularly those reaching for two- and three stars. The new guide will start in 2026, focusing on France’s famed Burgundy and Bordeaux regions. Wine is already part of the Michelin Guide’s criteria for rating restaurants; there’s also the sommelier award ushered in starting in 2019. This year’s recipient was Chinatown Chinese American wine bar Lei’s Annie Shi.
Chelsea Japanese restaurant Bessou is running a pop-up shop at Bryant Park’s holiday market in collaboration with Japan-based dashi and ingredients company Kayanoya. Bessou Snack Shop serves yaki onigiris, with butter-grilled fully loaded options like bacon-egg-cheese, tuna melts, chopped cheese, or miso salmon for $12; glazed yaki onigiri iterations with miso barbecue, chile rayu queso, and sweet soy (one for $8 and two for $15). Other items include miso soup with mushrooms or leeks and wakame seaweed for $6, the restaurant’s popcorn brand Pom Pom, and hot chocolate from New Jersey shop, Vesta. The stand will open daily through Sunday, January 4 at West 41st Street and Sixth Avenue, booth N57.