While tipping exists in many countries, the United States offers the clearest example of what happens when gratuity becomes the wage — not the reward. In the United States, tipping is often framed as a moral gesture. Be kind.Reward good service. Help someone out. But for millions of food servers, tips aren’t a bonus. They are the primary income mechanism . Which raises an uncomfortable question: is tipping really about kindness — or is it how the service economy actually func

In early 2025, when a salmon farm in New York prepared to shut down, it faced a decision most businesses never plan for: what happens to food that still exists when the business no longer can. LocalCoho, a land-based salmon farming company in Auburn, New York, was closing after failing to secure further investment. Inside its tanks were more than 18,000 kilograms of coho salmon  — edible, high-quality food with real economic and nutritional value. Instead of allowing that foo