‘Workers’ rights must be respected’: Seattle Taiwanese restaurant to pay nearly $600K in settlement
Jun 19, 2025, 10:48 AM | Updated: 10:51 am
Dumplings served on a table. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
Din Tai Fung, a series of Taiwanese restaurants with locations in the Puget Sound region, among other states, agreed to settle with the Seattle Office of Labor Standards over violations related to paid sick time and wage theft.
The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) launched an investigation and found that the restaurant chain actively discouraged employees from using sick leave while also failing to provide required rest and meal breaks, which are required by law.
Din Tai Fung agreed to pay $567,361 to 1,245 employees in the settlement.
“The number of employees at a single restaurant who experienced PSST and wage theft violations highlights the need to increase awareness of these laws,” OLS Director Steven Marchese said. “It underscores the importance of workers knowing their rights in the workplace and serves as a reminder to businesses that compliance with Seattle labor laws is not optional—it’s a legal requirement, and workers’ rights must be respected.”
Additionally, Din Tai Fung agreed to develop and implement a written paid sick and safe time policy, implement meal and rest break policies, and eliminate its attendance points policy.
Locally, Din Tai Fung has three locations in Seattle and Bellevue, and a fourth location in Tukwila. There are 590 employees across the three Seattle/Bellevue locations.
“We are thankful to the City of Seattle for protecting our rights as workers,” one Din Tai Fung employee said. “These are the values we represent as a city and community, and we will continue to fight for them.”
“It’s great to know that my rights as a worker are protected,” another Din Tai Fung employee said. “I’m happy to know that going forward, Din Tai Fung will be a safer place to work.”
Din Tai Fung generates most revenue per location for a restaurant chain
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Din Tai Fung earns the most money per location among chain restaurants in the U.S.
In 2024, Din Tai Fung’s 16 U.S. restaurants earned $27.4 million per location, according to Morning Brew, nearly double the next-closest chain, the steakhouse Mastro’s.
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