Thousands of Dollars Vanish: B.C. Restaurants Left in the Dark as Tip Management Company Goes Silent
Imagine relying on a service to streamline your tip distribution and payroll, only to wake up one day and find thousands of dollars missing. That’s the harsh reality for numerous restaurants across British Columbia, who are now grappling with a financial crisis after a third-party payment platform, Everyday Payments, abruptly halted its services without explanation. But here’s where it gets controversial: while the company claims it’s a temporary compliance issue, restaurant owners are left wondering if their hard-earned money is truly safe—or if it’s gone for good.
Everyday Payments, marketed as a revolutionary solution for real-time employee payouts, promised to simplify fund management for businesses in hospitality, food service, and beyond. Its AnyDay platform boasted a seamless employer portal, a user-friendly mobile app, and payment cards designed to give employees faster access to their earnings. For many, it was a game-changer—until it wasn’t.
And this is the part most people miss: the sudden halt in payments isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a full-blown emergency for small businesses already operating on razor-thin margins. Eric Griffith, owner of Alta Bistro and Alpha Cafe in Whistler, discovered he was missing $4,550 when he logged into the system one Wednesday morning. “I thought it had to be an error,” he told Global News. “But after days of unanswered emails and calls, it became clear this was no mistake.”
As the days passed, Griffith and other business owners realized they weren’t alone. A press release from Everyday Payments hinted at a compliance issue but offered no concrete answers. “What’s the intention? When is the money coming back?” Griffith asked, echoing the frustration of countless others. For him, the missing funds mean struggling to pay staff and suppliers—a devastating blow to his business.
Matthew Upton, co-owner of The Broken Seal in Squamish, is in a similar predicament, missing $12,000—equivalent to two weeks’ worth of payroll. “It’s huge,” he said. “We’ve spent hours on hold, trying to get answers, but it’s like talking to a void.” The uncertainty is particularly crippling for the hospitality industry, where margins are tight and every dollar counts.
Here’s the controversial question: Is this a temporary glitch, or a deeper systemic issue? Everyday Payments claims the problem stems from a transition to a prefunded processing model, but Ian Tostenson, CEO of the BC Restaurant & Foodservices Association, isn’t convinced. He’s heard reports of restaurants losing up to $50,000, with one Vancouver establishment missing nearly a million dollars in employee tips. “This is serious,” Tostenson said. “These funds are meant for hard-working employees, and they’ve vanished without a trace.”
Police reports have been filed in Whistler and Prince George, yet the company remains silent. Meanwhile, restaurant owners are left scrambling to cover payroll and supplier costs, their trust in third-party platforms shattered. Is this a cautionary tale about the risks of relying on fintech solutions, or a wake-up call for better regulation in the industry? We want to hear from you—share your thoughts in the comments below. The money may be gone, but the conversation is just beginning.
