It’s been called “the worst and most psychotic business structure, maybe, in America.” And that’s by the owner.
But let’s back up a second. Months ago, Dylan Alverson made headlines after he converted the Modern Times Cafe in Minneapolis into the Post Modern Times Cafe, a pay-what-you-can model which was meant to protest (somehow) the deaths of George Floyd, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti, all left wing causes célèbres associated with Minnesota’s most populous city.
“For the remainder of the government occupation, we will function as a free and donation-based restaurant,” he wrote in a social media post, according to The New York Times. (He was referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement actually enforcing immigration law, which apparently is equivalent to Vichy France.)
The reasoning is that with a pay-what-you-wish model, he would avoid paying sales taxes because the “sales” would be counted as donations instead. This tax, he claimed, was “actively inflicting daily harm on its citizens.”
This tax goes to the state of Minnesota, which has no jurisdiction over the federal government and does not pay ICE, so it’s unclear he understood how taxation works.
Even The Guardian reported on it, noting that the restaurant was “still making a profit.” However, they noted the pay-what-you-want model has its flaws — as it noted by reporting that up to 50 percent of people don’t pay.
How does that work? “In part it’s because running on donations means the cafe doesn’t have to pay tax on sales… And the staff are also volunteers working for shared tips and community donations.”
“I have succeeded more than I ever did when I was running a conventional business employing 22 people,” Alverson told The New York Times for an article last month. “I think that’s proof that something is wrong.”
Yes. You’re a terrible restauranteur. We get it. And a socialist tax dodge at the same time! Impressive, that.
Well, after six months, he’s ending the socialist experiment, telling an interviewer that “85 percent probably of our customers are people experiencing homelessness or addiction, or some form of problem that has given them limited access to restaurants.”
Yeah, funny how that works:
After 6 months of conducting a social justice experiment, which included free food to anyone, this Minneapolis restaurant is taking a “break”
The owner removed all menu prices and ran a donation-based model to fight food insecurity and local immigration enforcement surges.
The… pic.twitter.com/WF2W5evBsW
— AmyLouWho (@perseverare1776) July 27, 2026
And this can be corroborated by one reviewer on Google:
This used to be my favorite breakfast spot. As someone who follows a plant-based diet, having a nearby restaurant with delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly options was something I truly appreciated. The food, service, and value were consistently excellent, and I happily recommended this place to others.
Unfortunately, since the business model changed, the overall experience has declined significantly. While I genuinely respect and support the mission of serving the community, the current environment has made it difficult to continue visiting. During recent visits, there were dogs inside the restaurant that appeared to be fighting, creating both safety and sanitation concerns. On another occasion, I encountered someone actively using IV drugs in the restroom. I’ve also experienced waiting in line before opening, only to be repeatedly pushed aside by people trying to access food service.
I admire the compassion behind helping those in need, and I believe businesses can absolutely make a positive impact in their communities. However, there needs to be a way to balance that mission with providing a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for all customers.
Well, he’s balanced that, all right — by going back to the good old fashioned capitalist model.
Now, to the extent that this was a donations-based business, the fact that it kept running in the city of Quality “Learing” Centers already raises some eyebrows as to where the money was coming from, but it turns out that once you get past the good press and good vibes generated by a move to a model that got international coverage, people just take advantage of being able to steal without repercussions. It’s almost like you could predict it.
On a wholly unrelated note, it seems that New York City’s socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, plans to apply something vaguely like this model to groceries, undercutting local establishment prices by 30 percent at city-run bodegas:
At our five-borough municipal grocery stores, New Yorkers will get a 30% discount on eggs, milk, chicken, fresh produce and other everyday essentials.
In the wealthiest city in the richest country in the world, no one should have to wonder how they’ll afford the food they need… pic.twitter.com/zbNVS735bg
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 27, 2026
I can’t imagine how this could possibly fail. Good luck, comrade! And make sure to keep the IV drug users away from people who write Google reviews.
In the meanwhile, this is a helpful reminder that leftists are like toddlers. We warn them over and over that if they follow their bleeding hearts, they’re going to end up hitting their heads. They look at us contemptuously, set their jaws, and proceed off to split their heads open. And then they blame us, of course.
These are children, plain and simple. At least this guy only runs a cafe. Mamdani runs a city, and pretty soon they’ll be looking to run states, and even the country.
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