A new restaurant in Manhattan called the ​Community Kitchen​ is doing a pilot test through November of a business model where people choose to pay what they can for a fine dining experience. The restaurant promises to use sustainable locally farmed ingredients, offer their workers a high wage and predictable hours, and a dining experience that rivals that of other establishments which might charge $100 a plate for a meal.

The dinner pricing is based on a fixed-menu meal on a sliding scale: $1...