So a lot of Comments on tipping last few days. So I’ll add mine. Former restaurant worker. Did dishwashing, food prep or cook depending on the day.
The waitresses only report half their cash tips (if at all) so they pay less in taxes than the rest of us. I was taxed the full $ per hour. And a garbage rate at that. They made more between tips and their $2 rate than anyone else in the restaurant. Multiple times more, so don’t feel bad for them. I dated and married one the ladies so I know.
And your tipping for what? Placing my order in a computer. Get my drink and check on me a few times. Most of the restaurants I go to have food runners bring out the plates. The cook doesn’t get praised for good job. Or Bad one. Most don’t have a communal tip. Especially if you pay by credit card.
So example time. my $125 meal including tip over the weekend. She had 5 other tables I think. So she made say $100 that hour or so. And it wasn’t even peak busy time. So say 3 good days a week. 2 bad tip days. 52 weeks a year makes say $60k a year.
So above looks like I’m getting my hate on. But hear me out.
The good tip days have to even out the crap days with minimal customers and tips. So without tipping they’d starve. If they’d all get raises to $20 an hour 40 hours a week they’d make the same amount, pay their fair share in taxes and no matter what owners say your average meal would go up $2 or so.
I still tip and I hate myself every time. Conflicted.