Hey r/antiwork, wanted to share a conversation I had with a friend who manages a bar/restaurant. She genuinely believes that paying employees minimum wage is in their favor because they can rake in tips. According to her, tips ensure the staff earns more than they would on a flat hourly rate.
I couldn't help but point out the inconsistency of that reasoning. Not every restaurant or bar is consistently popular. The influx of customers and tips can be heavily affected by the seasonality of the business or even day-to-day circumstances. An off-peak season or a couple of slow nights and you've got workers struggling to make ends meet.
And let's address the elephant in the room: Why am I, the customer, expected to subsidize their wages on top of paying for my food? Isn't the primary responsibility of the restaurant to cover their employees' wages like in the European model?
The whole system feels flawed and skewed against the very workers it's supposed to benefit. Just needed to vent and hear some of your thoughts on this! ️ Note: I am not in the restaurant industry so I am legitimately seeking input.