For context I have lived in both Sweden and California. I was a server in California for 8 years. Let me say it sucked relying on peoples generosity. But honestly, the pay was really good and that’s why I did it. The flexibility with my scheduling as well. I worked fine dining – diner food and I always made 25-50 dollars an hour. I worked Max 28 hours a week and still afforded my apartment. You can’t find that in most jobs without education. Here in Sweden servers make a so called “living wage” and it’s wayyyy less then 25-50 an hour. More like 14-17. What kind of employer will want to pay me 25-50 an hour to serve tables? The server wages in Sweden are the same as fast food workers. The service level is inferior as well. Basically the wage is built into the price. So you pay 1.5 times as much, for half the food and half the service. This has been the same in my traveling around Europe, it’s not unique to Sweden. What do I mean by less service? You don’t get refills even water. You won’t get greeted promptly. If you need something like sauces or dips, and your server left the table, good luck because no one will be checking in or watching you. It’s the equivalent of when Carl’s Jr. used to require someone to carry out your tray to your table when you placed the number on the table… Need your check? Get used to chasing someone down. Need to pay? Stand in line. Messed up your order? No free appetizer or desert to make up for it. It’s my belief when it comes to dining out, Americans truly have no idea how spoiled they are. I miss eating out and having this complete luxury of someone taking care of me for an hour. I see a lot of misconceptions on this sub about tipping. Have you all asked a server? I agree about this bull wage of 2 dollars from the employer and the tips make up for it… that should be illegal period. I made minimum wage plus tips. The employer should never get away with this. But if you ask most servers in ca, they are happy with the tips system. There is incentive to offer good service which is nonexistent in other countries and the servers are paid better. I have a better suggestion; 18 percent service fee added to each bill. We have service fees for many things. This ensures the server is paid. Eating out and having a server is a complete luxury. Don’t like it? Eat at McDonald’s.