$2.13 an hour. That's how much the US Federal government believes tipped employees are worth. What's more is that apparently since states like Tennessee don't have a state mandated minimum tipped wage they apparently default to the federally mandated one.
Why the hell would any lawmaker look at this and not think for 2 seconds that needs to change? Barring that, why would any business owner see that and think paying a few cents more than that is actually a fair rate in any part of the US? That's outrageous.