jmcquown wrote:

> Unless something has changed (quite possible), restaurant owners already
> don't have to pay minimum wage to tipped employees. I never earned minimum
> wage when I worked as a server; the tips were expected (ha!) to make up the
> difference and then taxed based on my daily food sales figures regardless of
> whether I made that much in tips or not. The only time I made more than
> minimum wage in a restaurant setting was when I was working as a hostess and
> also handled the computer accounting stuff in the back of the house.

It apparently changes from one place to another, and depends a lot on whether or
not there is alcohol served. I have a nephew who studied hotel management but
went back to waiting because he made so much more money at that and needs to pay
off student loans. . He and his sister worked in a local restaurant bar last
summer and usually made $300 or more on a shift. Not bad for a student.

I consider tipping to be something I have to tolerate. Personally, I don't like
the idea of a person's wages being dependent upon the generosity of customers.
Some of them are cheap SOBs. I like the system in use in most of Europe where
tax and service are included in the menu price. If a meal is $20, you pay $20,
and maybe leave a little change for the waiter.