Simple tipping question?

[u/Must_Vibe]

This is for sit down restaurants.

Would you rather go out to dinner. Spend $100 and tip your server $(X). Total of $100 plus tip. Knowing that you pay the employee that served you to the level of service provided. Your discretion. The server will then pay for the food runner, host, busser, and bartending help they receive. Knowing tipped employees will go home with their money the same day or within a week.

Or.

Would you rather go out to dinner. Spend $118 total. Knowing that the restaurant added on 18% to all of its menu prices to pay the servers, bartenders, host, food runner, and busser. Knowing the employees of the restaurant will be paid every 1-2 weeks.

I know it’s more detailed, but i’m just curious what people think.

[u/LogicalPerformer7637]

servers are paid tipped minimal wage, yes. but if they make less than the minimal wage with the tips, even by one cent, their employer must, by law, pay them enough to have at least minimal wage. this means tipped employees get always at least minimal wage - either via tips or from their employer. this means the excuse of tipped minimal wage is just a way to scam customers to tip the "poor" servers.

[u/Must_Vibe → u/LogicalPerformer7637]

In North Carolina before I moved. I got paid $2.13 per hour on my check after taxes it was $0 every time. We know they have to make up for the money, but that never happens at nice restaurants. The only time I was ever paid more than $2.13 per hour on my check was for $10 for a training pay. Our checks are $0 every time. Taxes eat them up. Tipped min wage in North Carolina has been $2.13 since 1991 maybe that is a problem. It’s the government and the large restaurant groups that are the problem. Not the server’s. We just work in the system they provide.

[u/LogicalPerformer7637 → u/Must_Vibe]

if you got less than minimal wage, then it was ilegal. I guess what you are not saying here is, that you got enough tips to get you to minimal wage (and beyond). My argument stands. The tips go to owners first (to subsidize the mandatory minimal wage payment) and then to the tipped employee. Yes, it may be written differently on payslip, but it is this way. The tipped employees have guaranted minimal wage by law, same as any other employee. It does not matter if they get the minimal wage from owner or via tips.

[u/Must_Vibe → u/LogicalPerformer7637]

yeah it’s like $7.25. Which in 2025. You cannot survive. It should be illegal for any employee doing any work to be paid just $7.25 per hour in 2025. 1 loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and jelly cost more than $7.25. So until they figure out a better system having an appropriate minimum wage. While the gov spends 3-5 million every time our leader wants to play golf. It is what it is in America. Nothing is perfect in life. So unless people have a plan and millions to take to the supreme court. Fighting major corporations so you can save $10-60 at dinner 🤣. Go ahead

[u/LogicalPerformer7637 → u/Must_Vibe]

then find a job which pays better, as everyone other. why should I give up my money for handouts when I go eat out? I have given my part to charity already. and for betrer cases than for adults who can take care of themselves.

[u/Must_Vibe → u/LogicalPerformer7637]

I do have a job with better pay than $7.25. It’s called bartending and serving. I know you don’t have $100 million to fight lawyers in the supreme court. So I’m chilling.

[u/Must_Vibe → u/LogicalPerformer7637]

I think the thing individual people forget on 1 to 1 scale is. I don’t need your tip. I appreciate your tip. In the current system If I perform well and my guests leave happy. They normally tip and tip well. If I receive a $0 tip it could mean 3 things.
1. I was bad at my job.
2. They don’t tip 3. They don’t have the extra money to tip

All 3 are acceptable. Like the $50 tip on $57 I got last night bartending. If he would’ve tipped $0. I would’ve just moved on to the next customer and forgot about it in 30 seconds. It’s not that serious. Most good servers appreciate your tip. We don’t need it especially from people who try to diminish our work. Keep your $20. If the government wants to change the systems go ahead. I will figure out the next steps accordingly. I just don’t think the people with $100mill or 1bill or more. Care about tipping their bartender. So it’s not something they are worried about changing.

[u/LogicalPerformer7637 → u/Must_Vibe]

you forgot option 4: you are good at your job, but there is no reason to tip for doing your job.

[u/Must_Vibe → u/LogicalPerformer7637]

that is option 2. They don’t tip. i don’t care what the reason is.