For instance in Atlanta, the minimum cash wage for a tipped server is $2.13 per hour. If tips combined with wages do not reach the state minimum of $7.25, the employer must make up the difference.
It’s built into the price of the meal. It’s more systemic than making the customer pay the wait staff. The profit margins on food are razor-thin, despite “offloading” wait staff salary and no one in the restaurant getting healthcare.
If you’re not going to tip, then don’t go out to eat. Going out and not tipping exclusively hurts the staff.
And is $7.25 a livable wage in Atlanta?
Not even slightly.
But that doesn’t mean it should be the customer’s job to make up for the employer’s abuse.
It’s built into the price of the meal. It’s more systemic than making the customer pay the wait staff. The profit margins on food are razor-thin, despite “offloading” wait staff salary and no one in the restaurant getting healthcare. If you’re not going to tip, then don’t go out to eat. Going out and not tipping exclusively hurts the staff.
Staying in hurts them more when their place of business closes down due to lack of customers.