Restaurants across the country are increasingly doing away with compulsory tipping for servers. Dining out is an American culture staple, but the industry’s growth was fueled by the harmful, exploitative custom of tipping. Until the practice has been eliminated entirely, or servers are afforded the same minimum wage, customers are obligated to tip. Servers are struggling even with the alleged tip incentive.
The number of restaurant employees in America continues to grow alongside the hundreds of billions in sales the restaurant industry does each year. Going forward, pressure must be put on localities and new restaurants to afford their servers the same wages as everyone else. Better service, less discrimination and a stronger economy will all be complimentary effects.
Tipping has been a part of the American restaurant culture since the emancipation of slavery. Servers were often former slaves who relied on generous customers to compensate their tiny wages. The current national minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13. Only seven states have eliminated the tipped wage so far. Servers are effectively working for two bosses: the restaurant owner and the customer. They are often working another job or relying on government subsidies while their boss pays them beans compared to the work they do. Workers making the tipped minimum wage are the only employees who rely on the whims of their customers to survive. This does not, as some believe, incentize better service. In fact, the reality is quite the opposite.
Relying on tips forces women, especially minority women, to tolerate all sorts of rudeness and harassment with a smile. If women do not happily put up with poor treatment, they risk not earning enough money to buy groceries or their kids’ school supplies. This essentially forces women to not merely tolerate harassment but welcome it.
The restaurant industry also receives five times more sexual harassment claims than average. Female workers especially are urged to wear low cut tops or chuckle away creepy comments if it means an extra five dollar bill left on the table. For evidence of this, look no further than Hooters. “Breastaurants” make their money almost exclusively on the objectification of their employees whom they do not even pay enough to live. They put the burden on the customer to pay for gawking at scantily clad women serving mediocre food. Minority servers similarly have to ignore racism or bigotry. Rude customers with disposable income can justify their insulting behavior with a healthy tip. No worker should have to choose between ignoring harassment or making ends meet.
The absurd culture of tipping is unique to America. Like too many other things here, the larger the business is, the more it stands to benefit from this system at the expense of its workers. Seven states have eliminated the tipping minimum wage so far with encouraging results. Dining out remains popular, employment remains the same, and workers are happier. Be sure to tip generously when eating out, as the server relies on it. Keep doing that until we have reversed this backward tradition.
