In the United States, going out to eat at restaurants is something that, culturally, is almost unavoidable. Whether it be going to lunch with coworkers or classmates, getting dinner to catch up with friends or stopping for brunch on a Saturday morning, having someone else cook for us is something we have all grown to rely on. This sort of thing, obviously, is not cheap. However, something that the average consumer should not be concerned with is tipping. 

Servers, as we know, do not earn livable wages. In the United States, food service workers can legally be paid substantially below the minimum wage. Because of this, many of them rely on tips from customers to be able to make ends meet. Most of the time, regardless of how good the service is, customers are expected to tip anywhere between 15-20%. This is how servers make their living, feeling hopeful that their customers will be generous that day. If they are not, or simply do not have the money to tip, that could cause employees to not be able to make ends meet for that week. Money has to come from somewhere and budgeting, when being paid in a very whimsical and hit-or-miss way, can make it hard for these workers to keep track of their funds. 

As long as this system is in place, everyone should be tipping at least 15%. Except, why is the burden of servers having a livable wage dependent on customers? The money should not be coming from the customers, who are already paying the restaurant to be there. The money should be coming from the restaurant itself. The minimum wage should not be different for servers simply because they can get tips. Tips should be a reward of exemplary service, not something to be expected. The minimum wage for servers has to be raised because while the customers that are going to these restaurants and paying their servers, the money that should be going to the wages of the servers is lining the pockets of the restaurant owners. 

These wages being provided, of course, relies on people actually tipping. Often times, especially when the service is not incredible or the food is not up to standards, customers will not want to give the mediocre establishment any more of their money. In a perfect world, not tipping would be acceptable when the service is not up to par. However, unless the server does something unforgivable, not tipping is unacceptable. No customer knows what is going on in the servers’ life that is causing them to act a certain way. The server did not make the mediocre spaghetti that makes someone not want to tip. 

The higher wages, optional tipping plan has been happening all around the globe for a very long time. America needs to get with the program and stop lining the pockets of big businesses. 

Photo from Pixabay