What do you tip your waiter? On average.

[Khuutra]

NJ5 said:

Khuutra said:

NJ5 said:
Anyway, one question about not being able to live by serving tables... What about all the other minimum wage earners who don't get tips? How do those survive?

People who wait tables are often paid less than half minimum wage, I meant. Most people can live (frugally) on minimum wage.

So minimum wage isn't really the minimum wage?

It is, actually. Waiters and other tip-based income earners are paid a certain amount below the minimum wage provided they earn an amount equal to or greater than the difference by way of tips. So if the minimum wage is $10 and I get $5 an hour, I need to make $5 an hour in tips. If I make only 4$ an hour in tips, I have to be reimbursed by my employer, who would be paying me $6 an hour for those hours.

Of course, if I can't make up the difference I am probably a bad waiter and am likely to be fired.