Minimum wage is currently $26.44 an hour in Australia. Tipping still happens here but it’s not expected and is usually only when it’s a large table or service was particularly exceptional in my experience.
Federal Minimum wage in the US is $7.25/hr. We haven't had a Minimum Wage increase in almost 20 years iirc, and back then it was only $5.15/hr
We also generally don't have good workers protections if you are in one of those minimum wage positions, some states have employee rights, and some barely have any at all
The whole system is made around keeping us dependent on their low pay, a fair chunk of us cannot afford to miss a single paycheck. Some cant afford to get sick and miss a single day of pay, and if we get sick it could cost you a year or more of income depending on the situations
People always bring up "federal" minimum wage in the US while completely ignoring State minimum wage. Name a single federal job that actually pays 7.25 an hour. What people leave out is the OPM enforces a baseline wage of 15 an hour. Implying minimum wage in the US is still only 7.25 across the board is misleading at best.
Federal minimum wage isn’t about the wage paid to federal employees, it is the legal minimum for workers in the US when a state does not have a minimum wage that supersedes it. Currently, 5 states do not have defined minimum wages, so they are required to pay the federal minimum. (The states are Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.)
Did you see the hourly wage for a server on this sign? It’s outrageously low, not even federal minimum wage.
Civilized US states require servers make minimum wage, at least, without tips being involved. This restaurant owner is giving customers shit for being cheap, but the owner is the one being egregiously cheap.
Wait staff in the US are exempt from regular minimum wages requirements, which are already absurdly low ($7.45) — for wait staff the wage is $2.13/hr. This is the result of heavy lobbying by the service industry. It is assumed that tips will make up the difference to meet minimum wages requirements. The idea actually originates from shortly after the Civil War when white business owners, looking to exploit uneducated former Black slaves, devised the tip scheme as a way of keeping wages artificially low. It’s just another example of exploitation and systemic inequality endemic in American society.
You failed to mention that the US federal minimum wage is just $7.25/hr. which is why only 1% of workers earn that little and that wait staff aren't even paid that amount as base pay. Restaurant owners can count the tip money a waiter receives against their base pay to pay them as little as $2.13/hr. This explains why the poster is so aggressively pushing 25% tipping - that establishment doesn't even want to have to pay $7.25/hr.
Yeah, what fuckin’ city do you live in? A kid in a retail shop is lucky to be making $12 much less $18. I see recruitment ads for professional people claiming to pay $15-$20 like they are doing you a favor.
Yeah quite possible it doesn’t apply to all do the USA or all sectors either. From what I often see commentated on, it seems to be hospitality/servers where ridiculous low wages are tolerated.
or they could get rid of tips completely and just pay the waiter a livable wage.. i mean if they're charging people $165 for a meal and they can't afford to pay their staff maybe they shouldn't be in business.. it's embarrassing..
Yeah, well, i wouldn’t hold your breath. Tipping has increased in the US. It’s part of the culture.
And it has nothing to do with what restaurants can pay. Because the attraction to waiting tables isn’t about getting $15 an hour. It’s about the possibility of making really decent money. As far that level of job.
The wait staff just no longer has to rely on the customer being generous. They just get paid and the owner sets the price based on what food costs and the salary of the workers.
Actually, waitstaff in nice restaurants typically outperform their counterparts in other countries, such as those Europe.
And. You won’t wait 25 minutes to get your drink filled.
Don’t believe me? Simply ask this question into google or any LLM:
What does a waiter at a nice steakhouse in Europe make compared to their US counterpart?
Nobody is guaranteed a profit. If food prices are too high to stay in business, lock the doors and shut it down. Dollar store is hiring. So tired of every restaurant owner being a victim.
like 5 companies control our entire food supply, (and were basically down to one that supplies restaurants) all of whom conspire to engage in market manipulation, so if you have a problem with food prices: break up the monopolies
I don’t even work in the restaurant industry and I can name a dozen food companies in about 30 seconds. I haven’t looked it up, but food supply probably consists of 1000’s of food companies. Like, every farm out there are independent companies.
Like, where did you even get that idea from???
Oh hell no, 45 minutes is the average expectation for table turns in nice establishments,
I was a Waffle House manager, a good waitress there, nights or days, 150-200 a shift. Now I had one of the top stores, but still. 200 a shift that’s 1000 a week and at the time no taxes. They are now taxing credit cards but 5 years ago yeah that was 800-1000 clear
I remember learning it was 10-15-20 depending on the service, now many places are trying to get it 15-20-25 or even more. One of my local places defaults to 22% tip.
(It's also the only place I tip more than the recommended, it has the cheapest food of anywhere I've been. Like $2 an order. I'm not tipping 44c.)
🇺🇸:we only have “communism” when it benefits the Capitalist Class. forcing the general public to subsidize wages business owners refuse to pay is just one of the many things about this country that sucks out loud.
I think you need to re-examine your understanding of communism. The system around tipping is one most capitalist concepts in action.
What makes tipping so great, is that it’s one of the best ways to make a good income, given you have some good hustle. As someone who worked as a waiter through high school AND college,
And, whether you tip or the restaurant paid a higher wage, customers would ultimately pay for the service either way.
Actually, tipping gives the customer the power to reward those who give excellent service. Again, it’s the opposite of what communism is.
I’m glad we don’t. There is clearly unhappiness in America before a customer even sits down and orders.
I just don’t like deceptions. The price is the price with no upfront guesses or misunderstanding. Tipping should be under exceptional circumstances only. The staff should be paid full wage so will serve you cause they want to, not because they are using you for your generosity and begging you for all you can donate where money is more important than duty.
Tipping feels like visiting the plantation to borrow slaves to work for you. Staff should instead be my peer citizens. Tipping seems to encourage customers to feel an unhealthy superiority over staff.
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u/Excellent-Bite196 5d ago
Minimum wage is currently $26.44 an hour in Australia. Tipping still happens here but it’s not expected and is usually only when it’s a large table or service was particularly exceptional in my experience.