Since ours in the US is generally a percentage of the bill, people in expensive restaurants can make more. Do they work harder? Do they have fewer tables so less checks are tipping? 20% tips on 5 hundred dollar tables is $100 every 60-90 minutes, but shifts are usually only a few hours. So maybe $3-400 for a 4-5 hour dinner shift? In a diner you’d are probably half that per table but for more tables and faster turnover. What’s a good wage?


Sounds like you need to increase your minimum wage then as it seems you’re implying it’s not a livable wage.
Moving the responsibility to pay employees from the company owner to random people tips is a bad idea. It only works because you peer pressure people into tipping, but people who don’t feel pressured to do so will stop tipping and others might look and ask themselves why should I?. You don’t tip doctors, programmers, artists, drivers, or any other professional, why are servers different? If the tipping system is so great why is it not used on any other profession? Would you be willing to work your profession for tips?
I’m just saying that servers don’t want to change the system because they make so much more with tips. If they make less than minimum wage then the restaurant is required to make up the difference.
Sounds like they should earn a fixed rate of more than minimum wage then. Crazy idea huh?
I dunno, but I’m pretty sure no one is going to pay a server $40/hr.