Re: Last night was "surf and coop."

On 3/8/2025 5:33 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:

On 2025-03-08, Dave Smith <adavid.smith@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>
Make it something close to what they would be expected to make with
tips. They are the restaurant's employees so they should be responsible
for paying their employees, not the customers.

 The customers pay the employees either way.
 

That's true.  But in states like SC where the minimum *server* wage is still a ridiculous $2.13/hour, it's kind of silly to have to depend upon the kindness of strangers to make up the difference between that and the Federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.  (Technically the employer is supposed to make up the difference.)  Counting on the customer to leave more than a 50 cent tip on a $40 meal doesn't cut it.
My manager and his wife eat out a LOT.  He had no idea $2.13 is the base server wage in this state.  And oh, it doesn't matter if you tip in cash or put it on your credit card because server income is reported based on sales rung at the register.  Handing them a tip in cash makes no difference whatsoever in what gets reported as taxable income to the IRS.  They assume you're earning at least the Federal minimum.
Jill