Colin W Kingsbury wrote:

Just keep in mind that your average waitress is paid somewhere around
$3/hour by the restaraunt. Thus if you don't tip, the person basically
doesn't get paid.

The better alternative would be to pay them fair wages in the first place.

FWIW, the "system" does make some sense. First, it clearly connects pay to
volume of work. On a busy night you work harder and get paid more. This is
fairer to the staff and simpler for management.

Easier for the management? Certainly. But fairer to the staff? No!
Getting enough work is the management's job. The tipping system just
puts the risk on the employees.

Stefan