[jimhoward]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

I am not advocating elimination of tips but let's cut the Myth of poverty.

First, people chose that occupation, not for $13/Hour, but for the opportunity for the tip income. As one poster indicated from firsthand sources, that tip income can average $250 to $300 per day. At the lower number that equals $65,000. Add to that the Tipped Minimum wage ($8.98/Hour) $18,000/year for a total of $83,000.

Further these poor people have garnered an upcoming bonus of no tax on tips. That gift was given to these folks at the expense of the rest of us. By that I mean that what they don't have to pay, we have to make up.

Not all tipped wait staff receive that level of tips. Depends on the restaurant, location, level of business. But the best staff tend to get the best jobs. You are likely to find lower paid in rural areas , diners, etc

Not saying that even the example mentioned above is ideal, but I would guess there are many residents of the Villages that don't currently have that type of Income.

While we have typically given Tips in cash, it would seem that we were enabling staff to understate Income. No real reason to do that anymore.

I think good servers could make that in the villages if they could get enough hours. But restaurants limit them to far fewer than 40 hours per week to avoid paying benefits. They are also quick to cut them on slow days.