I think your wording is a bit mixed up here. Tips don't subsidize the businesses. They subsidize the employees.

As a former server I believe everyone should be paid at least minimum wage. But if you're gonna do that then society needs to start tipping everyone everywhere. There's NO difference in the minimum wage waitress who didn't cook my food, but brought it to the table then compared to the minimum wage grocery clerk who broke down a pallet of product to get the item I needed that was at the bottom of the pallet.

Tips do go to the employee.

Honestly this practice should be stopped and just pay everyone equal. most of the world tipping is not a thing and some are even insulated by it.

So you want them to make less money?

You missed the pet of paying everyone equal didn’t you

People with lots of money typically like to tip. Servers and bartenders who make more money are discouraged they will not make that same amount when tipping goes away. Until these problems are dealt with tipping isn't going to stop here.

[removed]

If you change the way waiters and waitresses get paid, they will be making less money. Why would you advocate for that?

[deleted]

My wife is in the service industry and has been for many years. If she was paid the actual minimum wage she make more than she would with tips

A bootlicker has entered the chat.

Did the owner of a restaurant tell you this?

*Sometimes.

Tip theft is a serious issue in the service industry and it often goes unchecked. I know of a few places that openly steal tips from employees.

Any credible cases of tip theft should be referred to the office of the AG. They take this stuff incredibly seriously - it's typically pretty easy to prove and makes for great press for the office when then can call out and fine a business for this.

I mean, in theory. Most people don't have any faith in the system though. And you can get fired easily for doing this.

Then make sure all tipped employees claim 100% of their cash tips on taxes.....we all know they don't and are screwing the rest of us who have to pay full income tax....

No one is paid less than minimum wage. That is why it is called minimum wage. If someone who works for $6.25 an hour + tips does not clear $14.25 an hour, then the employer is responsible for making up the difference. Everyone is getting at least $14.25 an hour.

And usually your tip doesn't go entirely to your server. The waitstaff usually tips out the bartenders, bussers, and sometimes hosts/hostesses out of their pocket when they cash out for their shift. Often this doesn't mean handing over money personally, but having someone in the office either figure it out for them or just gather it all up in one place, and then the recipient picking it up later when it's all calculated.

Source: Was a busboy in high school, my sister is a waitress, and my mother managed a restaurant for a million years.