The reality is that the waiter is making TONS of CASH even if you factor in the occasional Zero Dollar tip. Waitstaff must take the good with the bad, and 'stiffing' is a reality.

Many people will be surprised to see the statistics. As a waiter, *a friend of mine* made about $100 per day in wages, about $65 after tax. In the high season *he* made a minimum (meaning NEVER LESS THAN) $300 tips per day, with $525 daily tips being *his* peak. This number is after sharing (lots of) *his* tips with the host and those helping *him* with *his* duties. This TIP income is virtually untaxed. I'll let you figure out why.

In a work year, *he* would have an average 100 day busy season, meaning $6500 of after tax wages and a Minimum of $30,000 of after tax tips, an average of $400/day with the remaining 270 days of the year off, if *he* so desired.

You can sing a sob story for the 'poor waiter', but I'm not buying it.

Bad service deserves little or no tip.

PS I was a waiter for 20 years, until recently.