Huh? Are you joking? That's where statements like "their livelihood depends on it!" and "you didn't tip me enough so I can't feed my kids!" comes from. That's why someone just said, "So I'll go ahead and lower your wages to $3.75 an hour. Is that ok"? The assumption is that waiters make less than minimum wage which is why it's a job where tipping is expected. And in most states they DO make less than minimum wage so it makes sense to tip. In the states where they don't, it doesn't. But it's too engrained in the culture now to change it.