Originally Posted by
ThePointsCollector
US waiters almost always rely on tips. They get paid something towards $2 an hour.
That's only true (well, legal*) in some states; in California (1/8th of the population and GDP) it is not, and several of the other high cost of living states as well.
(* doesn't stop some restaurants, although they're often the same ones that illegally take a share of tips. I'll avoid commenting on which ones those tend to be.)
Not that the $7-ish federal minimum wage, or the $9.00 CA minimum is all that generous.