Originally Posted by
Philatravelgirl
The US definitely has a problem with tipping (it's gotten worse IMO) - I earned $2.01 an hour
I don't know how old you are, but ever since 1991, tipped minimum wage has been $2.13 or higher in all states, so your employer was breaking the law by paying you $2.01.
Originally Posted by
Philatravelgirl
and had to declare to the IRS a % of sales whether or not the table covered the % or not.
No, you didn't. You could have kept track of your tips and declared the actual amount received. Most servers don't, because it works out to their advantage to declare a flat percent of sales.
Originally Posted by
Philatravelgirl
I paid taxes on the whole pile of tips, not the net after paying out to the others.
Not sure why you did that. You should have found a more competent tax preparer.
I understand your point about how hard it is as a server. But the fact is that most unskilled jobs are equally hard. If a cashier at a supermarket is making minimum wage, why should a server at a restaurant expect anything more?
In states like California, where servers are paid full minimum wage, I don't see the need to tip, although I usually do so anyway. In states where tip credits are allowed, it may be more necessary.