Dear Lizzy,
Is it OK to tip less in Oregon now that we have more fair minimum wages and workers are paying no federal taxes on tips?
I understand that even $30 per hour is a challenging living wage and have no misconceptions about how far $16.20 per hour can get someone. However, some of the server wages are surely passed along to customers. When we tip 22% at a restaurant, we are tipping on both the cost of the meal and the pass-through cost of the server’s wages. I can’t wrap my head around why tip expectations in Portland and Dallas (where the minimum wage for servers is $2.13) are the same. I certainly am not suggesting not tipping. I am just wondering about tipping a little less and maybe even flat tipping, as they do in other countries where servers earn OK minimum wages (like $10-$15 per meal). Whether I order a $5 glass of happy hour wine or a $25 cup of champagne, the server does the same amount of work…