[graypegg]

To add to this, step 1 would have to be "Normalize minimum wage across the economy". Currently tipped employees have a lower minimum wage, that must equal or exceed the country-wide minimum wage after tips are paid out. Employers must make up the difference if they're short. So tips are heavily incentivized.

Forcing businesses to essentially wrap what was the tip into the price, in order to pay the full wage to staff won't solve everything, but that's a major first step! Businesses would then suddenly be able to compete on "NO TIPS HERE! :)" on a little sign by the register. You're also competing on the real price now (bill of materials + full price of labour), not a portion of it. (Bill of materials + labour not paid for by a hidden guilt-enforced fee.)

It's also just kind of shitty morally, service work deserves the respect of any other job and shouldn't be given the weird distinction of "sub-minimum wage" work.

Edit: Sorry, didn't read all of B), agree!