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by eesmith 417 days ago
That's not 80%. Food preparation doesn't get tips. Fast food employees rarely get tips.

Federal minimum wage for tipped workers starts at $2.13/hr. Only if tips aren't at least $5.12 does the employer have to pay more.
1 comments
bpodgursky 416 days ago
No fast food workers are making $7.25.

I'm sorry but if you think that's happening you are utterly disconnected with the real world. Mcdonalds is hiring at $15/hr and not succeeding.

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eesmith 416 days ago
Point taken.

Please tell me where these minimum wage food preparation and serving-related workers are working then.

I can tell you don't live in California, where McDonalds pays a minimum of $20/hr.

I can tell you don't live in West Virginia, where McDonald's averages about $10/hr.

McDonalds isn't the only fast food place.

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bpodgursky 416 days ago
?

They are waiters at non-fast-food restaurants and bars who make a nominal $2.50/hr and take most of their income in tips. I was very clear about this. I don't understand what's confusing.

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eesmith 416 days ago
Of those nearly 8 in 10 workers, how many are in tipped positions?
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bpodgursky 416 days ago
https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/minimum-wage/2023/

539,000/869,000 are food service employees under minimum wage.

Payment under min wage is only legal if they net above min wage after tips.

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eesmith 416 days ago
There's a fair bit of caveats in that report:

> The estimates of workers paid at or below the federal minimum wage are based solely on the hourly wage that respondents report (which does not include overtime pay, tips, or commissions). It should be noted that some respondents might round their hourly earnings when answering survey questions. As a result, some workers might be reported as having hourly earnings above or below the federal minimum wage when, in fact, they earn the minimum wage.

> Some workers reported as earning at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage may not in fact be covered by federal or state minimum wage laws because of exclusions and exemptions in the statutes. Thus, the presence of workers with hourly earnings below the federal minimum wage does not necessarily indicate violations of the FLSA or state statutes in cases where such standards apply.

I don't think you can easily conclude that all those employees must be tipped.

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