[Inyo-Mono]

As a former waiter, I view the above comments with a differing perspective: I gladly worked for the minimum wage, in exchange for a percentage of the tips I received. Even after I shared my tips, as follows:

Bartender - 5%

Cocktail waitress (yes it was a long time ago) - 5%

Maitre D - 10%

Busboys - 10%

Kitchen Staff - One Six Pack

That is one thing that always bugged me as a cook at restaurant in the early 1970s when I was in college. The "kitchen staff," the people who actually cooked the meals, made minimum wage period. No tips. While the waitresses made over $400 a night in tips, all the while taking breaks, and blaming the cooks for their mistakes (forgetting to turn in a ticket to the cooks, etc.) while the cooks worked non stop without a break. Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

[Michael.SF.]

No apology necessary!

I was also a cook for several years, but I made more than minimum wage.