What incentive would they have to sell an expensive bottle of wine, or a more profitable "Special," if they only get a fixed charge for either one?
I don't see it that way. I figure someone patronizes a restaurant because that restaurant ran advertisments that enticed a patron to come in. A patron doesn't sit at the table and then decide based on what the waiter tells him whether or not he'd be a paying customer.
> Servers are really sales people, and giving them a commision on what they sell is smart business.
Fine, I’m a salesman and my employer pays my commission — not the customer. At least, not directly: commission is built into the margin.
> What incentive would they have to sell an expensive bottle of wine, or a more profitable “Special,” if they only get a fixed charge for either one?
Why should the customer pay that directly? Incentivizing staff is an employer responsibility, because it is the employer who profits.
Tipping is Evil.