The state government pays the waiters in Washington?
Sorry I was unclear. No, the state has some rule that says that servers are paid whatever minimum wage is. That's why I don't feel as bad for rewarding bad service with less of a tip. It's also not fair to the dishwashers and cooks who don't make tips. Plus, Washington has a new system of somehow tying the minimum wage to inflation, so it gets raised every couple of years (don't even let me get started on THAT).
Whenever I feel strapped for cash, I have contemplated getting a part-time evening job waitressing. My husband cooks at a popular Italian restaurant (not a chain) and some nights the servers make $150+ in tips alone on a busy weekend evening. That's for maybe a 6 hour shift- then they make almost $8 an hour in base pay. I never do it, but I do seriously consider it.