I didn’t invent the system but your typical waiter or waitress in Texas is paid well below minimum wage (Texas is $2.37/hr if I recall). The premise is that they will make well beyond that in tips left by grateful customers. That’s why you tip and if you didn’t know that I pity the food service people you do encounter.
What places like Seattle and San Francisco have done is replaced that wage scale with a $11-$15/hr minimum wage where tipping should be unnecessary because the food server is earning the same as your typical laborer.
As to the value of eating out versus eating in, you are trading your (or more likely your wife’s) labor at preparing, cooking and cleaning afterward for the convenience of having your meal professionally prepared in the ambiance of a stimulating environment.
I’m single and admit I overspend on dining out but if I am having a good time and pay my bills, why should you care? I tip generously, particularly for pretty young waitresses who treat me like I’m somebody special.
However, under socialist minimum wage laws, the servers have no incentive to be pleasing or attentive to their guests since they are already being paid the full wage for their labors.
Don’t waste your pity. It’s the waiters’ employers’ fault they pay low. It is not my duty to do employee evaluations and give them tips. Yes, I do, but it pisses me off. Customers go to eat, not do the managers’ job. If you have a good employee, then give them a raise. If you have a bad employee, fire him. But don’t leave it up to the customers to do that for you. Those same waiters who whine about their wages are bringing in $100, $200 or more a shift in tips. It has NOTHING to do with their hourly wage. Wanna bet they’re also lying on their IRS? You can’t lie because you get a statement from your job. You pay your taxes honestly. Waitstaff count a good portion of their income as tax free and laugh at the rest of us.
In Texas - I was waitressing in high school some 40 years ago and was getting $2 something at a little mom and pop 12 table dump so your $2.37 is wrong. Our kiddo was waitressing at a mall restaurant 5 years ago and she started out at $9 something and ended at $13.50/hr.