ridiculous. as a bartender i'm truely offended. i've worked in restaurants and bars for the last 10 years, and i've seen that good service is properly rewarded the vast majority of the time. i'm one of the better servers most places that i've worked, i typically make 25-35% of my sales in tips, where others are lucky to make 10%. i don't see why my tips should be cut in order to make sure someone else gets the same amount.
Because in restaurants that cater to the international crowd, the tips run below six percent.
The reasonm is the prices. Diner for 2 at the French Laaundry, with good but not exotic wines will run $750.00/couple, and too many people were taking the choke at adding a $100 to $200 tip to that.
They have a staff of one employee per every three diners served, and you aren't talking about college kids but professional chefs and waitstaff. You can't get that kind of people or service for chump change.