Why do American restaurants pay so little?

Their low pay is the result of the sub-minimum wage laws for tipped workers (still $2.13 per hour at the federal level), the very same laws that the NRA has spent millions of dollars, over decades, lobbying to keep in place.

How are restaurant workers paid in Europe?

In Europe, the waitress and waiters get paid by hour, unlike the US. You would still want to leave a tip but not the full 20\%. people usually leave 5–10\% in Europe. Europe’s system is better because you have income no matter if it’s a slow day or not.

What does a waiter make in Europe?

French waiters are paid, on average, 1,495 euros (£1,200; $2,000) a month, only a shade more than the statutory minimum wage, and they usually expect some sort of tip. In France all prices include service and taxes, with approximately 15\% of the price corresponding to the service.

Why are servers paid below minimum wage?

Unlike cooks, who are subject to the federal minimum wage, servers are instead compensated based on the assumption that they are going to earn some extra money on the side. Restaurants are required to pay their wait staff what is known as the tipped-minimum wage, which is $2.13 per hour.

Do waiters get paid in USA?

The United States of America federal government requires a wage of at least $2.13 per hour be paid to employees who receive at least $30 per month in tips. If wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any week, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate.

What percentage of restaurant workers are poor?

More than two in five restaurant workers, or 43.1 percent, live below twice the poverty line—more than twice the 19.9 percent share outside the restaurant industry. By race/ethnicity and gender, poverty rates in the restaurant industry are highest for women, blacks, and Hispanics.

Do restaurant workers receive fringe benefits?

Restaurant workers rarely receive fringe benefits. Just 14.4 percent of restaurant workers receive health insurance from their employer, compared with roughly half (48.7 percent) of other workers.

What do you need to know about the restaurant industry?

This paper examines the restaurant industry and the workers who hold restaurant jobs, including how much they earn, what jobs they do, whether they receive benefits, and whether they and their families are able to make ends meet. Key findings include: Restaurant workers receive very low pay.

Is the restaurant industry unionized or non-unionized?

Unionization rates are extremely low in the restaurant industry, but unionized restaurant workers receive wages that are substantially higher than those of non-union restaurant workers. Occupations within the restaurant industry are highly gendered and have strong racial and ethnic concentrations.