Here's the thing: servers work for the restaurants. They do NOT work for the patrons. Patrons should NOT be directly responsible for the livelihood of the servers. It's the restaurant's responsibility to properly pay ALL staff. Why are food servers different than someone who sells clothing? We don't tip the person who folds the sweaters at the Gap and who helps us figure out sizes and rings us up. There might be a commission structure, sure, but it's invisible to the patron.
And why in the hell should a server's wage be paid by a patron, on the basis of how much that patron consumes? It's ridiculous. The server who gets a budget-minded couple is going to take home less of a tip (despite the percentage, if the couple is on a budget, the food cost will be less, thus a lesser tip) than the server who gets lucky and serves a couple who can spend more. It's a completely ludicrous set-up.
javachik is me.
Fay, I meant to comment on the "you must obviously be black" comment as well -- I am also surprised it went apparently unnoticed.
Yeah, that was completely bizarre.