re: Has 20% become the new standard for tipping?

FWIW it's been almost 10 years, but $1000 sales night was a good night as a server and that was at a turn and burn $20ish a plate place. $1250 was a great night, and something like July 4th weekend some did $1800+. On a Tuesday most did around $750.

Nowadays $1250 is probably a good night. You take some restaurants in busy tourist areas like Nola and Destin with $25/ dish turn and burn as in not fine dining, $1500-2000 nights is probably fairly common for the 'lifers' -servers for life.

I usually averaged about 15% take home after tip outs. Hot chicks and theives got 20% take home on the ref. $250-300 weekend nights happen but not regularly.

Eta: my 2 week paychecks in the summer when I was hustling working 45+ hour weeks which was 5 nights and 2 lunches, was usually about $50-60 lol. That was $3.15 wage if I remember right after taxes, the company auto did my credit card tip income I usually did like $15/ night for cash tips.

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Nobody is forcing you to go out to eat. This is just how the industry works in this country.

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But it doesn't have to. Just pay them a living wage and make tipping optional.

Historically speaking, the American tipping system is a holdover from post-Civil War railroad service when black porters would carry your shite for "free" and hope for a tip. No reason that system needs to continue but it has.