Quote:Yeah but prices in restaurants don't mean much in the US due to enforced tipping. Where customer subsidise owners paying poor wages.

 

Once again you show your ignorance.  Tipping is not enforced, rather it is a custom here in the U.S..  I understand that you foreigners trying to tell us how government should work don't understand tipping since it's not a part of European or other countries "norm".  In fact, I do know that it can actually be "offensive" to give or leave a tip in a lot of countries.

 

Here is where people fail to grasp things.  Owners of restaurants don't pay "poor wages", they pay what people are willing to accept for the job.  Tips are supposed to be reported on an income tax return.  How many people that work in an industry that relies on tips accurately reports their true earnings on their tax forms?  My guess is it's not many.  Tips are pretty much "un-taxed wages" earned by many in this country.

 

Again, I'll get off topic here, but that's why so many advocate a "consumption tax" rather than taxing "income".  A waiter/waitress can report their income at say $15,000.00 when they actually earned another $15,000.00 in tips.

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