What is Supplement Pay?

Why can't restaurants pay servers more money. Why does a customer have to "supplement" their wages with a tip?

• I am not cheap. I once was a server, and I loved my 20% tips, and I worked hard to get them. But I always wondered why can't the restaurant just pay me $10/hour. Why $3.75. Furthermore, why should the customer be expected to dish out extra money for an already inflated bill?

• Answer:

  That's a good question. It may be so that restaurants can keep prices low. However what about the restaurants that are very expensive to eat at? Personally I think waiters and waitresses are horribly under paid. I've never had such a job but from what I've witness it is not an easy job. That's not even counting whatever they have to do behind scenes. Another problem is that in some areas people do not like to give tips or they give very small tips. In my opinion waiters should be given minimum wage at the very least, but I think they deserve more.