I'm a server. And even I say the only people that get screwed by the tipping system is the customers.
Servers get fucked too, they just don't notice. How much do you think the average server makes a year with tips?
Tipping didn't use to be a thing. It was considered insulting in the US. Then prohibition made restaurants less profitable and they lobbied for "Tippable Wages" to be a thing...
Varies a lot depending on the restaurant. At mine though my tips alone pay for my rent and utilities, my car note and insurance, phone bill, and I still have well enough to pay for gas and groceries and going out on the town, etc. Luckily I also live in Nevada so I get an 8.50 base wage and I just direct deposit it straight into my savings because I never really need it.
But at the end of the day, the tips alone are enough to live on and have leftovers. Not to mention you often can bring home food for free or at a big discount.
Wth kind of four star restaurant do you work at? Because you clearly cannot do something like that at a Dennys. ---