Only in the crappy states. This isn't true across the board.
Pet is in CA. Tip credit wages (aka paying less than min because servers get tips) is illegal.
Servers have been the loudest voice against real wages and no tipping
A chunk of states did that. Tips didn't go away.
Bingo.
1) Neither are restaurant workers out here.
2) Nothing is stopping you from tipping at a fast food place.
3) That is not typical. Restaurants in the SF Bay Area has not had a problem hiring servers, but has had challenges keeping cooks because cooks don't get to share in tips.
To be fair, service at a high end restaurant is generally much better than that at a chain restaurant.
Drop the coin on a Michelin star place, something like Victoria and Albert's in Disney, or a chef's table dinner on a cruise and you're getting a much higher level of service.
WaPo is in Seattle so that would be $12/hour (not $2/hour) or $16/hour minimum if working for a large chain like Applebee's or Cheesecake Factory.
Servers constantly push back against that. Tips direct the majority of income to the front of the house. Higher wages all around more equitably share that between the front and back of the house, but would mean a lot less six figure income options for servers.