Sometimes that’s all that is available to them i guess. Yeah it’s depressing as fuck and i think it’s fair to blame that structure in part for the tipping culture we have now. “They survive on tips!” is actually pretty much true in a lot of places.

Imagine not being able to pay basic expenses because people eating meals didn’t feel generous enough for a few weeks🫣

That shouldn’t be a possibility imo. Some restaurants will have a little notice on the menu that says “no tipping, we pay our employees well”. That’s a good thing to see imo. Of course you have to trust it to be true too.