Next Time You're Tempted To Give A Bad Tip, Consider This

The federal minimum wage for tipped workers is only $2.13 per hour.

And it’s been that way since 1991, when this guy was still president:

That’s less than one-third of the federal minimum wage.

So if you think that the normal minimum wage isn’t growing fast, just look at this:

Adjust for rising prices over the years, and things look even worse:

While there are tipped workers who make good money at fancy restaurants, that’s more the exception than the rule.

The fact is that tipped workers are more than twice as likely as any other workers to live in poverty:

Really, no matter what way you break it down, tipped workers earn less:

So when you hear the phrase “living off tips,” you should take it quite literally.

For example, more than half of the average bartender’s income comes from tips.

And an even higher percentage of a waiter's income comes from what you dole out.

By the way, you only need to make $30 a month in tips to be considered a “tipped worker.”

And a lot of bosses are stealing those tips.

Then there's all the crap they have to deal with, like this:

And this:

And especially this:

Speaking of, it's worth noting that female restaurant workers deal with sexual harassment at five times the rate of the overall female workforce.

Here's another disturbing one: Around 90 percent of restaurant workers say they don't get paid sick days. (The more you think about that the grosser it gets.)

They also have to work nights and weekends more often than the rest of us.

The next time someone tells you it's OK not to tip since the workers are all kids, remember that more than one-third of those "kids" are 30 or older.

And pay extra special attention to the female tipped workers -- they typically make less per hour than their male peers, who tend to get the fancier jobs.

Still not convinced? Here are some complaints registered by a self-identified T.G.I. Friday's employee on Glassdoor.com:

Fast paced. Long shifts. No official breaks. Stressful. Overly managed. A job, a worth while one. But not a career in and of itself due to pay, and the condescending nature in which managers assume of your decision making abilities.

So at the end of the day, let's all admit a couple extra bucks means a lot more to them than it does to you.