The thing is, these restaurants make more than enough money to pay their workers more. The tip culture came during a time when rich people wanted to be sat first ahead of the poors in line, so they bribed the maitre d to be preferentially treated. Any restaurant owner talking about "razor thin margins" is full of shit. I've seen what restaurant owners drive. I've seen the vacations they take. No restaurant owner at a successful restaurant is in the breadlines.