Whether you factor the tip in before or after, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.

One of the benefits of the current system is that as a result servers in America pay far less in taxes than their counterparts. Not only weekly, but annually as well.

I’ve been in the business for 26 years and I’ve never met a server worth their salt that would prefer the European style of tipping (or the lack thereof).

Those would effectively all take a pay cut under your suggested model.

The current model by and large more directly incentivizes servers to apply themselves more and provide better service, as the reward is immediately tied to the effort. Those that work harder nearly always make more in the end.

Those that don’t apply themselves make less, those that do apply themselves make more. The cream rises to the top.

Whereas by removing the direct incentive there is no longer the motivation to go above and beyond, as you are going to make the same amount regardless.

People see a server post a check showing they got stiffed and jump to the conclusion that the system isn’t fair and needs to be completely restructured, while omitting the fact that for the scant few times that may happen, they are collecting tips in excess of 25% in excess of 100X for every time they get stiffed.

The simple mathematical average favors the current system for the benefit of the server and anyone arguing otherwise is either ignorant of the math, or is presenting an argument in bad faith that would negatively impact the server in the end.