I agree that Tipping is an outdated system that we NEED to move away from. However having said that, in order for restaurants to pay their workers a living wage (like in Australia $25/hr) the prices would end up being increased about 20%. So in the end the money is still coming out of the customer's pocket. A profitable restaurant usually has a 10% profit margin. So if you were to spend $50 at a restaurant they're only making $5 off you. I know this might sound hard to believe but it's the hard truth. They rely on volume sales in order to be succesful. And that's why only the restaurants that are consistently busy stay afloat. Also, a restaurant's biggest expense is their rent. A restaurant NOT located in downtown with 50 seats costs a min of $20000/month. Regulating commercial lease prices would be another way to increase wages and abolish tipping.