> yet people still tip wait staff & minimum wage is over $16 an hour here.

Which is still a bit over half (adjusted for inflation) of what minimum wage was when I was in high school, and even then minimum wage was widely considered too low. But that's an entirely different discussion.

I worked minimum wage jobs w/out tips that were definitely harder work than serving. It was entirely too low to actually live on if I wanted to do anything, but walking to the grocery store/work and eating crummy food worked. I'd often just hang out and read at the book store for entertainment.