The bad news about some restaurants:

[hay rick]

4. What I wrote, what I meant.

I didn't mean having a single minimum wage. I should have said that having a minimum wage for tipped employees that is closer to the full minimum wage would reduce the loss to employees if the employer didn't make up the difference. The narrowed gap would also reduce the employer's potential gain for that kind of intimidation/oversight.

You are right about under-reporting of tips. I've known people who admitted that was their standard practice. I expect that is common in higher-end restaurants. Still, two wrongs don't make a right.