Thanks for posting that Anna, that explained somewhat what I had been trying to say. My "wage" was taxed a certain amount automatically for tips, so whether I made a tip or not I was still taxed for it.

Nothing exhausted me mentally and physically to the degree long hours at that job did. And while I like people, I am too easily hurt and stressed by nastiness and thus it was only something I really did for a few months. But it was enough to make me always appreciate a hard working server, in my experience most of them really are.

I will never understand some people's need to be nasty and condescending to people in customer service. So many people tolerate NO mistakes and no apology or trying to make things right will appease them. I guess they are just generally unhappy people.