Why do people always say "don't toss/tip your server" or "I don't really make minimum wage because I have to tip out my coworkers" as if tips are somehow... mandatory? I never understood that.

I always thought that tips were either a bonus for excellent service or a little something extra for good service.<br><br>After working in the service industry as a customer and a server, the first thing my manager told me was "you have to tip out the kitchen staff and bussers 3% or you will be in trouble".<br><br>I thought this was bullshit. I was only making $2.35 an hour and had to pay out of my own pocket at the end of the night to the other employees I was working with. (This was in the 90's so minimum wage was $4.25 I think?)<br><br>I got a lecture from my manager about how I was essentially stealing from the other employees if I didn't "tip out" and it didn't make sense to me. It still doesn't.<br><br>Why is this the norm? Is this just the way it's always been? Shouldn't the employer of the server be paying the server a full minimum wage and have the tip money be only a bonus?