Seriously. USA is like the generic video game starter character before anyone's had a chance to customise it and level up. At all. And I say that as someone who lives here.
You could make a decent wage being a server without tips, but there's legislation saying that they are going to take your proposed taxes from your paychecks before it even gets to your hand. That's why you make $3/hr. Because the government said they're taking their money up front. That's why I think if you do depend on tips, you shouldn't have to report them because then it just turns into the government double dipping. Also restaurant owners have full control to give you more pay, but they won't because it's cheaper for them to depend on customers to pay what they don't want to
Are there really, though? Especially ones that pay a wage you can live on. Those are rare, and generally already occupied by someone who isn't leaving unless forced to.
Everyone wants to be like "oh if you don't like it then just quit" but if every restaurant server in your city took that advice I guarantee there would be a huge stink about it. We've been hearing it for years already with the "nobody wants to work anymore" - no, people want to work, they need to in order to survive. Just, nobody wants to work for your shitty wages that they can't pay for both rent and groceries with.