Since ours in the US is generally a percentage of the bill, people in expensive restaurants can make more. Do they work harder? Do they have fewer tables so less checks are tipping? 20% tips on 5 hundred dollar tables is $100 every 60-90 minutes, but shifts are usually only a few hours. So maybe $3-400 for a 4-5 hour dinner shift? In a diner you’d are probably half that per table but for more tables and faster turnover. What’s a good wage?
Even in your example $8*8= $64, while 2*8+40=56.
The only reason servers prefer tips is because of the expectation to tip. It’s all a strategy to mask real dish prices with lower prices (lmao, not even, the baseline price is even more expensive than generally in Europe (more than expensive locations of Spain, France and Germany, my points of reference)).
The only one who ends up winning is the owner.
8 x 42, though it’s really more like 5 x 42.