Despite the fact that Congress has raised the federal minimum wage for other workers several times in recent years, the base minimum wage for restaurant waitstaff (not including tips) has remained at $2.13 per hour since 1991. That makes it tough on local waitstaff, but it also presents a challenge for restaurant owners.
Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association
Richmond consumers shopping less but still dining out
Shoppers in Richmond cut back spending at a surprising clip in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to recently released tax data. But restaurants, long thought to bear the brunt of new-found thriftiness, didn’t see an across-the-board hit to their revenue.