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datahoarder
Who are we?
We are digital librarians. Among us are represented the various reasons to keep data -- legal requirements, competitive requirements, uncertainty of permanence of cloud services, distaste for transmitting your data externally (e.g. government or corporate espionage), cultural and familial archivists, internet collapse preppers, and people who do it themselves so they're sure it's done right. Everyone has their reasons for curating the data they have decided to keep (either forever or For A Damn Long Time). Along the way we have sought out like-minded individuals to exchange strategies, war stories, and cautionary tales of failures.
We are one. We are legion. And we're trying really hard not to forget.
-- 5-4-3-2-1-bang from this thread
You nailled it in the last paragraph. It is important to not get angry at customers. It isn't their obligation to pay you a living wage. Secondly, the company chooses how much the meals are and indirectly how much they rent their tables per hour. If it isn't viable, they should increase prices.
Customers may be struggling. Could be their first meal out in months. The company invited them in with these cheap prices.
Tipping culture is like "hey, come in, eat cheap. Oh, and please pay our staff on the way out." You are an employer, not a table rental company.