I’m a tipped server; Mayor Johnson’s restaurant minimum wage plan could ruin my livelihood

Restaurants in Chicago will have five years to phase in a higher base pay for tipped workers. (stock.adobe.com)

I’ve been in the restaurant industry since I was born. 

That’s only a slight exaggeration. My mom worked in the service industry for much of my childhood and provided a good living for us doing so. I chose to follow in her footsteps. Today, my tipped earnings don’t just allow me to survive — they allow me to thrive. Recently, I even moved downtown, thanks to the dependable income I earn as a server.