That was a fascinating thread to read, a blast from over 23 years ago. I turned it up here: https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tip-tip-tip-you-motherfucking-yuppie-cheapskate-bastards-tip. Poor ol’ Oldscratch, he didn’t come off too well in the end, but man, most everybody in that thread sounds about 23 years younger than they do now, and almost nobody was aware that most bartenders and wait staff make the vast bulk of their income from tips.
(Also, you have to have an income of at least $18/hour to afford a one bedroom apartment in San Francisco! Who knew the place was so expensive.)