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Culture War Roundup for the week of February 9, 2026

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Ah so waitress is a stand in for a “hot girl job”? I’m a frequent restaurant goer and across Europe that’s not really been the case. First off I’ve found most waiters to be male, although at family run restaurants you might have the wife bringing you the food while the husband cooks, and in that case the vibe is definitely more “motherly” than flirty. I’m guessing it’s different in the US which might be one of the causes of the scissor statement.

“Rich men prefer to marry rich women who got wealthy through their looks and personality rather than from grinding the corporate ladder” is a very different statement from “rich men prefer to marry attractive poor women in low status jobs rather than rich women”. Picking a supermodel over a CEO is not the same as picking a bartender over a CEO.

I think this is because American waitresses make most of their money through tips, where being attractive tends to generate more tips, so hot women are literally paid better in those industries.

Waitress is a mostly female job in the US, but they aren't selected for attractiveness.

Waitress is a mostly female job in the US, but they aren't selected for attractiveness.

Depends on where you go. It's no coincidence there aren't any fat ugly waitresses at good restaurants. (Nor fat ugly waiters) They're not solely selected for attractiveness, but they're definitely selected for it.

Depends on the restaurant. A lot of higher-tier restaurants have unattractive waitresses/waiters who are clearly food/cocktail nerds and ostentatiously good at their job. The hipster food revolution has put quite a bit more emphasis on appearing knowledgeable rather than svelte.