That's also something the rest of the world scratches its head about. I'm not sure the best way to make your point is to use an example of how absurd the US is.
Similarly, ads have issues, but blocking them is not fair to the creator, who reasonably expected ad impressions in exchange for creating the content and paying for visitors' traffic.
Very likely "unkind", but I categorically reject your framing of it as "cheating by the customer".
The practical and ethical responsibility for a livable wage lies with the employer, even if your specific state's laws permit them to violate it.
The real culprits are (collectively) the lawmakers and their donors, who allow this "race to the bottom", followed by the employers who benefit every day from the workers' powerlessness.
Or, to put it another way: "Donate cash to my salaried employee out of pity, so I don't have to pay them for their actual work! If you don't do it, they'll starve and it'll be all your fault!"
Tipping is a cultural thing. And practically wait staff make much more from tips than they would if they were paid hourly by their employers.