It's not just for teens, it's for anyone who doesn't need a living wage. It's for people who live with someone else who is helping to pay or paying their bills. There are plenty of jobs that do pay a living wage. Why not work at one of those? You get paid for what you are worth. Anyone can serve coffee so there is no value or worth in the skill of serving coffee - anyone can do it so you get paid less. If you are a doctor or a pilot or carpenter you get paid more because not everyone can do it. Professionals and trades people paid money and sacrificed for their education, they also have much more responsibility than a server and so they get paid more to carry that responsibility - building a bridge, flying a plane, wiring a high voltage electrical panel. If you want a living wage - get the skills that pay you a living wage.