I think ‘Garcon’, back in the day when many restaurants were family run, was very often probably the accurate term to use, bearing in mind that the young lad waiting table was probably the ‘Patron’s’ son.
Interestingly enough, we went out to lunch on Thursday and one of the staff waiting table was a lad of about 15 / 16 years of age. Sort of the exception that proves the rule as so often is the case. Of course I did not call him ‘Garcon’ despite him actually being a boy rather than a grown man, as I find that “Jeune homme” works just fine. I know that term must be OK as it is how our village Tobacconist greets me. (I think he needs glasses.) 
One has to be very cautious with censorship, but perhaps AI may one day be able to determine in nano-seconds whether a word is being used inappropriately or not.
‘Red Snapper’ is often on the menu in the Carolinas but I’m sure that it isn’t a Communist Photographer.