That depends on what you mean by "great service". As an Australian living in Japan, I was unfamiliar with tipping until a recent trip to the US. And the thing that surprised me even more than the bizarre idea of me having the power to underpay a worker despite them doing a perfectly good job (that would be illegal in other countries), would be the idea of "great service". Apparently in the US, great service consists of being nagged constantly to remind you that he server exists and needs a tip. Great sevice in Japan however means leave me the fuck alone and let me enjoy my meal in peace.

>Apparently in the US, great service consists of being nagged constantly to remind you that he server exists and needs a tip.

It really doesn't. It means that my water gets refilled, you don't mess up the order, you're there when I have a problem, want to order dessert, want my check, etc. I can't speak for everyone but if I have to eventually ask someone else to find you to get me my check--that's when tips go down, not because you weren't pestering me constantly.

I understand that the evidence indicates otherwise.

For example, http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tipping-doesnt-reward-good-... , which suggests that tipping incentivises (amongst other things) touching the customer, telling them they've make good decisions, and (for female service staff) being physically attractive. The customers are like rats in a Skinner box; you just have to do these few simple little things and they hand over extra money. Service staff who make good tips know this, and eventually it teaches contempt for the customers.

I prefer to get excellent service by being polite and courteous. I hate the idea that people are only entitled to a living wage when they work a service job if they are especially subservient.

Then what is the employer paying them for, if not exactly that?