I get that often; I'm a vegetarian, which results in me often ordering a cheaper meal, and I usually drink water, unless the tea is decent. I order their tea if it isn't nasty. So the impression for the staff is that I'm cheap, which is far from the truth; I'm an exceptionally generous tipper.

I know the look on the face when they hear my order and decide I'm not worth their time. It pits my interests against theirs, instead of aligning them as tipping is supposed to do.

Tipping makes me their employer willy-nilly. I didn't pick them, I can't fire them (at least not without considerable difficulty). But I have to pay them, although we have no agreement as to details. Its a crazy system.

P. S. I am the "adult white male" as in the article.