The most important bit of research he relates has nothing to do with the servers, but with the customers - an individual customer will tip about the same regardless of service. This means that the incentive for waitstaff is not to serve everyone better in hopes of better tips, but to compete for the perceived highest value customers (white business men) and provide them with the best service. I don't have links to studies but this confirms what I've heard from friends in the restaurant industry - the strategy is to serve those with the highest expected tip better.
At this point the disconnect should be obvious. A customer who tips well but doesn't fall into the "expected good tipper" category will not get good service so how is the system "incentivizing good service" in a general sense?
The most important bit of research he relates has nothing to do with the servers, but with the customers - an individual customer will tip about the same regardless of service. This means that the incentive for waitstaff is not to serve everyone better in hopes of better tips, but to compete for the perceived highest value customers (white business men) and provide them with the best service. I don't have links to studies but this confirms what I've heard from friends in the restaurant industry - the strategy is to serve those with the highest expected tip better.
At this point the disconnect should be obvious. A customer who tips well but doesn't fall into the "expected good tipper" category will not get good service so how is the system "incentivizing good service" in a general sense?