I’m suspicious that this is just another way to get more European. Every single damn day in The Guardian there is an editorial on the evils of tipping waiters in America. It’s an obsession with them. Mostly because they are the cheapest SOBs in the world but also they resent the uniqueness of American habits and culture. So I’ll stick with tipping waiters. I enjoy tipping them, in fact.
Oddly enough, that's actually backwards. Up until the 20th Century, tipping was generally rejected here in the US, largely because it was considered an old world custom. It was introduced in large part as a way to suppliment the incomes that resulted from the loss of revenues due to prohibition.
The Europeans are actually emulating the practice that was common here for the best chunk of our history.
People should tip if they want, but they shouldn’t feel pressured and it definitely shouldn’t be mandatory
Me too...it's part of the overall experience, plus many of the servers are late teens/early 20's who are just trying to make ends meet, get through school, etc. They're giving me great service and I feel the whole process works for everyone.