Probably a very unpopular take, because a large number of people here are working for these deplorable companies, that squeeze their employees while dangling that “well, but with tips your salary will be…”-carrot in front of them, but let me give you my take on this monster that your country has created.
Now let's start at the beginning. Your industry is rotten to its core, as perhaps the only sector that allows business owners to pay you less than Federal Minimum Wage, and claim the rest as a tax-credit, shifting more than ⅔ of the responsibility of paying a liveable wage onto society at large.
Over the past few months I've seen an uptick in what is considered “good form” to leave as a tip, where the only way to get out from under it seems to be acute food poisoning that requires medical intervention. And it recently culminated to “30% is a good tip”. That is a ridiculous amount. Because it is 30% at restaurants or bars, but then the domino effect will be that now 10% at Starbucks is too little, and while you're at it, why no tips for shelf stockers?
The best way to get rid of this, is to stop the excessive tipping, and bring it back to its original meaning: an reward for excellence. Not a short-term remedy for poverty.
And now, there are those that will cry out that not tipping will only affect the workers, and not spur on any change. And while that is true for today, it is not sustainable for the long haul. When servers cannot get a liveable wages collecting tips, they will start demanding higher pay, to compensate, forcing the employers to either keep up or die off.
Not tipping will bring about change at a rate outrage on Reddit will never be able to.