IMO, Tipping is a bad idea that should be discouraged wherever possible. The only place I think it should be used is where the
service provider is self employed and provides some service above and beyond what was bargained for, such as a taxi driver, barber, hair dresser, shoe shiner or other micro entrepreneur who goes above and beyond. Tipping employees such as waiters, gas jockeys, and the dozens of other occupations who now seem to expect a tip, is never a good idea.
Tipping creates conflicts and inequities between the staff who are tipped (the $150.00/hr waitress) and those that aren't (the minimum wage kitchen staff), it encourages an under the table cash economy of tax evaders, and creates a serious conflict of interest for the poor employee whose duty to his employer (for example, to report boats whose
holding tank pumpouts are not up to standard) is often in conflict with the requirement to keep the customer happy in order to "earn" their tip.
It also demeans the value of the service provided in that the employee has to rely on the charity of his customers to make a decent wage and any exemplary service provided is presumed to be tip trolling.
People think tipping rewards good service, but many studies have shown that in fact most people simply tip a fixed % or dollar amount (see the responses above where the tip amounts have become a fixed sum regardless of the quality of service provided). When was the last time you had a restaurant meal and didn't leave a tip?
And the quality of service does not depend on whether tipping is expected. Store clerks, fast food servers, receptionists etc etc. are not tipped, yet are expected to provide quality service and willingly do so because they take pride in their
work and are rewarded by their employers accordingly.
What about the poor waitresses, gas jockey etc. who are just paid minimum wage? Surely they deserve more? Well, of course they do, and their employers would have to pay them what their services are worth, especially now with massive labour shortages, if the
current system of minimum wage workers wasn't being enabled by tipping.
As noted above, pumping out is a valuable service and should be paid for accordingly. But pay the service provider, not their employee. Good service by the pump jockey should be a condition of their
employment and reflected accordingly in their wages. Tipping simply enables poor wages and an underground economy.
That's my two cents worth.