Customers should tip the standard amount, regardless of “performance.” They aren’t dancing monkeys performing for you. It’s a service charge. Don’t judge them, just pay it.
I tip mechanically, regardless of service. 10–15 percent for takeout, 15–20 percent for sit-down. Generally I round up to the nearest dollar. I would rather restaurants paid their servers properly.
The message the diner thinks they’re sending by leaving a bad tip is “your service needs to be improved.” The message the staff receives is “this diner was an asshole.”
Why I’m against tipping as a system: I don’t like being asked to judge the service I receive. Some low-wage staff get tipped, others don’t, which is arbitrary. I’d like the price of my purchases to match the price listed on the menu. It perpetuates a system where service people — typically women or POC — are underpaid. It perpetuates a system where people demonstrate their class status and generosity (or lack thereof) by tossing out change to the lower classes. The expected tip percentage continues to creep upward. Waitstaff salaries are not keeping up with inflation.
If I owned a restaurant: the tipping policy would be clearly posted. Workers would be paid a fair and generous wage to match what’s expected of them. Tips would be entirely optional, discouraged, and if customers insisted they’d be pooled and added to the employee bonus program. Feedback — including employee-specific feedback — would be strongly encouraged. Customers would be expected to treat staff with respect.
If there’s a problem with service, talk to the manager. The only thing leaving a low tip does is make the staff think you’re a jerk.
Don’t make a secret of your opinions about tipping. Tell your government representatives, ask them to raise minimum wages for tipped employees. Get into arguments if you need to. Most people including myself just automatically tip without thinking about it. Maybe if enough people made a scene about it, something would change.