Originally Posted by Damien

BOOOOOOO!

The tipping culture is a result of the fact they pay peanuts for wages for many service-based jobs that they have to make it up in tips. It turns tips into a near-compulsory act otherwise you're undermining someone's ability to live and, in my opinion, allows companies to exploit their staff.

In the UK you're still free to tip as you please but with the staff getting compensated better anyway. A tip is generally for good service as opposed to average service but that waiter needs to eat too.