As someone that just traveled for a few weeks I must say the European tipping system worked a lot better for me. You put a few euros out and maybe one more if the service is really good (which it frequently wasn't, particularly in Paris, but it wasn't unbearable either). It just felt a lot more comfortable having the exact cost of my meal and feeling like I could be nice and add a little extra if I desire.
In the US I constantly find myself just adding the same amount of money whether a server was mediocre to good and it is not longer really an incentive or actually a tip, but more of a hospitality tax. I have to imagine the servers would also generally prefer a stable salary because a bartender was just talking to me yesterday about how his income is entirely dependent on factors outside his control. For example, the Warriors were probably going to have a game 5 yesterday and he would have made hundreds of dollars etc (the bars get really packed for that). Cause the warriors swept his income goes way down for the week/month.
That's not fundamentally different, though. The cost in the US is what you see on the bill + 20% and you can shave off of that however much you'd like if you didn't like the service.
Yes and no. In reality, I do end up tipping 20% on all my meals unless something horrific or truly amazing happens. However, I don't think that is how it is really intended. I think in theory a tip should have greater variation than than probably ranging from 15-23% or something like that based on the quality of service and quality of the experience. However, it is harder for people to do math in their head that is not a flat number like 20%, it is tough to come up with a system that you base your variation on etc. So it doesn't really work as intended.
If you have no problem calculating 20%, then you should not have a problem calculating 20% and adding/taking off however many dollars you feel is appropriate. It's an arbitrary amount either way -- it's not like you've mathematically determined that the appropriate tip is exactly 17.85%.
Then again, if you own a smartphone, this entire point is moot. Smartphones have calculators.
So is this a way you think saying you think our system is not worse than the European system? While I can do 20% in my head, a lot of people probably can't. Also when someone is looking at their menu ordering two drinks and a meal are you suggesting it makes sense everyone should be doing math either in their head or with a calculator on their phone with each item to realize the true cost of everything? I don't really understand how anyone can feel like this system makes sense.
System 1: You order what you want see the prices and add on a few dollars if you think you got good service.
System 2: You go to a restaurant, look on the menu to see whether the restaurants pay their servers a liveable wage and tipping is still expected (probably 5-10% of the restaurants in the bay area are doing this tied to the increase in minimum wage). If they do not pay them a living wage you should add 20% to each menu item you order. If the service is bad, you start deducting an arbritary amount from your bill based on your need and what makes sense. If the service is great you add additional money. You should pay the full 20% if it is a full service restaurant and you order from your table. If it is in between, and you order at the counter, but then food is dropped off at your table, you should tip something, but not 20%. It should be a little more or less depending on whether you are expected to bus your own table and get your own beverages. If it is a buffet, you should tip some, but even less than a restaurant with some level of service.
Which system do you prefer?