I hate the way U.S. tipping culture gives me individual power over whether somebody gets to eat.

That said, i still tip because I don't have the choice. i also tip people who are providing higher levels of skill. For example, I will typically pay a higher tip on a cocktail than on a beer, because dang it, making a good cocktail is not easy. I tip cabbies because of their ability to find their way around, which i know takes a lot of training, and because much of the fare goes to the costs of running their vehicle.

But optional tipping in restaurants, bars, etc, makes for *better* service, not worse.