The idea of working for an insufficient wage is something that makes me feel uncomfortable. It presses many wrong buttons - including slavery and begging.

I have travelled in countries where "tipping" is expected - notably Egypt. The fact that it is expected and seems to accompany poor service or unwanted favours makes it feel like theft. But I went along with it because in that society, not to give tips would have been tantamount to breach of contract. That's the kind of country it was, and those are the breaks.

In the developed world, I'd hope that people could see the strategic advantage of agreeing prices and wages beforehand. Those would be advantages for the customer, employee and proprietor. Basically everyone knows where they stand and successful transactions aren't tainted by feelings of having been conned or of having been patronized.

On edit - I should add that I can only sympathize with people who are caught up in living in such a society. They are damned if they tip and damned if they don't. It's easy to theorize but we all have to live in the world we find ourselves in.

Yes, I try to be culturally sensitive. But I suspect many people in the USA don't realize just how offensive the tipping culture appears to outsiders.