Knowing this to be true, I will sometimes watch my wait-person circulate, figure out how many tables he/she is handling and how quickly they're turning, and tip my share of a $20 or $25/hour gross wage. I figure if a waiter clears $150 a shift and works five days per week, that's a passable wage... more obviously in a higher-end place with more skilled service. But if I have run up a $75 tab in a place where the waiter is working six tables and they're all turning every 90 minutes, I might go a little lower. If I've run up the same tab in a place where she's working one or two tables only, I might go a little higher.

Tipping hawks and overseas visitors who withhold tips obviously have never lived within our system themselves.