I see this has turned into a very philosophical discussion .

I don't regard the American way of rendering payment at a restaurant as superior or inferior to the European way. It's just different. Drbala, comparing an American waiter to a beggar (in any country) is nonsensical.

I must confess to overtipping in Europe. After a meal with top-quality service delivered by a professional waiter, I have a hard time leaving 10% or less, even though I know it's the custom to do so. So I err a little on the high side...

Also: From reading this board, I see a lot of reasons people tip/don't tip. Prices were too high, you think the waitress is over/underpaid, you hate the whole practice of tipping, etc. I must admit that I've never factored in any of these things when deciding how much to tip - just the results delivered to me. I don't care if it's a struggling college student or a professional waiter earning high-five-figures. If I get good service, I try to tip them well by whatever cultural standards are in play.