What's your threshold for "bad?"

My own view is that if the service is actually *bad*, I ask to speak with the manager, and tell them why I'm not tipping.

If I'm *sure* never coming back there again (because of bad service AND bad food), I might tip a nominal small amount (to make it clear that I wasn't just forgetting to tip) and not leave a tip, but it's never actually happened to me. Decent enough service to leave the usual 15% despite bad enouh food I'd never come back is sadly not that uncommon -- but it's unreasonable to penalize the server for the bad food. Having to talk to the manager about an especially bad server has also happened, but only a few times.

I thought the pub ettiquette there was "and one for yourself" when buying a couple of rounds? Or is a pub not the same as a bar or have I misunderstood entirely?

first of all, the bartenders are making $2-3/hour (as has been discussed many times in this forum). second of all, i'm not paying for anything. third of all, you tip (i hope) at a restaurant for an omelette and toast that costs $5 and would cost you all of 54 cents to make.

I do something similar like bigguyinpasadena does.
When I go to a club and I see a new bartender, I usually tip a lot on the first drink. that way I can basically guarentee the rest of the night I'll get my drinks on time or faster than other people.

Which, IMO, is bribery, not a tip.

A tip to me is a "bonus" given to a waiter or whoever as a reward for having provided good service. It isn't a bribe given in advance to ensure good service. Quite a difference.

I don't know if there's such a difference. The purpose of tipping IS to provide an incentive for good service. Whether it's at the beginning or the end or throughout the service doesn't really matter, does it? A larger than normal gratuity to a bartender at the start of an evening at the bar or to a concierge at the beginning of a hotel stay can be a very smart strategy.

So what?It works!
You say tomato,I sat tamahto

In the second case, you're simply prepaying for expected good service, removing any doubt in the mind of the waiter whether you're a deadbeat.

If there is no tip included by the person holding the event, then tip as if were you paying for what you were drinking.

I see any tipping as bribery.
Theres no contract I sign where it says I MUST pay xx% amount extra as a tip (unless it says on the menu thats its included). And depending on the service I get, I have fought off paying even those added automatically to the bill.
When I go to a good-nice restaurant, I expect some decent service. Usually its not a high, but if the waiter comes by to refill the water, or when I am done with my course to take the plate and not have it sit there for 30min and have a smile on his/her face is all I ask.
Now bars and clubs I think are on a different level of tipping, including if its packed.

No problem with doing this, but it is certainly not expected in a pub or bar. I'd be surprised if most staff in a pub got offered more than 1 or 2 drinks a night.

Thankfully I'm not one who drinks the whole night. Thus does good for both my wallet and health.

"I thought the pub ettiquette there was "and one for yourself" when buying a couple of rounds? Or is a pub not the same as a bar or have I misunderstood entirely?"

It's hard to pay the rent, feed the kids, go on vacation with drunk every night as a payment. It's nice to buy a bartender a drink, but he/she can always do that themselves if you tip them the equivalent amount. In fact, they can probably do it for less.

"I see any tipping as bribery."

Bribery for good service is a good cause. I've been to Australia where tipping is not an accepted practice. My relative who lived there noted that they won't (I'm paraphrasing) give you oral sex or anything but they will serve you. Translated that means, you don't have to tip them, but don't expect more than the bare minimum of service no matter where you go. There's probably a happy medium there. That said, you can blame the US Government's taxation policy for the tipping culture in the US. Wait staff get charged a certain percentage of their gross sales as income for tax purposes. Not tipping actually costs them money.

"It is like tipping at McDonald's because they hand you the food from the warmer..."

Oh really? Does the counter person greet you when you sit? Go over in detail your food options? Does the server know how to treat you based on what the setting is for you (ie. first date, date for married couple of 20 years, business dinner, etc)? Does the counter person know exactly what each person at your table ordered? Do they bring the food to you? Do they time the food service to go along with what your expectations are? Are they going to be able to advocate for you if something goes wrong? There are a world of differences between someone working the counter at McDonald's and someone working in an actual restaurant. You might want to try to come up with rationalizations to justify your unwillingness/inability to tip, but in the end they are just that. Nobody is making you go to a sit down restaurant to eat. You seem to like the service at McDonald's a lot. Perhaps you can eat there instead.

I've tipped the counterperson at a McDonalds in Las Vegas! Fo' real!

Does the server at an open bar?
If you think about it he does nothing of what you just mentioned, so why tip him as high as if he did? (Note that I said "as high", not "at all" )