This thread has probably been done before, but I couldn't find one using search.
Looking through the stinginess thread made me think about tipping etiquette in various countries. Since I was born in Europe and travel there nearly every year either to visit relatives or sight seeing, but live and spent half of my life in Canada, it gets confusing at times figuring out what the correct custom is.
In most European countries, as most of you know, tipping in restaurants is usually rare but has risen in the past few years. Still most waiters do not expect it unless it's special circumstances. In some poorer countries leaving change on the table is the usual way of tipping although sometimes it draws odd looks. From my experience, in some more "western" places like Germany or in the U.K. people round up the amounts most of the time (at restaurants) but it generally does not exceed 10%. The only thing that is tipped universally is taxi drivers imo. I think this it is the same in most Asian countries, but not sure since I have only been there once.
Anyway, in Canada the majority of people tip 15%, and when paying by credit card you often get the add 15% tip option when you pay at restaurants. I think the amount of people going slightly over/under this is proportional as well.
On the other hand, I know how important tipping is in the U.S. and people regard 15% as the minimum for waiters.
This makes me wonder why do Americans put such importance on tipping? I know that most waiter jobs are paid somewhere around minimum wage (or lower in some cases), but why instead of getting restaurants and food joints to raise the salary of employees do people support high gratuity and it is maintained as the norm, effectively paying the waiters' salary? Not to mention other jobs offering services that generally require tips that is uncommon elsewhere.
Are you all fine with paying 15-20% extra for services that don't cost anything in other places, all the time whenever eating out?
Oh and in b4