My mother tips like this. She is in another world.
I always sneak back and lay in the rest of the tip so the waiter/waitress will think kindly of us.
I agree with you - to a point.
I make decent money, and have empathy towards waiters and waitresses especially if they appear to be overowrked in a crowded place and are nice and professional and especially if we get into conversation and they are putting themselves though college or raising kids alone, etc...
And I tip BIG because I like to think they were happy when they found it, and it made their day nicer, especially if they made mine nicer.
But I NEVER tip bad service or rude behavior, and I write in a big fat ZERO and a note explaining why.