95% of the times when you get bad services from a waiter or waitress it is due to things out of their control.
I was a waiter in college and one day, 2 of the other servers called in sick at the last minute. Managers helped some but I was waiting twice the tables I normally do. Another time a line cook went home for an emergency so people waited longer than normal for their food.
I always tip even if services is slow...and I can tell a incompetant waiter.
If I was dictator every person would have to be in food service for at least 6 months to get a taste of it. Lot's of idiot customers out there.
I suspect the best tippers are other folks who worked in food service.
I give a good tip as long as the service isn’t bad, and I try to take into account conditions not under the waiters or waitresses’ control.
I did plenty of food service when I was younger.
It left no doubt how many truly pathetic a-holes there are in the world.
As for people who say it's not "real work" -- you wouldn't last a week.