If restaurants paid their employees a decent wage, they wouldn't need to beg patrons for extra cash. My wife is Japanese and when she was in school, she was a waitress in Tokyo. Back then, they got paid $9/hr and no tips. In Japan, you are paid for your work and the concept of a tip is foreign. Sometimes an American would leave a tip and no one knew what to do with it except run to the door to give it back. I think it ridiculus to have to pay extra for service in a restaurant, and even some counter staff at fast food places have tip jars (the local Subway and Starbucks come to mind).
"I think it ridiculus to have to pay extra for service in a restaurant"
I could not agree more. What if every business did this? You tip the car salesman because he got to you quick? They are there to serve food, that is there job. Pay them a good wage and toss the tips. It's a type of extortion in my mind.