I always suspected that tips ended in the employer’s pocket.
I first visited the USA about 35 years ago. At that time, suggested tipping was 10-15%. I would always tip in cash, although there was an open tip line on the credit card paper slip.
My second visit was about 5 years ago. My first contact with suggested tipping was in the taxi from the airport, directly on the credit card reader screen. The smallest choice was 25%, I think. I found out during the trip that 25% was also expected as minimum in restaurants. I also felt that tipping was organized differently: as in the taxi, electronic pay devices had push button choices for gratuities.
It simply felt as if the restaurants themselves had organized tips and have been slowly raising the amount in the past 30 years. Of course, the restaurant would have to organize tips, because of centralized credit card payment. But I felt they would not raise the amount during theses years if they would not profit in some ways.
I also had the distinct feeling that the average US patron wanted to tip as a strange way to show the waiter that they could spend large sums of money. I had the feeling that this was even more true for older male patrons and younger female waitresses.
