Comment by bruckie

My dislike of tipping isn't to help the "poor servers" (and other employees partially compensated via tips). You're correct that I've never been a server, but I've had several friends and roommates who have been, and I'm aware of how it works. The good ones make (relatively) a lot of money; the bad ones sometimes don't, and usually find a different job pretty quickly. (I totally see how mentioning the lower minimum wage muddled my point, though.)

The reason I wish we didn't tip is because I think the list price should reflect the true cost of whatever I'm buying. I think that is more honest, encourages healthy competition, and is a pleasant consumer experience.

I was really glad when the DOT forced airlines to include taxes and fees in ticket prices in 2012, and wish there were a similar law/regulation that applied to all commerce. (And yes, I realize this is hard, given the incredible complexity of U.S. tax laws in a bazillion different—and often overlapping—jurisdictions.)