So you think Uber or Radio Cab should just pay their people more, charge more, and ditch the tip feature? I don't think so; the drivers definitely don't want that. As an owner of a small business, I'll tell you I couldn't afford to pay hourly what my employee end up getting from tips (combined with their hourly, that is). Running a small business is expensive af. I do however pay the goddamn taxes on all the tips my employees make so it'd be in my best interest to not accept tips, but I would never do that. This is the system we have, in the United States, and it works. It can get confusing sometimes, and honestly, I get a little anxious when it's not clear...
For example, I get my car cleaned from time to time at this place near Moda and I could never figure out how much to tip. So, I asked the person working the register what a normal tip was. She told me a range and I tipped at the top of that range. Happily.
Park Kitchen tried what you guys are talking about and it just made the employees bitter so they stopped.
30% is probably more than anyone else in here (for food). I'm a 25-30% myself. Always.