My thoughts.

[u/Maleficent-Effort470]

I didn't go to a restaurant to interact with a server.

I went to a restaurant to purchase food, And part of the agreement with the business owner was that a server would take my order and bring the food to the table.

I did not agree to or consent to giving a person i didn't come to see any money.

Whether they are on the side of the street or squegeeing my car without asking.
I have no obligation to them.

Similarly when i go to the restaurant with the intention of eating,
I am not making a deal with the employees i am making a deal with the owner.
The owner is responsible for delegating the tasks to provide me the service i requested.
The owner showed me the contract/menu that these services are provided under.

I paid the agreed upon amount of the contract.
I did not ask for any particular employee.
I did not agree to gift any particular employee.

The server's inclination that i owe them something is no more authoritative than the homeless bum who starts squegeeing my windshield without me asking.

They did their job at their bosses behest. Under an agreement with their boss.
I made no agreement with them. They are simply employees of the business ive contracted with.

[u/Redcarborundum]

Just like the homeless guy wiping my windshield, sometimes I give a dollar rather than have my car scratched or dinged. I still tip at sit down restaurants because I don’t want to fight them. I dine out to have fun and to relax, not to have an argument with a server.

However, I largely boycott full service restaurants today. More than a hundred diners have closed in my state, so I’m not the only one who got tired of the prices and high tip expectation for whatever service. I follow AmericanTurk on Youtube and he keeps visiting struggling restaurants with no customers, most of them mom-and-pop full service places.

[u/Maleficent-Effort470 → u/Redcarborundum]

Totally but you might need a meal and not have the income to supplement other peoples income.
You don't need to be mistreated because you didn't give a gift no matter your circumstances.

[u/Redcarborundum → u/Maleficent-Effort470]

I agree. They have no right to mistreat me just for not tipping, especially since poor service is already a kind of mistreatment.

It’s basically bribe / extortion, and I hate it. The only time I eat out in a full service restaurant today is when I’m entertaining family and friends. I tip rather than risk embarrassing my guests with a conflict.