Source:  Most common travelers’ tipping mistakes – Travel Kit on NBCNews.com.

The most ironic part of the story? McManus’ waiter likely wasn’t even expecting 2 cents—because in Australia, restaurant patrons rarely tip at all…. (Re: tipping in the U.S.) One Australian travel insurance agency has even decided that their clients need educating: “Since Australians don’t tip at home, there is great angst about it, and they have come to blows over it,” says Phil Sylvester of the Sydney-based World Nomads Group. “We finally decided it was a safety issue that needed addressing—as in, ‘Don’t get into a fight, learn to tip.’”

I kind of think the Aussies have it right here. It seems as though all that tipping accomplishes is to allow the employers to pay their workers less than they deserve. If tipping were as it was originally intended to give extra for exceptional service then it would be a little more meaningful. But, now days it is widely known that the person waiting on you in your favorite restaurant make a big percentage of his wages directly from you. It is for the most part expected of you to give 15% more than the stated price for your meal in order to have it delivered to you.
Now don’t get me wrong here. I think those who serve us our meals outside our home deserve to make a living wage but I think like the rest of us it should come from the people who own the establishments and not required from the patrons. I don’t have any problems with giving someone a special reward for exceptional service but tipping has moved way beyond that point in my mind.