I think the only people who can be defensible over American style tipping in this day and age are people with an uncommon degree of wealth and are patrons of specialty boutiques who likely never frequent places operated by your average wage earner.

So you know, wine country vegan artisan type shit. The $800 dollar hair salon appointment holders. The $60 dollar tequila shot buyer.

And while they can be defensible over their tipping, it often is the case they themselves are not defensible in their economic participation.