Anyone get embarrassed over tipping eg hairdressers, waiters, taxi drivers?

There are many reasons I dislike the habit of tipping:

1. these people earn salaries and not everyone in all jobs expects to be tipped - I can't understand how this came about

2. I often don't have enough and feel mean if I give a small tip, not knowing how much is appropriate anyway

3. I find it embarrassing - a bit demeaning on both sides

4. the only person I give a tip last year was the postman, and last Christmas I left a note that as I'm retired it would be the last

What do you think? What is the history of tipping? Should it be banned? Is there a way of getting around the embarrassment?

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  • I think it ought to be banned

    I had thought that too but wondered if the public would think it too controlling.

    Also, I don’t like a service charge being added automatically to a restaurant bill. It saves hassle at the till but surely restaurants should be paying their staff adequately rather than over complicating prices for the customer. Why not just charge the price that is quoted on the menu for each dish? Diners are already paying extra for a sit down service, not a carry out.