To be frank about it.. i was not trying to imply threat that one should either do this, or i will indeed spit in food, etc. If anything i was referring to "one of those scum who don't ever tip" whom hossman mentioned. As far as a notion of respect, perhaps I'm just not okay with what seems to be an increasingly American perspective that customers always come first, at all cost. At many establishments in France, for instance, the customer's interests don't always take priority over that of the establishment. or their customers. And I don't say this negatively. The idea is just that there is a significant difference between catering to the "scum" so that they'll frequent your business regardless of their attitudes, and respecting one's own employees.
Also I never drew into this discussion any mention of service industry people who aren't doing their job, and I think that's an entirely different discussion. If we're talking about the employees being disrespectful, or irresponsible, then fine: don't tip. But unless you've worked food service, which at least a plurality (if not a majority) of people have not, then you don't really know if they're doing what that should be doing, outside of them being rude to you. Given that fact, I think it makes sense for most people to assume that they're doing their job, unless something is significantly wrong with the service; for all that customer knows, it's the cook's fault, or the manager's. I myself have certainly not tipped people when they're not doing their job, and have spoken to management about it, but that's not what I was discussing or responding to above. As far as the union tirade, sure there are things wrong with it but it's better than not, usually, and either way it was an off-hand comment and responses belong in a separate post.
Certainly I can admit that I was a bit aggressive in my writing, but I think that it was born of frustration with the idea of only tipping based on some extra-ordinary, unexpectedly good level of service.. as if the idea was that if you went to a restaurant, and the service was standard, but not bad.. that tipping wouldn't really be necessary. That is what was being implied in the first string of posts, and that is what I was discussing and responding to. As far as threats of intentional poor service.. I apologize for using a bad writing style - i was only using myself as an example to help make the point more easily - I wasn't in anyway trying to imply that i personally would take holy vengeance upon thee if you don't tip.
Honestly most of the post was really how I don't think people realize how much many so-called "counter people" really do, and that I think people in general don't understand much of what's behind food service, or appreciate the work involved. And as for the rest, I was simply pointing out that people in food service don't respond well to the aforementioned "scum" that you referred to. And if you like, you're more than welcome to call it a disrespectful attitude that I wouldn't be surprised or taken aback by someone doing that to a person's food, but I would have to disagree with you. I think instead that it's just a recognition that customers don't always deserve respect, either. Just as a server wouldn't if they weren't doing their job.