I have no problem tipping wait staff or bartenders for the service, but I'll be damned if the cashier at my local Chinese restaurant is getting a tip because they handed me a bag of carryout food I ordered online... tipping has definitely gotten out of control.
With this little change, you might think you’re supplementing their minimum wage pay, but the owner can lower their pay to the “federal tipped minimum” in some states. You basically just make it cheaper for the owner in the long run (they’re probably sold on this by the Point Of Sale software company), and the workers can get little or no extra money.
I feel you on that, but I'm in California so that's not the case here. I think owners/companies are just able to pitch counter help to job hunters as $x/hr plus tips, and people feel compelled to tip when prompted on the screen while the counter person stares them down.
Tip functionality is a business decision that comes from the top. The Devs have no say in whether a feature is included or not, and dislike it as much as you do.
If you're serving me alcohol (or something similar) at a bar, you get $1 per drink. If you're taking my order at a table and bringing me food, you get 15%. That's it.