.
Actually, George, I believe that the custom of tipping for service began in London coffee houses back in the 17th-18th century. Coffee house owners hung tip-boxes with "To Insure Promptness" on them around their establishments as a way to give their waiters and waitresses extra incentive to do a good job.
So you see, you can't blame this on Americans-- global warming, death of the rain forests, drought in Africa-- sure, all our fault-- probably our fault about the Elders of Zion, too (obvious CIA operation, that); but tipping is one of those really lousy ideas that the English inflicted on a luckless world, just as they stuck the rest of us with Australia, and Canada.