I used to work at a car wash when I was a high school student. Tips were shared among all of the coworkers, though the fact that the payment was handed to us females definitely drove tipping upward. At the end of the month it was maybe $30 more in the paycheck for each one of us. It didn't really made the difference. Yes, we were in black with all the consequences.
Some people tipped 100% the amount they paid out of pity, since we were working under the sun or in cold weather, women never tipped, the older the man the higher the tip.
However, from a customer's perspective you shouldn't feel forced to compensate for an employer's greediness. When I tip, I try to tip 10% but if the amount approaches €2 I started getting uncomofrtable. I have no issue in tipping less than 10% and living in peace with myself. My husband, on the contrary, is always fighting me if I don't want to leave 10%. Whether they are serving expensive food or cheap stuff, their effort is the same. And adding "cubierto" and "trapito" fees you can easily spend 100 pesos just for going out. That I don't like. I go out to enjoy the experience, not for feeling harassed.
I usually take off the 10% tip from the cubierto fee, if present. I understand that the tip goes to the waiter and the cubierto goes to the patron, however, it is my way - as a customer - to make myself heard. I could walk up and express my disdain for his cubierto or I could hit him with less waiters waiting to work at his place. At the end of the day, it is always better to make your problem someone else's problem than simply airing your complaints.
