let him cook

Speaking as an American, this crap is new. It started because of the proliferation of those iPad-based POS systems (like from Square, et al). They're ostensibly a good thing (low barrier to entry, easy to deploy) but most of them come with an inbuilt tip request.

For my part, I never tip for counter service, unless I'm paying cash, then the change goes in the tip jar because I don't like jingling when I walk. Nor does anyone I know, really. Same for carryout food. I'm not tipping you to hand me a bag.

Here's how you can understand it:

American company orders are greedy and they will do whatever they can to not pay workers, including trying to con customers into paying them

As a customer I have a rule for tipping that is easy to follow

You come to me, I tip. I come to you, I don't

Only exception is if I ever do take out and the servers have to prepare it. I'll tip them

It's strange to me as an American that when I visit some countries there's no where to tip. I get physically anxious when I can't tip a waiter or bartender.

Because it's legal. It will never change unless the government steps in and intervenes.

This is what I tell people I'm with when they ask if I'm going to tip.

In Canada, we play this game where we complain that all employees (aside from "contract workers" in gig work) make minimum wage and don't live off of tips like our American counterparts, then someone complains that minimum wage still isn't livable so tips are still important, then someone retorts that this only means everyone in minimum wage needs tipping or nobody needs tipping, which usually ends up in a lot of poop being slinged around until you get guilted into tipping before receiving any service.

What if it's really hot croissant?

It’s baffling to me that this exception exists. There’s zero justifiable reason for it imo.

Especially since I think it hasn’t been increased in ages. So it’s essentially an unpaid tip only job (yeah yeah I know they cover it if tips don’t make up to minimum)