Tipping shouldn't be based on a percentage of the bill either, it should be based on the service. If you give me good service, it doesn't matter if I spent $10

Tipping shouldn't be based on a percentage of the bill either, it should be based on the service. If you give me good service, it doesn't matter if I spent $10 or $100, you should be rewarded the same. I have kids, and I know they can be a pain for servers. If they handle my kids well (e.g. sitting us in a booth near a wall is better than a table in the middle of the room) and/or my kids make a mess, I'll leave a bigger tip. If they ignore is for more affluent looking customers, I'll leave a smaller tip. When I bring my kids, I'm not paying a sitter, so that money is up for grabs. My wife and I will often order and give some to the kids instead of them having their own meal (they only pick at it anyway), so basing the tip on the bill isn't a very good way to do it. I also don't like to buy drinks (I don't drink alcohol and I prefer to avoid sugar), so my bill will always be way less than someone who goes all out.