This is where my own internal rubric for tipping starts to break down. The delineation between "sat at a table and got service", and "payed at a counter to be

This is where my own internal rubric for tipping starts to break down. The delineation between "sat at a table and got service", and "payed at a counter to be handed something prepared" has a middle grey area for things that are made on-demand for me, by someone behind the counter, to my specification. - In your Starbucks example if they grab a pre-bottle something is that service? - Pulling a latte from a latte machine? - Making espresso on a complicated espresso machine I can't understand, using the beans I specified? - Doing the whole foam art thing, with more complex instructions on how I like the coffee? (To be clear, I'm not a coffee person, but I'm aware there's a complexity to the production of an espresso). A good barista can put in more effort, skill, knowledge into the coffee than a poured cup of coffee from a Mr. Coffee at the diner. Similarly, I've eaten in plenty of diners where you order at the counter and food is delivered. Is that service? What if I carry my food to the table but they bring drinks? Or I forgot something and they deliver it My point here isn't that I disagree about it being systematized panhandling. I think it's awful. But, I often find it hard to identify where to draw the line.