Wow - great story Somebody! I always feel like an oblidiot tipping anything for bad service, but of course in U.S. culture, you have to tip for everything. Someone holds a door, you tip; they give you a paper towel in the john, you tip; they smile at you, you tip. Ridiculous. I've only stiffed someone on a tip once in my life, and that's because it was absolutely dreadful and unfriendly service (and at Islands, no less, where they're usually very good).
I like the penny tip. I'd love to think people who get that would get the message but it probably just pisses them off more. My buddy Joe and friends were at a Sizzler once, and even though he didn't order the salad bar (or anything else) he was nibbling off his buddy's. The waitress asked him not-so-politely to stop doing it or they'd have to charge him. Now I'm squarely in her court on this (he shouldn't have been eating if he didn't pay) but according to him she was a real bitch about it, so they left a penny tip. As they were leaving, the waitress ran up to their car, yelled "here's your tip back!" and threw it at their car, hitting their windshield. Was he right? Absolutely not. Was she? Probably even less so.
One last thought about people in the service industry. The one that really gets me is people who mumble "thankyouhaveaniceday" as you're leaving their store. I'd really they rather say nothing than give me a well-wishing they don't mean. One day I'm going to look the person square in the eye and say "pull no punches - you just don't give a two-shilling shit what kind of day I have, do you? Honestly?"
