Georgia, I totally agree with everything you said. If I want to try that restaurant, I totally don’t care how they split their tips, it’s between the owner and his hired help, not my problem. Which ever way it’s incorporated into the bill, as long as it’s adds up to 15% out of my pocket.
Tipping in US 20%+ is insane in my opinion, even though I do it because it’s customary. My son is in a restaurant industry and he said the waitresses at one of the top Philadelphia restaurants he used to work at can pull around $1000 ( yes, $1000) a night in tips during Christmas Holidays. Wish I was making that !