I have included objections in some of my reports for Mercantile. I tip regardless of the reimbursement.
I have had editors scold me for leaving tips that they felt were too big and it was not like I left ridiculously large tips. The feedback was I was making myself memorable.
Some MSCs do not reimburse for tips when it is customary to tip, such as pizza delivery shops and valet parking shops. Others, like Mercantile, place unreasonable limits on tips. Placing a tip limit of $1 or $2 on a valet parking shop when the flat parking fee is $30 or more? Give me a break!
I am in California and restaurant servers here earn at least minimum wage. I am extra disgusted by MSCs that do not reimburse or under-reimburse for tips in states where servers earn much less than minimum wage.
Many restaurant checks list the dollar amounts for tips at certain percentages, such as 18%, 20%, 22%, and 24%. Most checks I see don't even list 15%.