Yeah see that seems to be a very libertarian market driven way of looking at things.

The way things end up working, at least in the US, is that they a) just won't raise the minimum wage, and b) even if everyone stops tipping they won't raise it, and then you'll have a bunch of people unable to live who still have to work for shit wages. Which is exactly the situation that exists in the states right now.

I've lived in the Netherlands for 3 years - i much prefer the set up there. As you say, pay the price that's listed. No extra surprises.