If you're dining out and your front waiter is inattentive and sloppy, your food runner is perfunctory and your back server works hard and does a great job in spite of the fact that it's clear that he really doesn't speak English, is it fair that of the three of them he will probably make the least amount of money? You still have to tip well because otherwise the person who actually did a good job will not get compensated. Of course, since he only gets a percentage of what you're going to leave and the front waiter will take the lion's share, it can be a tough thing to do. In a perfect world you could tip people for great service and leave less money for those who don't pass muster, but in the real world of teamwork it's all or nothing. So let that be a lesson to all of us to choose our teams carefully. You may be more affected by the actions of the person standing next to you than you realize when you sign on.