What is the historical origin for giving gratuities to service personnel, i.e. "tipping", and how did it become customary expected of patrons in America whereas in the rest of the world, it's reserved for only truly exceptional service or, conversely, taken as an insult, such as in Japan?
hi! Hopefully someone will be able to contribute an expert overview of the history of tipping in the USA; meanwhile, here's some information to get you started on your first question: