Well, I'd argue that if enough people complain to the person and they in turn complain to their boss, something might change.
That's how I've learned to get my boss to improve stuff around the workplace. Whenever I notice something that can be improved I don't say "I think we should do x". I say "clients have been complaining about this, we should do x." He's a lot more receptive when I say that.
I never said I'd yell at the guy or anything. Just point out that it's not a cool thing to do and to please let the one responsible know about it. I don't think that's putting stress on the person, the same way I don't get stressed when others complain to me about things.
POS systems are probably put in place by corporate, not the restaurant manager. In other words, the restaurant manager has no say in what the POS system says. Same goes for other businesses like grocery stores and the like.
You would have to have them get serious negative press in order to change that.
In USAland, a tip is an extra pay on top of whatever you paid for, which is supposed to go straight to the worker that served you. They expect tips because their salaries are criminally low and "it makes people work better"
They don't have to, legally. Some asshole managed to convince Congress that all restaurants would go out of business if they had to pay minimum wage back in the 1930s when minimum wage was set up. Because of said cheap rich asshole, there is a normal minimum wage which is $7.25/hr, and a service minimum wage which is $2.13/hr.
In theory the restaurant is supposed to ensure that you make at least minimum wage. In practice they just fire you if you dare to ask for minimum compensation.
Does not apply in California, Massachusetts, or NY, that I am aware of
Ahh, I see the confusion. This is the US where you do anything you can to screw others out of money so maybe you can retire about 30 minutes before you die.