Generally they check in only once a meal and in the better restaurants, they are better about when to approach your table. There is a way that the tipping system helps - my boss tips massive amounts every time we have lunch (once a week or so). Like close to 15-25%. Especially in Indian restaurants (we are both Indians in the US). But in return, he hates waiting and expects top service. At least since I joined his team, we have gone to one new restaurant that opened up where he got pissed at the service and made them hurry up and serve our table better, then tipped them 22% or something cos he was like the food isn't bad so I'm coming back here and I want good service.
I, on the other hand, am content with waiting for the food if it takes too long and don't need any special service and would prefer to leave the (societally required) minimum tip of 10%.
15% is the socially required minimum tip in the USA. The signal sent by 10% is “I want to insult you by implying that I know tipping is required, but I’m going to make the tip so small you will know I didn’t like you”.
Tipping is a terrible system I would prefer we dispensed with, but abusing the very poorly paid people enmeshed in the system is unkind, if you can afford to eat in US restaurants.
May be true elsewhere but not in New York. I can play off the uninitiated immigrant card. The system is bad but that doesn't mean I comply with it. I know one of the consequences of my action is a poorly paid wait staff. But it is the right game theoretic move at scale. If everyone did it, we could shame restaurants into charging higher food prices and paying their staff more money in a fixed amount.
All this is beside the point that I don't eat outside in general. I prefer take out so I tip only rarely.
I, on the other hand, am content with waiting for the food if it takes too long and don't need any special service and would prefer to leave the (societally required) minimum tip of 10%.