I'm not really looking for an internet fight, but I'll play along.
Typically if you have bad service at a restaurant, its not because the server doesn't care about you. I've been a server at outback for a pretty long time and do very well for myself so I'm speaking from experience.
Part of being a patron is understanding how a server's job works... if you get shit service, it is likely that you helped make it shit. Here's the process that a server will typically go through:
1. Greet - "Hey guys, how are yall doing tonight?" "My name's Sam and I'll be your server for the evening, what can I get you guys to drink" Obviously I wouldn't say "hey guys" to a bunch of old men but this is generally what I say.
2. Get drinks/bread/ring in appetizer if they want something
3. Return with drinks/bread
4. Get food order
5. Scream at the mexicans to make your app faster
6. Bring app, then ring in food order
7. Wait around, check in every now and then, fill drinks when needed
8. When they are slowing down, I bring the check and then it goes from there
If a table lets me do that process then the entire night will run cleanly and efficiently. If they don't however, then I'm fucked from the get-go. Lets say the second I bring drinks out, the fat mother fucker sucks down his tea like its his lifeblood... well then while I'm in the back preparing fuckhead's appetizer and running other person's food, douchebag thinks I'm back there playing with myself and ignoring his precious tea and I will get likely not get tipped because of it.
Another common way for me to get 10% is if the food isn't prepared correctly. A lot of the time, the morons who come into OB think that I take their order and then go back and make their steak... In case you guys aren't aware, the server does not make the food. Yet, I get fucking 10% almost every single time something is over cooked and it has to be remade. Listen, I like rare/medium rare steak so I can understand why you are upset; I would be too. But don't take it out on the server, we don't have any control on how fucked up the cooks are. The only thing we can do is be sympathetic and try to make things better.
Of course, this isn't to say that the server just doesn't suck. Sometimes you might get a new guy that gets in the weeds with a 2 table section, it happens... but just think about the position he is in. It takes a very long time to be able to accurately and confidently serve a 4-5 table section. It just comes down to experience.
Whenever you receive bad service, its not because the server doesn't like you. Its because something either went horribly wrong or the server is new and is just learning the ropes. Believe me people, when you are getting shit service, the fucking server knows it and you can bet that he's in the back screaming at the cooks and pushing people out of his way just so they can get you your fucking A1 that much faster. In fact, when you are getting shit service, the server is working 10 times harder to try and correct what went wrong for you. We care about our customers and we want you to have a good experience so please just take him/her into consideration and try to keep in mind that you are 1 table out of 5 in his section and while he's dealing with your bullshit, he has to keep 4 other groups happy.
And just in case you guys aren't aware, here's the tipping hierarchy:
0% - Unacceptable... Honestly people, learn some respect.
10% - This is an insult to the server.
15% - Not bad, but certainly not good.
20% - This is the standard tip. Servers are very, very grateful for people who know this
21+% - This is when you just fucking love the server... 21+% tips rarely happen but I get them every now and then if the table and I have good chemistry. Typically these are the kind of people who invite you to sit down and just have a conversation with them.
So some people might say "BUT MINTY, WHAT IF I'M POOR AND DON'T WANT TO TIP DERP?"
well, then don't go out to eat... Honestly, Friday and Saturday are my worst nights because people just got paid who normally don't dine out want to go out for the weekend. Its amateur night there at the outback where broke ass people come and take out their poorness on their server. If you're so poor that tipping 20% will wreck your bank account, then fuck off... seriously.
As for OP's question, I tip 20% every time. Every. Time. If the service sucked, I tip 20% and write "service sucked" on the credit card slip. That way, I get the message across that I didn't enjoy my time and I don't completely fuck the server over in the process. He might have been having a bad night, shit happens. Just be a good person.
"BUT MINTY, IF YOU DON'T LIKE HOW CUSTOMERS CONTROL HOW MUCH YOU MAKE THEN WHY DON'T YOU GET A DIFFERENT JOB DERP?"
I don't get a different job because I'm good at what I do and I make fucking bank. Serving is either extremely lucrative or completely useless. I'm a very friendly, sociable guy so I earn my 20% about 90% of the time.
tl;dr don't be a fuckhead, leave 20% regardless