Will you still tip if the service was bad/not adequate?
Personally, I don't get tipping either. Aren't they supposed to do their job well in the first place? This probably leads to only having them treat you badly next time if you don't tip them well or at all the first time.
I'm not totally sure this is true since I made more per hour as a bus boy when I was in high school.
Either way, you shouldn't take this into consideration. If a server decides to (or is desperate enough to) take such a raw deal, that's on them.
Their time can certainly be spent better than hoping customers can subsidize their salary. They'd probably do just as well begging on the corner (begging for tips is still begging just the same).
Take into consideration how well the person is serving you.
Depends on the state you're in, $2.15 is the federal minimum for tipped staff (and the employer is supposed to match standard (non-tipped) federal minimum wage if tips don't bring staff over) but many states have their own labor laws going beyond federal standards. For instance NH has a $3.27 tipped minimum wage (and a federal minimum wage), Washington State has a single minimum wage (no tipped staff exception) of $9.04.
Personally, I don't get tipping either. Aren't they supposed to do their job well in the first place? This probably leads to only having them treat you badly next time if you don't tip them well or at all the first time.