2/2/16 Tipping Is Becoming Even More Confusing?

    I hate being the "dick" that doesn't tip, but there are some places where I am not even sure if it is appropriate or not.  The other day we went and ate at Mandola's, which has become a favorite of mine.  You walk up in line to the counter and order.  They give you a glass, which you then go and pour your own soda, tea, or lemonade.  The servers will bring bread to the table, then the meal and or appetizers.  If we had gone to a fast food place, we would order from a counter and gotten our own drinks, no problem.  The weird part is that they do bring out the food, do we tip 5-10 percent?
    There is no way those servers are doing what goes on in a restaurant like Longhorn Steakhouse.  There, you wait to be seated, the tables are cleaned and set, everything is brought by somebody, sure if 15-18% is the custom, fine.
    Then there is a place like Culver's.  I love their patty melts and that custard ice cream.  But again, you order at a counter, then you get your own drink, but they do bring you the food to you.  This place is very much like a fast food restaurant, but for some reason attracts more old people than young.  I'm not sure if it is a location thing or a cost thing.
    How about Luby's?  We walk in, get our own food and even drink.  It used to be that a person would walk around with a tray and refill the water or tea when he/she got to a table back in the 80's.  Now, waitresses seem to be assigned to areas at the restaurant.  After you carry your own stuff, and pay, they come around the tables asking if we need any more butter, lemons, and refills on the drinks.  This is a hard one indeed, because we have done 90% of the work.  Even Chubs carries his own plate, though he did spill his tea as he hit the table.
    Not all places are the same, screw that.  I personally don't like leaving anything at Luby's, but Wife will leave 2-3 bucks.  I have not left a tip at Culver's either.  I will not, because it is too much like any other fast food place.
    Oh yeah, how about Jersey Mike's, the sub place?  Those subs are delicious and fat.  I just don't think what they do merits a tip.  They stay behind the counter the whole time an order is placed.  We pick it up at counter, we get our own drinks and refills.  But when you get the receipt, it has a spot there for a tip.  I always write a zero, am I wrong?  I also am not a big fan of the little jars in places where fun food is eaten, like ice cream places.
    Don't get me wrong, if it is a sit down place, and a person takes care of everything, I don't mind paying a proper tip, provided the service was good.  I might drop down to 10% and not go back for a long time if the service is shitty.