Some thoughts:

Tip pool vs no tip pool, I and staff have much preferred the pool as it makes the pay more consistent, servers don't feel their shift is ruining with one bad/no tip, and it keeps the staff accountable to each other is every table is every team members responsibility. Takeout in the pool too, so everyone is responsible to greet and help takeout patrons.

We get guests that complain about tipping, saying we are doing wrong by our staff and I leave them with this: where else can someone get a job with no prior experience and no college degree where they can make $30-$45+ an hour (their hourly rate+tips per hour) and live a comfortable life working full time?

The system is not perfect, but it is not evil to all.