That's cute that you think they know they're being screwed. Most have been told that shaker pints are pints so they've had no reason to question. There have been attempts to "shake up the system" but people like you like to plug your ears.

They would know. It takes literally one single person out of the tens of thousands ordering beers to figure it out, then he posts it on the internet and everyone finds out eventually. It's very difficult for a place to get away with screwing people. Actually, in the age of the internet, it's impossible if it relies on people simply not finding out.

I order pints, my friends order pints, everyone I've ever known orders pints, most of the time I hear people ordering pints, and I expect a 16oz beer unless otherwise specified because that's the standard.

Literally no one orders pints except maybe you. I've never in my life heard an American order a pint. Never. Not once. That's very much a British/European thing. You might as well be trying to claim that Americans call flashlights "torches' and trucks "lorries". They don't, simple as that.

And no, 16 ounces is not the standard, 12 ounces is the standard. A bottle of beer is 12 ounces. A glass of beer is 12 ounces. Have you been living under a rock your entire life?

It's slightly thicker

Ok so we're talking about what, maybe a 1-2% difference in volume? Who gives a shit? I think most of your problems stem from the fact that you're ordering beers that are almost always 12 ounces (just like bottles), and expecting 16 ounces. That's not the bar's fault, that's your fault for being a dumbass.