I am aware of how the tip pool works for the people behind the scenes as well as those who you see. They started that back when they started anytime dining around 2006. The 18% at the restaurant is new. Those people were originally part of the tip pool and if you gave them any extra in cash they got to keep that. The bartenders were never part of the tip pool and an 18% gratuity was always added to the drink order. If you tipped additional in cash they got to keep that and it didn't go into the tip pool. If now everyone is in the tip pool including the restaurant staff and the bar tenders than it doesn't seem fair that bar tenders and the restaurant staff are taking money from the tip pool as well as getting additional. That would leave less money for the dining room staff and the room stewards as well as the behind the scene staff.