If the owner doesn't give the managers full power to run the restaurant then fuck them. One of the funniest things I saw was a ***** customer told that if they got thrown the fuck out they would stay thrown the fuck out. People will push the limits as far as you let them, and if you're regularly ****** as a server it's because of bad management.
Happened to me once in a bar...I was being a ***** fuck, shots of Wild Turkey and Moose Heads from 11:00am, until it happened, at about 9:00pm, totally an obnoxious asshole, and told to leave, but kept sneaking back in. Finally, he put the stamp on my fore head, to accentuate his FUCK YOU!!! I later, about 10 minutes later, got arrested for ***** and disorderly, public *****, and resisting arrest. Collage town, I got lucky. Cost me $60. and 6 hours in the tank.
But your point is 100% on. If the bosses won't stand behind the help, WHEN it counts, they should be beaten...the customer IS NOT always right, and the ones that think they are, are usually the biggest assholes there are. I've seen shitty attitudes from servers, and bar servers, that deserved a fuck you, but not as much as an asshole customer, ******* the help.
That's one of the reasons I tip good. I know it sucks to deal with assholes, and if I can make the person dealing with my silly square ass feel better... whats a few bucks ?!?!