What's with the cracked pepper deal?

You know the scenario, turn up at a restaraunt. Order and receive the meals and the waiter produces an enormous pepper grinder. "Cracked pepper sir?"

The cynic in me sees it as an economic measure, pepper grinders are relatively expensive and prone to getting knocked off. Thus, the ritual of the cracked pepper is actually one of mistrust and control, not the imaganied concept of "sophistication". The paying punter cannot be allowed to handle the holy pepper grinder and thus get the amount of pepper exactly right......it's all in the hands of the waiter.