A woman has sparked a debate after admitting that she refuses to tip Starbucks workers when she goes through the drive-thru.
In a TikTok video, Meghan Elinor, a former server, denounced the idea of tipping a worker in a drive-thru, especially at Starbucks, pointing out that the workers don't actually do any work other than handing you your finished drink at the window.
Elinor says she refuses to tip at the Starbucks drive-thru window when they're just 'taking a cup' and handing it to you.
In Elinor's video, which has boasted over 900,000 views, she stitched a video of another woman asking if tipping Starbucks workers at the drive-thru is a requirement.
"Are we tipping Starbucks now?" the woman asked. "Are we tipping people now at the window?"
Elinor immediately refuted the idea, loudly proclaiming that "we are not tipping at the Starbucks drive-thru."
She continued, saying that as a former server, she is "exceptionally passionate" about the rules of tipping, and what constitutes leaving a tip at all.
"I worked in the service industry for the first ten years of my life," she revealed. "From the time that I was legally able to work at the age of 14/15 until I was 24/25, so about nine to ten years."
Elinor acknowledged that being a server is a difficult job, along with working as a busser and a runner.
While she will usually leave hefty tips at restaurants for those people, she refuses to do the same for people working at the drive-thru window.
"Listen I love [Starbucks workers], I do, but I'm not going to f-king tip you when all you're doing is taking a cup and handing it to somebody outside the window."
While Elinor knows the philosophy around tipping is a "controversial" one, especially on social media, she's "not sorry" about withholding tips from Starbucks drive-thru workers.
TikTok users were divided on whether or not people should be tipping workers at drive-thru windows.
Several users agreed with Elinor's take, with many pointing out that the "tipping culture" has spun out of control.
"The only people I tip: waiters, delivery drivers, movers, hairdressers/any salon service and that’s it," one user wrote.
Another added, "I agree 100% Paying $7+ for coffee is already paying for the service of having a coffee made."
However, other users condemned Elinor's reasoning for not tipping, and criticized her for downplaying how stressful and hard it can be to work at Starbucks.
"You do understand that the only you tip goes to all the workers right? Not just the people working the window," a third user remarked.
A fourth user pointed out, "Starbucks Batista here, it’s a lot harder than most assume it is. And yes those tips are divided amongst all of the Baristas, [and] the entire store."
"I'm a former Starbucks worker... I was making $8 an hr! While making 100+ drinks a day. it's not as easy as you say," a fifth user wrote.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Keep up with her on Instagram and Twitter.