Photo: TikTok | lunopark | Shutterstock
Not the best way to leave a tip for your server.
By Nia Tipton — Written on Feb 15, 2023
A server has called out a customer who tried to "creatively" leave him a tip, but the act ultimately backfired.
In a TikTok video, Quinn Pratt, who works as a server for a restaurant, was left unimpressed after one of the tables he had been serving tried to rope him into solving a "stupid" riddle that would determine if he'd be getting a good or bad tip.
Pratt claims a customer asked him to play a game to determine how much his tip would be.
In Pratt's video, which has amassed over 3 million views, he told his followers that they may be seeing a video of him soon "that doesn't really paint [him] in the best of light."
Pratt explained that he had been working his server job and at one of his tables was a group of influencers who pulled out their phones to record before calling Pratt over to them.
"They set up some f-king game for my tip," he recalled. "They had four or five envelopes on the table and they said, 'well, one of these is going to be your tip.'"
In each envelope, the patrons had put money ranging from $1 to $300, and whichever one Pratt chose would be his tip from them.
"'You pick an envelope and you decide whether you want to keep that envelope or if you want to swap it out for a new one,'" Pratt continued, recounting the rules that had been told to him by the table of influencers.
"[They were] just describing some stupid game and whatever envelope you end up with, that's your tip."
Pratt didn't hesitate, saying that he "looked the guy right in the face" and told him he "didn't have time" to play his game and that he was busy trying to work.
"I am super busy, whatever you leave me as a tip is my tip, I don't give a f-k, I'm not here to play a little game with you," Pratt told his table.
He pointed out that he's "at [his] place of employment" and it shouldn't be an opportunity to "play some f-ked up little carnival game" when he's just trying to earn his living.
When he admonished the group of influencers for wasting his time when they could've just left him their tip, they argued that they were just trying to give Pratt the chance to win $300.
"No, you're using me to further your channel," Pratt rebutted, adding that after calling out the customers, they ended up not leaving him a tip at all after they left.
"Listen, if you want to bless a server because you believe they're underpaid, just do it. Don't make a stupid game out of it, trying to further your channel," Pratt continued.
He continued, saying that it's obvious people like that are only trying to improve their own self-image instead of actually trying to do a good deed.
"Don't make servers jump through hoops and everything like that, being your trained little monkey in order to get a nice tip from you."
TikTok users agreed with Pratt's anger over the situation, calling the entire thing 'demeaning.'
"It’s not right it’s almost like they think servers have no dignity and will do anything for a tip," one user wrote.
"Leave a tip or don’t, I wouldn’t do that."
Another user added, "The jumping through hoops is what did it for me. They’re supposed to tip you 'cause you’re doing your job, not entertaining them and their audience."
"Your livelihood is not a game, really sorry this happened to you," a third user chimed in.
A fourth user pointed out, "This is the most demeaning and ridiculous thing I heard of!!! It’s just like [people] who do charity work just for content. These [people] make me sick!"
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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.