Photo: TikTok
"There's an implied contract that I'm giving you good service because you're going to tip me."
By Nia Tipton — Written on Mar 30, 2023
A server has sparked a debate after explaining how much customers should be tipping when ordering large amounts of food and receiving good service.
In a TikTok video, Ben Raanan, who works as a restaurant server expressed his frustration on not receiving larger tips when giving good service to the customers that come into the establishment where he works.
Raanan claimed that customers should be tipping a minimum of 20% on their restaurant bills.
In Raanan's video, he delivered a public service announcement to all the "bad tippers" watching out there, informing them that there is a minimum amount tipped for servers, and should be followed for every patron that dines out.
"If you don't know how to tip, I get that, but for your information, $10 is not cute like it used to be," Raanan said. "It's not the 1950s, it's not the 2000s anymore. Inflation means that $10 is not worth that much anymore."
Raanan pointed out that it's no longer acceptable for patrons to leave $5 or $10 in tips for their servers unless the bill was $50, which would mean leaving $10 is acceptable since that is 20% of the overall total. However, if the cost of the bill is much higher, leaving small tips doesn't mean anything for the server working that day.
"If your bill was $200 and you leave me $10, that's 5%. That's an insult. Don't do that at a restaurant," he warned people who are choosing to eat out. "If you come back to my restaurant after leaving me 5%, honestly even 10%, I'm gonna say something."
Raanan claimed that if he noticed a customer who had been a poor tipper return, he'd ask them if the service was bad the last time to warrant them only leaving a few bills.
"Servers, we honestly need to start doing that because people shouldn't be doing that," he remarked. "If you don't know how to calculate [the] tip, take the bill, move it one decimal point, that's 10%, double it, that's 20%. That's what you should tip."
The standard amount that should be tipped at restaurants can fall anywhere between 15% to 20%.
In an interview with Real Simple, Robin DiPietro, Ph.D., professor and program director at the University of South Carolina's College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, explained that if the service was average, a 15% tip is recommended, but if the service was extremely good, then customers should be leaving 20% tips.
Raanan claimed that if people didn't think he was 'entitled' to a good tip, then they didn't deserve good service.
In a follow-up video, Raanan responded to a comment that criticized him for expecting people to leave 20% tips, when he is not "entitled" to such a thing.
"If I'm not entitled to a tip, you're not entitled to good service," he pointed out. "Guess what, you take for granted the nice experience that you have at restaurants. I think most people do."
Raanan continued, saying that until "you've worked a service job," people don't understand how much energy and extra work is put in by servers to provide pleasant experiences to the people they serve daily.
"It's a minimum wage job, I can give you minimum wage work. I can be like, Hey guys, tell me everything that you want for the whole meal and I will bring it all out at once and then the second you finish, I'm checking you out and you have to leave.'"
He explained that people come to a restaurant because they don't want to eat at a fast-food establishment like McDonald's. Instead, they want someone to be able to serve them. However, to enjoy that experience, people need to be leaving tips that reflect the service they've gotten.
"You've grown up in a system where tipping exists, so there's an implied contract that I'm giving you good service because you're going to tip me," Raanan added. "That's why you've always gotten good service at restaurants."
"If you wanna not tip because you think service work is not worth your money, then tell your server at the beginning of the meal that you're not going to tip and see what kind of service you get."
Servers aren't giving customers good experiences at restaurants out of the "kindness of their hearts," but because they expect to be tipped.
In the comments, people went back and forth on whether or not servers deserved tips at all.
"If you come in and don't tip me, don't bother coming back because the second time, I'm not giving you the time of day," one TikTok user wrote.
Another user agreed, joking, "Is there a way to play this video for every single customer before they start their meal?"
However, other users slammed Raanan for blaming customers for low tips when they should be taking it up with their employers.
"I've worked service. Several times. It is literally your job to serve the people. If you hate your pay, talk to your boss," a third user pointed out.
Another commenter added, "Instead of getting mad at customers for something they don't have to do, get mad at the restaurant owners that don't pay you enough."
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics.