Photo: TikTok / Biglez7704
Should she have tipped?
By Sydney Taylor — Written on Dec 14, 2021
TikTok user who goes by the name of @biglez7704 posted a video of her receipt from Metro Diner in North Carolina with the tip line reading “Do Better!!!” The total was $22.71.
The woman can be heard in the video saying, “when your service sucks…here’s your tip b-tch.”
When many comments disagreed with the creator and said many restaurants are understaffed and overworked right now, she responded and explained what she considered rude service.
The TikTok started a viral debate about tipping for poor service.
The woman claims the waitress was kind when they were first greeted and her and her sister clarified how they wanted their food prepared. But when it came out she said it felt like “she didn’t even hear what we said.” This resulted in their meals having to be brought back to the kitchen twice.
The woman also says during this time the server didn’t fill their drinks that were getting low and forgot syrup for pancakes.
She goes on to say that the person she was with had asked for grits which had been forgotten. When the waitress was confronted the woman said she had a rude attitude and was like, “oh my god, is there anything else I can help you with.”
She ended the video by saying, “I didn’t feel as though it was appropriate for her to get a nice tip from me, because I love to tip people, not because I’m Black and stereotypical Black people don’t leave a good tip.”
Many of the comments disagree with the creator.
One commenter said, “Because she forgot the syrup? So you have never forgot anything? Drinks getting low ? All you had to do was ask”
Many of the comments are continuing to call her broke and saying she is the problem.
“As someone who works in this understaffed industry, with 7-8 tables with no food runner or busser, struggling to keep up with everything, this probably would have sent me over the edge and I’d be crying in the back. It’s hard because it’s so busy it’s harder to give service and you struggle bringing home 100$ after a 6 hour shift” another user said.
Several servers struggle to earn minimum wages.
Many restaurant servers get paid as little as $2.13 an hour compared to the standard federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour with the assumption they will make up the difference in paychecks from tips.
However, many restaurant owners often do not top off their pay if they don’t make enough tips during their shifts, according to NPR.
Currently, North Carolina has a $2.13 minimum wage for tipped employees and allows for a $5.12 maximum tip credit making it incredibly difficult to earn sufficient money if someone chooses to not leave a tip to their servers.
Another waitress named Bella Milagro also commented under the post.
“Servers remember who tips and who don't... when you walk in we are all in the boh [back of house] 'arguing' to NOT HAVE TO WAIT ON YOU”
The video was posted 5 days ago and has already been viewed 121,000 times.
Sydney Taylor is a writer who focuses on News and Entertainment topics.