Working as a restaurant server is no easy task. Even though what goes down in the kitchen is completely out of your hands, you’re most likely going to have to bear the brunt of the criticism made by upset customers.
One TikToker went viral after revealing her way of dealing with angry customers: She lies to them.
@billy0420 #stitch with @Dean Redmond if you say you dont lie to #your tables then you are lying #fyp #FOH #serverlife #resturant ♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery – Dante9k Remix – David Snell
The stitch was posted on Aug. 13 by Bailey Schaffer (@billy0420) and has over 914,000 views. In it, there is a snippet of another viral TikTok posted by the user @deanredmonds, in which he states: “Sometimes you just have to lie to your customers so they don’t get mad and want to leave.” The video then cuts to Bailey nodding in agreement as she adds, “I love lying to my tables. It makes the job way more fun.”
Bailey goes on to give an example of a situation where she previously had to utilize this strategy. “So a couple of weeks ago, I got a table, got a six top. Food is taking a very long time, I’m saying like an hour ticket time. And [the customers] are just angry, like, the kitchen’s just backed up. I don’t know what’s going on. So I run outside and I’m like ‘Oh my god, guys, I’m so sorry to tell you this, but the guy, our fry guy, his glasses just fell into the fryer, and his initial reaction was to just reach in and grab it,’” she recalls telling them.
She continues, “And I’m like ‘Yeah, he really burned himself. He’s gotta leave. He’s on his way to the hospital right now, so we’re down a fry guy, but [the food] is coming!’ and they’re all gasping and they’re just hoping this man is OK.”
Finally, Bailey concludes, “Moral of the story, they weren’t mad at all and they tipped $60. Lie to your customers.”
A discussion quickly ensued in the comments, with both customers and other restaurant servers giving their perspectives.
One commenter who was seemingly also a server said that this was their favorite thing to do and that it’s “low key addicting.”
Another server claimed he went even further with his lies: “I downloaded some pictures of my baby niece and pretended I was a new dad at the ripe age of 20 when I served. Tips were everything.”
But not only other supporters supported this tactic.
“As a customer i support this too, i’m not angry but i’m definitely here for the drama,” one said, offering the perspective of some customers.
The Daily Dot reached out to Bailey Schaffer via TikTok direct message for comment.
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