A user on TikTok has sparked discussion after posting a video showing what he says is a Domino’s driver cursing at him for a bad tip.
In a video with over 3.7 million views as of Sunday, TikTok user @freedom_hustler shows a Domino’s delivery driver arriving at his property in the middle of a snowstorm.
“Hey, thanks a ton,” the TikToker says.
“Yeah, whatever,” the worker responds. “For a sh*tty $2 tip?…You know what? I should’ve had you guys come to the f*cking store.”
“Good thing I got this on film,” the TikToker answers. “Good job losing your job.”
In the text overlaying the video, the TikToker states that they are less than a mile and a half from the store and that their tip equaled 20% of their order.
For the rest of the video, the TikToker shows himself calling Domino’s to complain about the driver. He is told that the driver frequently complains about tips, that he has several write-ups, and that he may be fired.
However, given the snowstorm, many users in the comments sided with the driver.
“Nahhhhhh you need to do better in that weather,” a commenter said.
“In that snow it’s 10 buck tip all day,” added another.
“He shouldn’t have gotten that upset. But if it’s bad weather like that I’m tipping big,” shared a third.
@freedom_hustler If you’re not tipping 40% you’re a rookie #freedom #pizza #dominos #delivery #tips ♬ original sound – FREEDOM HUSTLER
In a follow-up video, the TikToker clarifies that the tip was over $5 for an order that cost around $30, in addition to a delivery fee. The delivery person’s claim that the tip was just $2, the TikToker says, was an exaggeration.
Additionally, the TikToker claims that he did not plan to contact the restaurant until he heard the man make what appeared to him to be a threat to his life. At this point, he contacted the store, resulting in the second half of the above video.
@freedom_hustler Replying to @Candy man i gotchu #pizza #answers ♬ original sound – FREEDOM HUSTLER
That said, the TikToker doesn’t seem too bothered. He alleged in a follow-up that the video has already earned him $400, and in a later video, he even claims that his earnings from the video are likely to exceed $1,000 thanks to TikTok’s monetization.
@freedom_hustler Replying to @Aman | Crush The Wealth Gap IT AINT SLOWIN DOWN LETS GOOOOO!! #freedom #pizza ♬ original sound – FREEDOM HUSTLER
@freedom_hustler Replying to @VA Premier PAWN ♬ original sound – AleeHasnain
“I appreciate everyone that’s contributing and everyone that’s triggered,” he says in one of the videos.
He later claims that one should simply be content with their job, regardless of tip.
“When I worked fast food for many years, I would be stoked out of my mind to get a $5 tip to drive one mile,” he says. “No matter the amount of tip, I would have been grateful and happy and done the best possible job at whatever job I’m doing.”
The Daily Dot reached out to the TikToker via Instagram direct message.
Update Jan. 30 9:51am CT: In an Instagram DM exchange with the Daily Dot, the TikToker offered his thoughts on commenters and virality.
First, while he notes that there was snow on the ground, he says that whether it was truly a “snowstorm” is an open question.
“I guess it’s in the eye of the beholder, as that’s something I regularly drive in, and I grew up in a place where it can snow 3 feet and -16 [degrees] and school isn’t cancelled,” he explained. “The driver was wearing a t-shirt. This is normal for this area and played no part in why I chose delivery ‘because I didn’t want to drive in it.’”
Next, he noted that attitude is a large part of door-to-door sales, citing his previous experience.
“If you watch the video carefully, I open the door politely and say thank you so much, the first words out of his mouth was about the ‘$2 tip,’” the TikToker said. “Make no mistake—I’m proud of the 20% tip (closer to $5) on top of the $3.99 delivery fee for the small order I made. But giving an ounce of effort or positive attitude could have swayed me to give him something on top.”
However, he said that he does not want the delivery person fired and has been told that the person was not fired.
“Besides the Domino’s shift manager I initially called, who explained he has had many ‘write ups’ and called-in complaints, I was contacted from another manager apologizing for how he acted. They explained how they’re paid well hourly and get most [of] the delivery charge ($3.99, as I’m <2 miles from the store) and tips are optional and the 20% was generous etc etc.,” the TikToker wrote. “They were transparent enough to say he’s not fired, and I emphasized I don’t want him fired on my account, as a business owner I would just want to be aware if I had an employee like that. They said they’re well aware of the situation but may be low staffed.”
Following this, the TikToker noted that many of the comments were coming from Europeans, who largely decried American tipping culture. While the TikToker says he typically tips around 20%, the proliferation of delivery apps has complicated typical hourly wage structures. As such, he says he “[doesn’t] know how the pay is behind the scenes, and shouldn’t be obligated or have to learn and memorize how people are paid in every industry.”
“I think the most important thing is being the best at your job, whether someone orders pizza and give a $0 tip or $100 tip, your focus should be on being the best at whatever your job is,” he concluded.
