Diners are claiming that staff at Indianapolis, Indiana-based restaurant Thaitanium stipulated that gratuity was necessary before they were served a meal. In a video delineating the purported claim, the restaurant guests asked other diners if they were given similar instruction.
The post was re-uploaded by Reddit user u/Sometypeofway18 and avers the pre-tipping demand was rooted in racism.
Pre-tip request
“Thaitanium – Indianapolis. IN – told upon arrival that we cannot dine in unless we tip. Who said we would not? Others were not told the same,” the on-screen caption reads.
In the video, a man sitting at the table can be seen turning to other diners. “Excuse me, did she tell y’all the same thing she told us? That y’all can’t sit there.”
At this point in the video, someone from behind the camera chimes into the conversation. “Unless you tip?” she asks, which the man seated across from her echoes. It appears that the other diners were not made aware of this same distinction.
“See, they didn’t tell them that,” the person off-camera remarks. The man, again, asks the table to state whether or not they were instructed gratuities were necessary before being seated. “I can’t sit here unless you tip. Did she say that?” he asks again as the video comes to a close.
The video, which appears to have been removed from TikTok, was captured and re-posted to Reddit’s r/TikTokCringe sub. It also seems as if the account belonging to the original poster, @hennnesssyyy, has been removed as of this writing.
Reddit reacts
Furthermore, it appears that the title of the Reddit post indicates the assertion from the server was race-related. It reads, “waitress tells a black couple that tipping is required before seating them.”
Commenters on Reddit responded to the video, sharing the results of their internet sleuthing regarding Thaitanium restaurant. One person penned, “The restaurant started getting review bombed and went back to the couple to say they fired the waitress.”
Another penned, “So, I got nosy and went to look at their Google reviews. Apparently multiple servers (so probably the owners too) have had an issue with racism for years. Forcing other people to tip before leaving. Being discriminatory even to delivery drivers. Not to mention just terrible service in general, and their food sucks.”
Additionally, one person thought that it wasn’t a good idea for a food service employee to make premature tipping demands. “That’s a sure fire way to get me to not tip lol. What did she think was going to happen? Glad she was eventually fired.”
Counterpoint
However, there was one person in the comments section who said they were a Black food server. According to them, “there is truth” to the stereotype that Black customers are poor tippers. “This really sucks because as a black server, I have had co-workers beg me to take tables. Because they already knew what time it was. I hate it, but there is truth to it.”
Moreover, they added that they were “ran ragged” by Black customers as well. They highlighted common complaints, such as not enough alcohol in drinks. Also, they’ve frequently been told by Black customers that “everything is wrong with the food.” Although, the same Reddit user added that this type of behavior was mostly an “age issue.”
The commenter added, “Young tables and after church service tables were always the worst.” However, they went on to state that due to these past poor experiences, some servers preemptively rendered poor service. This, ultimately, the Reddit user stated, was a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” That’s because they queued up giving bad service based on the behavior of former Black customers. Consequently, they received a poor tip, which the Reddit user attributed to what was indeed bad customer service.
One user on the application stated that he once waited on popular singer Beyoncé’s father. According to them, the musician’s father didn’t leave him a gratuity. What’s more is that the man also requested a female server fulfill his requests rather than a male one.
Waitress tells a black couple that tipping is required before seating them
byu/Sometypeofway18 inTikTokCringe
Studies
Back in 2003, NPR published a piece titled “The Tipping Divide.” The piece highlights an analysis conducted by Cornell University highlighting server experiences with “Black American” diners.
According to the survey, food industry employees stated that when compared to white consumers, Black patrons generally tip less. Consequently, this led “restaurant workers of all races dislike waiting on black people because they assume the tips will be less no matter how good the service.”
Virginia Commonwealth University, in 2016, published a piece that touched on “racism in the restaurant industry.” The article’s primary topic dealt with server attitudes pertaining to Black customers when it comes to gratuities.
The article echoes one of the points made by the aforementioned Redditor’s “self-fulfilling prophecy” comments. According to the write-up’s author, “waiters are less likely to provide good customer service to their black dinners solely based on the assumption that they are poor tippers.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Thaitanium via email for further comment.
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