Lately, many restaurants have employed tablet-based pay terminals. This means that when someone goes to pay, the majority of the transaction takes place on a tablet screen.
Frequently, this transaction also involves a tip—even if it might not make much sense to tip given the situation.
The proliferation of iPad tips has caused a variety of videos on the subject to go viral. One TikToker user went viral in June of this year after making a joke about having to see how much the customer tips; another virally shared the glare they give people as they turn around the iPad for a tip.
Now, another user has gone viral after claiming that the current tipping culture is embarrassing for restaurant workers.
User Allison posted the video to TikTok, where it currently has over 255,000 views.
“As an ex fast food worker WE GET EMBARASSED WHEN THE TABLET ASKS YOU TO TIP,” she writes in the text overlaying the video. “I worked frozen yogurt and had to ask for y’all to click it and if i told you to ignore it i would get yelled at.”
She also claims in the text that she believes she did not receive all of the tips she earned.
@pharbiebarbie that job gave me ptsd to the point i fear bosses #fyp #minimumwage #jobs #tips #PlutoTVIsFree ♬ original sound – #duster4Life
In comments, users shared their thoughts on iPad tipping, with many sharing Allison’s position.
“Oh nah if I didn’t get the tips I’d 100% tell every customer that,” one user wrote.
“I JUST got confronted at my job for NOT making tips,” another claimed. “like boo maybe it’s bc I spin an iPad around after charging $5 for a cupcake.”
“And people are so freaking mean about it,” a third alleged. “trust me we’re not happy about it either, we’re just doing our jobs. no need to be rude or make fun of us.”
TikTokers also expressed confusion about this from the customer side.
“It’s always at the weirdest job too,” a user stated. “Like all u did was put my cookies in a box why would I tip u 20%.”
Allison agreed with this comment, responding, “the funniest thing is that abt 90% of time ppl would tip. like YOU put your yogurt in a cup im just the cash lady.”
Further users reminded Allison that keeping tips is illegal, though others stated that employers keeping tips is a common practice.
“Yeah most like coffee/boba/ice cream shops never give their workers the tip,” a commenter offered.
“I used to work somewhere where we didn’t get the tips and now i ask literally every time if they get to keep them,” another claimed.
“At my job we make a maximum of 3$ tips per hour so I’m assuming the owner keeps the rest,” an additional TikToker wrote.
A post from the Society for Human Resource Management reads, “Employers—including managers and supervisors—are prohibited from participating in a tip pool or otherwise keeping employees’ tips, regardless of whether the employer takes a tip credit.”
That said, wage theft is a massive problem in the United States, with a 2014 Economic Policy Institute report claiming that the amount stolen from workers that year via wage theft was nearly triple the amount stolen via normal forms of theft.
In a follow-up, Allison explains why she believed her tips were stolen.
In summary, Allison would receive a large amount of tips but would not see that amount reflected in her paycheck.
While some speculated that it was because tips were spread out amongst employees, one highly-favorited commenter noted that, even if that were the case, the employer should have been more upfront about it.
“That’s so sketch,” the user wrote. “most places put how much you earned in hours then tips separate so you can see that.”
“Sucks tho im sorry,” they concluded.
We’ve reached out to Allison via TikTok comment.
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