A user on TikTok has gone viral after recounting a story from earlier in her career in which a server commented on her appearance, saying her “low-cut” shirt proved that she was of drinking age.
In a video with over 456,000 views, user Olivia (@oliviamancuso__) says she was 23 years old and working as a news reporter in small-town Iowa when she decided to go out to dinner with some of her friends, who were also reporters.
Olivia ordered a glass of wine, which prompted the server to ask if she was of drinking age.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m 23. I can show you my ID,’” Olivia recalls. “She’s like, ‘No, you know, I guess I trust you. It’s just that when girls wear such low-cut shirts, they’re trying to look older, so I just want to make sure.’”
“My shirt was not low cut at all, by the way,” Olivia adds.
In the caption, Olivia says the experience was “the weirdest and most uncomfortable encounter I’ve ever had at a restaurant and it only got worse from here.”
@oliviamancuso__ This was the weirdest and most uncomfortable encounter I’ve ever had at a restaurant and it only got worse from here #restaurantstory #storytime #serverstorytime ♬ original sound – oliviamancuso__
In response, Olivia says she merely brushed off the encounter and carried on with her meal, conscious of the fact that she was a local celebrity given her television appearances.
But when it came time to pay, Olivia says the server was nowhere to be found, even seeming to intentionally ignore Olivia when she made eye contact.
After a considerable wait, Olivia says she decided to approach someone who appeared to be a manager so she could pay her bill. She asks to pay, then after a brief interaction, brings up the comment made by the server.
The manager profusely apologizes and offers to comp parts of the meal. Olivia refuses, saying that she just wanted to bring the action to the manager’s attention as it made her “really uncomfortable.”
She says the table was given a discount on their meal. However, when the server in question dropped off the check to be signed, Olivia alleges that the server sarcastically said, “I heard I made you uncomfortable.” Olivia affirms that she did say that, to which the server allegedly responded with an unconvincing apology.
Despite this, Olivia says she tipped 20%.
However, the story was not over, as she revealed in a second video.
@oliviamancuso__ Replying to @oliviamancuso__ yikes sorry here’s part 2 #serverstorytime ♬ original sound – oliviamancuso__
A few days later, Olivia says she was called into the office of her news director. There, the director questioned her about the incident in the restaurant, later revealing that he received a letter claiming to be from another customer at the restaurant that evening.
This “customer” claimed that Olivia was, in fact, wearing “very revealing clothing” and made the server cry after being rude to her.
Thankfully, Olivia says the other reporters present at the dinner were able to back up her story and allow her version of events to be believed. Furthermore, upon deeper investigation, Olivia learned that the letter was written not by a customer, but by the server’s aunt—and that the server was related to the owners of the restaurant.
“Don’t lie to a group of journalists, because we will find out the truth,” Olivia concludes.
In comments, viewers supported Olivia.
“I swear that server made the comment bc she was insecure/intimidated & just didn’t think she’d get clocked on it,” wrote one user.
“Jealousy, plain and simple,” added another. “Sorry you had to deal with that.”
“It was inappropriate for a service person OF ANY DESCRIPTION to comment on any aspect of a customer’s appearance. Period,” shared a third.
Others offered similar server horror stories.
“My husband and I went to a restaurant for our anniversary. The server came and pointed to my belly and said ‘oh we’re celebrating a new baby too,’” remembered a commenter. “I was not pregnant.”
“I told a waiter in jersey once that I was getting married soon and she told me to not order what I wanted & I should order off the light menu,” stated a second.
The Daily Dot reached out to Olivia via email.
