Is there ever a right time not to tip? After a nail tech was rude to this customer, she decided not to tip and asked TikTok if she was wrong about it. Many in the comments agreed that tipping culture is generally getting out of hand and that if someone is rude or you’re not grateful for the service, maybe gratuity doesn’t make the most sense.
In the video, Krystal Badillo (@krysbadillo) shares about their trip to the nail salon from the inside of a car.
“I just went to the nail salon and for the first time ever I didn’t tip,” she begins. “If you’re a service provider, my opinion maybe I’m wrong, aside from the service itself your job is to create a welcoming environment- maybe not welcoming. But a pleasant environment, right?”
Badillo says that the nail tech painted her pinky nail blue as a sample at first, but that it wasn’t the shade of blue Badillo wanted.
“Do you mind if I change the color?” Badillo recalls asking. “You would have thought I threatened this man’s firstborn f*cking child. He was like ‘ugh.’”
Badillo says her face got red out of embarrassment, especially after he reiterated,m”Change the color?”
Badillo says that he even told his boss that she wanted to change the color. Eventually, she says the nail tech finally went to get the color she wanted but that he whispered “Jesus” under their breath in what sounded like a sigh of annoyance.
“Like no! If you’re gonna be rude to me I’m not gonna tip you and I’m not gonna feel bad about it,” Badillo concludes.
The video has 784,100 views and almost 2,000 comments as of Sunday morning.
@krysbadillo no im not gonna tip you for being rude sorry #nails #nailinspo #tipping #tippingculture #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound – krystal badillo
To tip or not to tip?
People in the comments support Badillo’s decision not to leave a gratuity.
“Yeah girl don’t feel bad about not tipping. F*ck that guy lol,” one user wrote.
“Just in general, customer service has never been worse and yet we’re expected to tip more than ever,” another said.
“This lady did so bad on my nails once so I gave a small tip and she raised her voice saying ‘WHY SO LITTLE,’” recalls another comment.
Experts say not tipping for bad service is valid. According to etiquette expert Diane Gottsman in an interview with The Post as reported in a Delish article, bad service is a “fair reason to skip a tip.” However, Gottman recommends you speak to the manager first to try to remedy the situation or to inquire if tips are a joint poll and if not tipping will affect others in unfair ways.
The Daily Dot has previously reported on tipping culture and how many believe it’s gotten out of control with prompts on screens everywhere you go nowadays. Overall, not tipping for bad or rude service can harm hard-working service workers, but many believe you shouldn’t feel forced to do it if you are not happy with the service received.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Badillo for comment via TikTok message and comment.
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