In a now-viral video, a restaurant worker said that if you can’t afford to tip your server, you don’t deserve to eat out.
A TikToker named Lillie (@mylasoasis_) uploaded a clip to the popular social media platform where she criticizes diners who are more than willing to drop money on buying themselves meals at sit-down, full-service restaurants but aren’t too keen on leaving tips for the people who work there. The video has received over 10,000 views.
@mylasoasis_ And to anyone who says we should be getting paid a higher hourly…. Okay??? BUT WE AREN’T. You not tipping is just going to make your eating out experience WORSE!!!! #tipyourservers #servernotservant #payforservices #tippingculture #cashtipsappreciated #servingattitude ♬ original sound – The Bereaved Mom (lillie)
Lillie begins her clip by looking directly into the camera, stating: “Eating out is a privilege, not a right. If you cannot afford to tip 20%, you can’t afford to eat out.”
The TikToker then addresses the long-standing debate about tipping culture in the United States, which has seen a number of folks heading online to lament that servers aren’t paid set salaries and that the burden of supplementing their paychecks shouldn’t be placed on the customer.
She states that while some individuals believe that the way servers are paid should be different, that’s not the reality of her situation or the situations of over 1,600,000 other servers in the United States.
“You can b*tch and moan and tell me that my employer should be paying me a higher wage all you want, but this is America, and that’s not what is happening, OK?” she says. “I get paid $3.63 from the restaurant that I work at. My earnings, my wage, comes from tips.”
The TikToker goes on to say that menu prices are intentionally set low as customers are expected to leave gratuities.
“The food is cheaper because you’re expected to tip on it,” she says. “You don’t deserve to eat out if you cannot afford to tip. Like, it’s the same thing with a nanny. If you can’t afford to pay somebody else an entire salary, you don’t deserve a nanny. If you can’t afford to tip, you literally don’t deserve to eat out. Order to-go, or go to f*cking McDonald’s.”
She furthers her argument in the video’s caption, writing: “And to anyone who says we should be getting paid a higher hourly…. Okay??? BUT WE AREN’T. You not tipping is just going to make your eating out experience WORSE!!!!”
Commenters had differing opinions on Lillie’s video. One said that while they tip every time they dine out, they weren’t fond of how Lillie delivered her message. “I always tip but the whole entitlement thing is wild like just get a diff job then that doesn’t require you running around n pays you well hourly,” they wrote.
This was a sentiment echoed by someone else who said, “If you can not live off your jobs pay, find another job. This is ridiculous.”
“No offense, but just find another job,” another viewer remarked.
However, other viewers agreed with Lillie, like one who wrote: “Go off girl. If someone doesn’t tip cause they think the employer should pay fair wages then they should only support businesses that do that.”
“LITERALLY…i make $2.13 an hour and we literally don’t get paychecks whatsoever,” another server shared.
Another individual said they tip but don’t necessarily agree with Lillie’s assessment that 20% is mandatory if the service isn’t good. “I tip based on service,” they wrote. “I always tip 20% or above unless the service was exceptionally bad.”
The Daily Dot contacted Lillie via TikTok comment for further information.
