Is this how your server really feels? A viral video captures what most waitstaff think when they have to accept a skimpy tip from a tight-fisted customer (and no, laying on the compliments doesn’t make up for not getting paid).
The video went viral after being posted as a reply by Truly Tay (@serverbookexpress), a former server and burgeoning entrepreneur who created her own server product line. First posted to Tay’s account on January 11, the video currently has 873,000 views and counting as of Monday.
In the short clip, a server is shown approaching a table from the customer’s point of view. He tells the customer, “Thank you so much! It was such a pleasure serving you.” He then uses one of the stamps offered on Tay’s website to print “pleasure serving you” on the customer’s bill.
However, things sour when the customer is presented with a tablet to e-sign for the check. Instead of using one of the suggested percentages of the bill’s $196.01 total for the tip, the customer enters a “custom” tip amount of $5.
Five dollars is 2.5% of the bill rather than the generally recommended 18 to 20% tip.
Though the customer is demonstrably stiffing the server she is highly complimentary of his service, calling him “amazing” and telling them that they “appreciate your service so much.”
The server is less than impressed with the vocal praise after noticing the paltry tip. After which they cross out the “pleasure serving you” stamp with a purple marker.
It should be noted that while some states pay over minimum wage in addition to tips many tipped employees only earn an hourly wage of $2.13. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, ” An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount combined with the tips received at least equals the federal minimum wage.”
@serverbookexpress Replying to @Doooritochip actually I take back my stamp 😭🤣 #server #servertok #tipping #tippingculture #bartender #waiter #waitertok #serviceindustry #serverlife #fypシ ♬ original sound – Truly Tay
Tay’s post fueled an ongoing debate in the video’s comments section. Many viewers expressed their sympathy for undertipped servers but more than a few argued that the U.S. system of paying servers should be abolished.
“Why $5? Do $0! We must stop this madness!” Pitta905 (@pitta905) wrote.
“Not tipping them will only hurt the servers, the system wont care abt that and will continue underpaying,” Woody (@yunjinlvr3000) responded.
One viewer commented, “How did we as a society agree on a percentage tip???? generous fixed amounts are the only way to go!” While another wrote bluntly, “20% minimum.”
One world traveler wrote, “I’ve been all over the world and North America does it the worst, we need to abolish tipping culture it’s such BS. But it’ll never change.”
Another viewer stated that he was suffering from tip fatigue after being continually asked to tip at the checkout screen.
“Ever since the machines started having 18% as a minimum tip …..I don’t leave any tip,” they wrote. “It’s my protest.”
Update 11:11am CT, Feb. 6: Tay told the Daily Dot he knows tipping is a “very controversial topic.”
“I’m happy that the comments are flooded with people talking about tipping culture and getting the conversation started about the back end of what a server goes through and what guests feel is appropriate to tip,” he added.
