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The Daily Dot

Mustafa Gatollari has been an internet culture writer for over a decade. He has a passion for connecting what’s trending on social media to solid research—helping to separate clout-chasing claims from facts.

Mustafa Gatollari

Screenshot from Reddit user u/Sometypeofway18 of the ThaiTanium Resaturant & Bar sign; Screenshot from Reddit user u/Sometypeofway18 of Tiktok user @hennnesssyyy2020's deleted Tiktok of a couple seated at ThaiTanium with the caption "THATANIUM - INDIANAPOLIS,IN - TOLD UPON ARRIVAL THAT WE CANNOT DINE IN UNLESS WE TIP. WHO SAID WE WOULD NOT? OTHERS WERE NOT TOLD THE SAME"

thaitanium_tipping_tiktok.jpg

Couple goes to restaurant. Then server makes them agree to tip before seating them

Charlotte is a regular Daily Dot contributor with bylines in Insider, VICE, Glamour, The Independent, and more. She holds a Masters&#8217;s degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London.

Charlotte Colombo Author Photo

Charlotte Colombo

man at restaurant shares that customers don't want to pay(l) Person opening empty wallet(r)

not paying at restaurant

‘I will not be bullied in my own restaurant’: South Carolina couple orders $137 in food from area restaurant. Then they refuse to pay

Rebekah is a freelance reporter for the Daily Dot.

Rebekah Harding

woman shares what she found in her soup(l) Olive Garden outdoor sign(c) blurred close up of what came out of soup at olive garden(r)

olive garden soup blur

‘Well, at least this confirms that they make their soup’: Woman orders the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden. Then she takes a bite

Melody Heald is a culture writer. Her work can be found in Glitter Magazine, BUST Magazine, and more.

Melody Heald

breadsticks on metal table(l) Olive Garden logo on building(c) Woman with red hair shares how to make olive garden bread(r)

olive garden bread making

‘This feels illegal to watch’: Olive Garden worker shows how the breadsticks are made. You might be surprised

Brooke Sjoberg is a freelance writer who graduated with her Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020.

Brooke Sjoberg

red_lobster_why_food_is_taking_long.png

‘I feel like I’m interrupting something’: Red Lobster customers wonder why their food is taking so long. Then they see what the workers are doing in the kitchen

Stacy Fernández is a freelance writer, project manager and communications specialist. She’s worked at The Texas Tribune, The Dallas Morning News and run social for The Education Trust New York. Her favorite hobby is finding hidden gems at the thrift store, she loves a good audio book and is a chocolate enthusiast.

Stacy Fernandez

today_years_old_fajita_sizzle.png

‘I was today years old’: Woman thinks fajitas actually ‘sizzle’ at restaurants. Then she finds out how customers are being tricked

oliver garden workers uses vacuum to clean floors(l)(r); Oliver Garden restaurant front(c)

olive garden vacuum

‘That’ll do it’: Olive Garden customers walk in 20 minutes before close. Then server grabs a broken vacuum

Steve Ecker is a freelance reporter based in Austin, Texas. He has an extensive background in consumer marketing and is also an artist running Get Lost Collages.

Steve Ecker

thought_was_carrot.jpg

‘I thought it was a carrot’: Woman buys chicken wrap from local cafe. Then she learns the hard way what’s inside

Ljeonida is a reporter and writer with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of Tirana in her native Albania. She has a particular interest in all things digital marketing; she considers herself a copywriter, content producer, SEO specialist, and passionate marketer. Ljeonida is based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Ljeonida Mulabazi

Men from the midwest wants seasoned sour cream for his waffle fries and sour cream, but people don't know what he's talking about

Whats_A_Seasoned_Sour_Cream.png

‘How do others not know?’: Midwesterner orders waffle fries at Louisiana restaurant. Then he asks for side of ‘seasoned sour cream’

Phil West is a veteran professional writer and editor, and his works include two nonfiction books and articles in myriad print and online publications.

Phil West

Numbers written on white board(l) Texas Roadhouse Restaurant Front(c) Woman smiling wearing pink hat(r)

texas roadhouse game

‘Roadie games on Fridays and Saturdays’: Texas Roadhouse server exposes the game servers play in the back. Here’s how it affects your service

2 image split. Woman with overlayed text that reads: "Didn't tip at dinner, would you have done the same?" on left. Hard Rock Casino sign on right.

hard_rock_casino_sharing_fajitas.png

‘Normalize not tipping for bad service’: Hard Rock Casino server tells customers $26 chicken fajitas should be enough to share. Then she brings them out

Braden Bjella is a culture writer. His work can be found in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schon! magazine, and more.

Braden Bjella

2 image split. Woman with open mouth with overlayed text that reads: "when our tables say no to a smother/load" on the left. Texas Roadhouse sign on right.

texas_road_house_smother_request.png

‘Ruin a good steak?’: Texas Roadhouse server begs customers to say yes to ‘smother’ their steaks. Then she reveals why she’s desperate

Rachel Kiley is a writer who sometimes writes things and sometimes is based in L.A., but is definitely always on Twitter @rachelkiley.

Rachel Kiley Author Photograph

Rachel Kiley

weird_customer_interaction_waitress_napkin.png

‘The worst part was…’: Waitress serves a couple at restaurant. Then she sees the secret note they left her on napkin

Tiffanie Drayton is a geek culture and lifestyle reporter whose work covers everything from gender and race to anime and Xbox. Her work has appeared in Complex, Salon, Marie Claire, and elsewhere.

Tiffanie Drayton

2 panel image: on the left a person explains and on the right

Restaurants