A TikToker was shocked after paying for a service and discovering that the person who performed it had added a tip to the bill without discussing it with her first. Nelly, who posts as @.nelly.venegas on TikTok, hired a woman to create permanent bracelets for a group of friends at her home. Although Nelly expected to pay the agreed-upon price, she was surprised when she saw an additional charge on the receipt.
The video had garnered more than 319,200 likes and 2,260 comments at the time of publication.
Nelly hired a woman from a company to come to her home and make permanent bracelets for herself and seven friends. The woman was great, and the experience was pleasant overall. She arrived on time, did a good job making the bracelets and had good conversations with everyone. Nelly said she had no complaints about the service—until she saw the final bill.
When the receipt came through, Nelly noticed that a tip had been added. And it wasn't just 20%. According to her video, the woman had added a 35% tip, which amounted to an extra $350.
At first, Nelly thought the additional charge might have been a travel fee because the woman had come to her home. But when she looked more closely, she realized it had been listed as a tip.
Nelly said she hadn't authorized the charge, so she contacted the company the woman worked for. After some back-and-forth, the woman called Nelly and reportedly told her that the tip was required. However, Nelly said the woman had never mentioned a mandatory tip before or during the appointment.
Viewers Say Mandatory Tips Should Be Disclosed Before a Service Is Provided
It's no surprise that the video prompted strong reactions from viewers. Many commenters sided with Nelly, arguing that a mandatory tip should have been disclosed before the service.
“Tipping yourself over 20 percent without consent is wild behavior and fraud if you ask me,” one viewer wrote.
Another commenter questioned the size of the tip, writing, “Hell no. A 35% mandatory tip?! Absolutely not. I would say show me where it says that.”
Others shared what they would have done in Nelly's position. One viewer suggested asking for the tip to be refunded, writing, “I'd request a 100% refund for the tip. The service is already overpriced. $100 for a thin chain is wild. I bet some have already broken.”
Another commenter agreed that the additional charge should have been discussed beforehand: “Absolutely not. You never agreed to the mandatory tip. All costs should be discussed upfront and agreed upon.”
Someone who said they work in the permanent jewelry business also weighed in.
“Permanent jewelry artist here.. never ever would I expect a tip.. let alone charge a tip to someone’s card without them personally writing in a tip on their own accord. The whole thing is weird.. I’d fight it.. she’s being shady,” they wrote.
Other viewers echoed the sentiment, arguing that a tip should not be added without the customer's knowledge or consent. One commenter wrote, “It's never okay to charge a tip unless it explicitly is mentioned due to party size or whatever.”
Many viewers felt that Nelly should have been told about the additional charge before the appointment, rather than discovering it on the final receipt.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made by TikTok creator @.nelly.venegas, which are based solely on her personal account shared in the video.
