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Ilona Baliūnaitė

93 Ridiculous Tipping Stories That Left Customers Absolutely Fuming (New Pics)

America Venmo

Americans are entering their tipping fatigue era. Last year, 63% had at least one negative opinion about tipping; in 2026, nine in 10 Americans say that tipping culture has gone too far. Recently, we’ve seen posts from FIFA World Cup fans calling out the ridiculous tipping practices in America, but the truth is that the call has been coming from inside the house for a long time.

Since 2015, there’s been a community on Reddit called r/EndTipping that advocates for a system in which service workers don’t have to rely on customers for their salaries. Here is a list of the newest posts from their group, filled with new dystopian developments like tipping for a sonogram and suggestions to tip 99%, as well as some positive ones where business owners have realized that paying a livable wage should be the norm, not the exception.

More info: Reddit

#1 Truth

#2 Restaurant Owner. My Take On Tipping

#3 I Was Extremely Surprised When I Saw This At A Coffee Shop

#4 Helping The Cause

#5 Seen In Nw Arkansas

#6 Local Pizza Joint Does It Right!

#7 Push The Red Button

This week I learned that when these point of sale systems prompt for a seemingly unskippable tip percentage, the red button skips the tip, and the transaction finishes. I had previously thought it might cancel the transaction, but it does not.

That is all.

#8 I Tipped $20 Cash

I tipped $20 cash on a $85 mani/pedi. As I was handing her the $20 bill, she told me she prefers Venmo (but still took the cash). As I’m walking out, she forces me to scan her Venmo QR code. I obviously don’t want to tip again so I just walk out. She looks my reservation up in the system, and finds my number to remind me to Venmo her… unprofessional and I won’t be back.

#9 Ice Cream Shop’s Take On Tipping

#10 Seems About Right

#11 This Lady Is My Hero. Always Remove Auto Tip When You're On A Cruise!

#12 Server Posted "Was Wondering Why I Got Stiffed"

#13 As A Doordash Driver - Please Don't Tip

#14 I Have Enough Friends

#15 Always Grab The Customer Receipt Copy!!

Be sure to always grab the customer receipt copy, waiter decided to give himself a $180 tip on a $93 dollar meal. Took a month of bouncing around corporate (major hotel chain) to fix this. Conveniently they “lost” the restaurant copy too.

Finally found the hotel general manager on LinkedIn and threatened to press charges, they quickly refunded the meal.

#16 I Finally Found One On Threads

#17 Tipping 20% Wasn’t Good Enough

#18 Anyone Else Quick To Do This?

#19 This Person Told The Server To “Round Up To $70.00” And The Employee Used A Discount To Increase Their Tip

#20 Tip Expected For Prenatal Sonogram?

#21 "Your Card Isn't Processing"

#22 No Tip Orders Are Getting Cold…

Wingstop no tip orders not getting picked up.

#23 Oh Yes, I’d Absolutely Love To Tip You 99% (After Tax, For Good Measure)

#24 Miscommunication Or Intentional Theft?

Was dining at the Cheese Cake Factory and had a $114 bill with 3 guest. My friend gave me $60 cash so the intention of paying $40 cash and leaving them a $20 tip. The waitress grabbed the check, charged the full amount to the card and kept the $60 as her tip. She Came back and said “thank you have a good day”
When confronted she acted a bit confused and tried to skirt the situation. So I asked for my change back, And left her no tip. Still felt a little bad about leaving nothing, but felt she was trying to take advantage of us since she never came back to confirm.
I get irritated when a server assumes all the change is for them when it’s over 50%. Yes I do want my $12 back for my $8 beer.
EDIT:

This seems like quite a controversial topic, I read some of the replies and a lot of the questions ask "Why did you not explain the payment situation to the server?" The server was busy and took about 15 minutes to collect the check with the card and $60 cash. In that time we got engrossed in our conversation and I did not realize she picked it up. Normally I would explain how I wanted the payment to go, as I always try to tip in cash when possible, but instead just got the notification on my phone the full amount was charged.
Another common question is "why did I not pocket the $40?" I like to use cash before putting anything on my credit card when possible, makes sense to just reduce your credit card bill.
Some other comments mentioned some servers do get great tips, and I agree. I have left 100% tips before because I had a great time when the server. Normally its it's a $20 on $20. But I think assuming a 53% tip was a bit bold.
I know some servers that make over $100k a year in high end restaurants and some are making less than minimum wage. So it can go both ways, and I think that's the case with any job you put effort into. I'm in the mindset of paying for the service when there is a service, and paying extra when it's a great service.

#25 15% Wasn’t Good Enough, Apparently

This waitress was friendly, decent enough service. Left our waters empty for a while, so overall fine, nothing excellent (though really enjoyed the food). But the absolute audacity to scratch out the 15% like it wouldn’t be good enough for her. I was not the one footing this bill, or else I would’ve given a big fat zero for this alone. The entitlement is infuriating, and just another reminder of how screwed up the whole system is. We have got to end this nonsense, I’m so sick of dining out.

#26 I’m Just Done

#27 Finally Done With This- The One That Pushed Me Over The Edge

#28 Charged A “Quiet Time Surcharge” Because The Restaurant Wasn’t Busy

#29 "I Need Change For A $100 Bill But Make Sure It's A $20 And A $10 So He Has To Leave The 20"

#30 I Pay A Subscription For Dog Grooming. They Asked Me For A Tip And Then Messaged Me For A Rating

#31 No Tip At Restaurant Is Making Me Ditch Old Favorite

#32 Forced Tipping In Vegas

#33 It's Finally Happened. Im Tired Of The Entitled Doordashers

Placed a doordash order, usually I either tip out in cash or after the order has been delivered since Ive been burned so many times before. As soon as the dasher accepted the order, he proceeded to bombard me with these messages. He then proceeds to pick up the order, not deliver it and marked it as undeliverable. Doordash then proceeds to tell me that they can't offer a refund because it wasn't the dasher fault they couldn't deliver.