A tip is crucial for how servers make ends meet. Since these are optional, servers try to win their customers over with tactics like small talk or compliments. Occasionally, they’ll throw in a couple of jokes. Of course, there will be customers who don’t take kindly to this because humor is subjective. This is what happened to one server who is warning restaurant industry workers not to crack jokes after this attempt to break the ice backfired.
While sitting in her car, TikTok creator and server Emily (@tychickennugzzz) recalls how one of her shifts was a series of unfortunate events.
“Got a party of eight today. I ask, ‘How are you? My name is Emily. I’m taking care of you,” she begins the clip with over 278,000 views. Then, she starts her first punch line of the night. “‘Can I get you started with something other than water?’” she quips. Instead of laughter, there is silence. “They all looked at me like I shot their [expletive] kid in the face,” she yells exasperatedly. “Then continued to talk to one another and totally [disregarded] what I had to say.”
Her night continues to go downhill
To diffuse the awkwardness, Emily decides to try another one-liner. “So, I said, ‘Oh. Tough crowd,”’ she says with a smile. Again, it falls flat. “‘And they said, ‘Someone doesn’t want a tip,'” she recalls the group saying. However, she brushes it off and carries on. When a woman from the same table orders a soup, it comes to a screeching halt. “One lady ordered a soup, and she tried the soup immediately. She goes, ‘The soup’s really hot! It burnt my tongue!’” The content creator says. “She sent back the soup.”
Did the customers tip her?
After the server collects the payment, her tip reflects how her table felt about her sense of humor. “On a $250 bill, they left me eight bucks with a note that said, ‘How’s that for a tough crowd?’” Emily concludes, giggling sarcastically.
Although water requests are a viral pet peeve among servers, she explains that this is a requirement at her job.
“My restaurant requires water to be dropped off at every table before greeting. So my speech is ‘hi guys how are you, can I get you something to drink other than water,’” she explains in the comments section.
Nevertheless, Emily acknowledges in the caption, “Really screwed that up.”
Servers weigh in
The comments section floods with reactions from servers on how they would’ve handled the situation.
“I would have said ‘oop somebody doesn’t want service’” and walked away,’” the top comment with over 8,100 likes wrote.
“Tables like this haunt me for like 2 days after,” a second revealed.
“THEY DID NOT. I would be so mad. Ppl be so so [expletive] rude,” a third said.
“Is gratuity not a thing?! When this happens to me, idc AUTO GRAT for their rude attitude towards me,” a fourth remarked.
Could she add auto gratuity to make up for the lost tip?
Indeed, Emily could’ve. Because she was serving a party of more than six, her restaurant would’ve been able to add the auto-gratuity. This accounts for 18% of the bill, ensuring that servers are paid fairly. Unlike tips, this is a service fee guests are legally required to pay, according to WebRestaurant Store.
How to handle difficult customers
When working with the public, difficult customers are inevitable. Toast recommends the following to servers to diffuse these conflicts:
- Take deep breaths
- Listen to the customer
- Show empathy
- Apologize
- Offer solutions
- Bring in the manager if it escalates
@tychickennugzzz Really screwed that up #creatorsearchinsights#work#serverlife#viral ♬ original sound – tychickennugzzz
The Mary Sue reached out to Emily via TikTok comment and direct message.
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