As if servers aren’t going through enough in the restaurant industry, now they have to worry about their tips being stolen–literally. One Texas Roadhouse server revealed how a table attempted to take her gratuity, sparking outrage from TikTok viewers on her behalf.
What happened at this Texas Roadhouse?
In a viral TikTok, Colorado-based server Brittany (@brittanyspurlock627) shared how a table attempted to take her tip that she had earned from another group. According to Brittany, the previous table–a four-top–had racked up a $90 bill. When another family sat down at the table, Brittany says she didn’t check for cash tips because she had assumed the four-top had added it when paying with credit card.
She quickly realized that wasn’t the case when she checked their receipt: no tip.
Brittany asked her bussers whether they had seen any cash at the table, which was now occupied by the new family of 5. Eventually, one of her bussers lets her know that yes, her customers did leave a tip. They had put the wad of cash in the peanut bucket so Brittany could grab it later.
“Why don’t you just go ask your table and see if they have seen it?” one of her co-workers tells her. So Brittany walks over and asks the family whether they had spotted any cash inside the peanuts bucket.
“They were hesitant for a second. And on one side, they had their baby carrier and a blanket, and they literally had the tip tucked over with all their things,” she says. “He pulls it out and is like, ‘Oh yeah, we found it.’”
Brittany thanked them. However, she realized they must have quickly taken the cash as soon as they sat down because she had replaced their peanut bucket, and she hadn’t seen the cash in there.
The TikToker points out that she had confronted them about her tip 30 minutes in, which she finds odd, as they never alerted her about finding it.
“After that it just got kind of awkward, I offer refills and boxes and they didn’t want anything,” Brittany adds. “They hurried up and paid and got out of there.
She concludes that it was a “good tip” of $18, and while technically they gave it back to her, it didn’t sit right with many viewers that they took it in the first place.
@brittanyspurlock627 Thankfully I asked & they gave it to me ? Maybe they needed it more than me! #texasroadhouse #texasroadhouserolls #texasroadhouseserver #husbandwife #fyp ♬ original sound – brittanyspurlock627
People warn that this is common
Many customers shared how this incident is one reason they prefer to tip servers directly.
“This is why when i leave cash i like to hand it to the server and not leave it on the table,” one wrote. Another added, “That’s why I understand why people always want to give you the cash themselves!”
One user thought there were another unethical reason they may have grabbed it. “They were going to pass it off as their tip-I’ve had tables do the before. People are so shady,” they wrote.
At least one person thought the diners may not have been so innocent in the end. “Omg I hope they gave you the full amount of the tip!! Hopefully they didn’t keep some of it! People are so annoying.” Brittany replied, “I honestly didn’t think of this [crying emoji.]”
Naturally, folks wanted to know what the family ended up tipping after all that. “They left $11 on $90!” Brittany offered. One prompt responded, “Yuck.”
The Mary Sue reached out to Brittany and Texas Roadhouse via email.
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