Dealing with stingy tippers is one of the most frustrating aspects of waiting tables. No matter how great their service was, some people just won’t tip you.
A server has a clever trick for customers she suspects aren’t going to give her gratuity. It forces her patrons to own their decision to leave nothing or a paltry amount for the tip.
Alecia (@aleciaathii) shared her method in a TikTok posted on Sunday. The post is inspiring others in the food service industry to share how they avoid getting stiffed on tips. It’s also earning her compliments from people who appreciate the fearless approach.
How does she do it?
Alecia begins by explaining that servers at her restaurant carry Toast brand point of service (POS) devices. These allow her and her colleagues to put in orders and cash customers out right at the table.
Most of the time, Alecia says she gives people “space” when it’s time to pay the tab.
She doesn’t give customers with that “no tip” vibe the same courtesy, she says. Instead, she hovers.
“I’m [gonna] stand right beside you. I’m gonna stand right beside you while you figure out what you’re gonna do. ‘Cause I know you don’t wanna tip,” she says.
Alecia says it makes people nervous. She seems pretty indifferent to their discomfort, however. This is her livelihood, after all.
“Nine times out of 10, y’all get all fumbled and get all confused and stuff like that and try to do it real real fast,” she says.
In the end, Alecia suggests she isn’t particularly bothered when people don’t tip her. She just wants them to own it.
“If you’re not gonna tip me, you stand on business,” she says. “You do it in front of my face. I respect you more for it.”
“You do it in front of my face. Let me see you do it,” she concludes.
In this situation, many people probably would be more inclined to leave at least something as a tip than to potentially offend their server and possibly even get called out.
Servers weigh in
Tipping culture is much maligned in this country. It is true that Americans are expected to tip when purchasing far more goods and services than many would like. People often bemoan gratuity creep, that is, the increasing number of situations in which they’re unexpectedly confronted with a line for adding a tip.
Unlike buying a refrigerator or getting work done on your car, restaurant servers have historically been tipped by patrons. Most servers in the United States get the vast majority of their income from tips.
That’s part of the reason why stingy customers are so frustrating for people in Alecia’s industry.
Servers flocked to the comments on her post to compliment her strategy and share their own methods of increasing their tips.
One suggested pre-selecting the highest percentage gratuity on devices like the one Alecia uses as a means of earning more money. Some people will just rush through the process and sign, potentially leaving a bigger tip than they otherwise would have.
Another claimed that people are more generous when there’s ink involved. “I print all my receipts out. They ALWAYS tip more when they get to use a pen,” they wrote.
A person who says they worked in a nightclub said they “never” took the Toast machine off.
“Once they paid I literally flip my arm so they can sign and tip right their on my arm instead of taking my machine off,” they continued.
Overall, people are impressed with Alecia’s swagger.
As one said, “Lmaoooo when they try and just sign and they can’t just skip pass the tip till they pick one.”
Alecia replied, “THIS! Think they slick Rick.”
@aleciaathii Let me seeeeee you do it #fyp #foodandbeverage #serverlife #serviceindustry #tippingculture #tips ♬ original sound – Aleciaaa
Alecia didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry sent via TikTok direct message.
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