TGI Fridays is facing heavy public criticism after presenting a viral waitress with a measly $500 reward, a sum that the public quickly overshadowed by raising over $10,000 for her through a separate online campaign. The company, which made $728 million in revenue in 2023, is catching massive heat for what many are calling a bungled public relations attempt, given the employee’s incredible service.
The entire situation started with a phenomenal act of kindness from waitress Brittany Bell. She became an internet sensation after a customer, Chalaine Scott, posted a video of her going above and beyond the usual call of duty on Instagram. Scott’s two-year-old son was reportedly moments away from a massive meltdown when Bell stepped in.
The customer noted that their son is usually shy and never goes to strangers, but Bell instantly scooped him up with so much love. He immediately hugged her tight, and she brought him over to the bar to get some strawberries and cherries. Bell then continued carrying the calm toddler around the restaurant as she worked, somehow becoming his “safe place” in mere minutes. Scott shared the video, trying to track down the amazing waitress and imploring the restaurant chain to give her a nice Christmas bonus, per the Daily Dot.
That’s chump change for a big corporation
After the video went viral and Bell was identified, TGI Fridays decided to make a huge spectacle out of recognizing her. They flew executives down to Atlanta for an official presentation, handing her a massive novelty check wrapped in red paper. When Bell revealed the amount, however, it turned out to be only $500.
This is a case study in how not to handle a viral moment, and honestly, it’s a failure of corporate recognition. The public quickly turned on the restaurant, feeling that a multimillion-dollar company should have recognized her much more substantially. One commenter asked directly, “How are yall a multimillionaire company and only gave the [waitress] $500? It’s should’ve been way more…do better I’m glad I stop going here.”
The disparity becomes even more embarrassing when you consider the logistics of the presentation. Other commenters were quick to point out that the executives likely spent thousands of dollars just on the flight alone to present that tiny $500 check. It wasn’t as awkward as other situations waitresses faced, but it certainly felt anticlimactic, like getting skipped out on a table.
The outrage spurred Scott to immediately start a GoFundMe campaign for Bell. While Bell smiled and posed with the company’s check, the public was already taking matters into their own hands. As of December 17, 2025, the community has raised well over $11,000 for Bell, absolutely dwarfing the reward given by her employer.
This makes the company look absolutely terrible, especially when you realize the public is raising so much more money in this current economy than a company that pulls in hundreds of millions annually. One person summarized the frustration perfectly, asking, “How are you gonna let the public raise $7,000 for an employee that made your restaurant go viral, and all you gave her was $500?”
