“If you’re gonna tip your server $0 on a $100 check, don’t be stupid enough to leave anything of value on the table.” That’s the warning one server has after an experience that led him to take petty revenge against a customer.
In a viral TikTok, Brian Goode (@ihavementalillness69) says he got his customers drink refills, bar drinks, appetizers, “the works”—and he still received no tip on the $96 bill.
Then, he noticed that one of the customers left a beanie on the table, the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson.
At first, he considered throwing away the cap, but he figured that would be too obvious, and he would not later be able to claim that he didn’t see it. Instead, he smeared his hands with the ranch that was left over on the plates while he bussed the table, and then he grabbed the beanie with his soiled hands and rubbed it in between his fingers to make sure it got well and thoroughly stained. Goode then placed it on a ledge elsewhere while he finished bussing the table.
“He was so embarrassed to see me face-to-face after tipping me $0 that he sent his girlfriend in,” Goode says. He says the woman mentioned the cap, and he told her to follow him, then returned it to her with a smile. “They never said anything. They never came back, but his beanie was full of ranch, and I’m happy,” he concludes.
‘The way I would be wearing the hat when she came in’
In the comments section, many servers shared the ways they got revenge on non-tippers.
One said, “This happened to me. She left her gucci sunglasses on the table. She came back 10 min later and asked for them. With a sweet smile i said ‘i have no[t] seen them. Sorry’ and the next day i was wearing them on vacation.”
A second wrote, “I threw away someone’s car keys after they stiffed me on a $120 tab lmfao.”
“Threw away someone’s invisalign once,” a third said.
Another wrote, “I had a table tip me $0 on a $200 tab and let’s just say I left with a brand new pair of AirPods.”
When is it OK not to tip?
According to etiquette experts who spoke to CNBC, there are five occasions when it’s OK not to tip.
- You do not need to tip a plumber or repair person. More generally, you do not need to tip anyone who makes a salary or works a trade.
- You do not need to tip someone who works at a counter, as they generally make a wage. Service workers feel this advice is controversial, however, as workers like baristas say tips are essential to their income.
- You do not need to tip at an open bar event. The host likely already paid the tip to the venue or bartending service. Tips are still appreciated, however, and may get you better service.
- You do not have to tip if there is a built-in fee that covers your gratuity. For example, some cities have implemented minimum wage requirements for tipped workers like servers, and your bill may come with a service charge before you’re given the option to tip.
- You do not have to tip if you received poor service or the server was rude. An etiquette expert recommends a sliding scale for tipping, starting at 20% for normal service, going higher for excellent service, and going lower for poor service, but never lower than 10%.
Is it the fault of the server?
Before you leave a low tip, consider whether the issues you had were actually the fault of your server. The expert says, “If the food took too long to come out, that’s a kitchen issue. If it wasn’t prepared properly, that’s a kitchen issue. If the environment was not pleasurable, say, because it was too loud, that has nothing to do with service.” Planning to leave a low tip? Explain your problems with your service to management so your server knows exactly why you tipped the way you did.
@ihavementalillness69 #server #serverlife #fyp #tipyourserver ♬ original sound – Brian Goode
The Mary Sue contacted Goode via TikTok comment and direct message.
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