Customer questions massage worker who repeatedly asked for a tip before the service, sparking debate

Tipping has always been a contentious issue with many people all for it, while many others are against it. This is understandable, given how poorly the economy is performing and how many people just might not want to tip. TikTok content creator Taylor Stewart (@heyitstaystew) shared a video discussing why she felt that tipping was "getting out of control." The video has amassed 3.6 million views and 11.5K comments on the social media platform. Stewart begins the video by revealing how she wanted to get a massage because her back was sore.

However, she did not want to spend a large amount on a massage for a variety of reasons. She found a place that charged $80 an hour, which she thought was fair—upon reaching there, the woman at the place insisted that she pay for the service ahead of time, which she found quite strange. Even though she was apprehensive, she made the payment with her card and the woman gave her a slip of paper for tipping her. Stewart was a bit confused about the amount to tip since she was already paying $80 for the service, which meant that a 20% tip would come out to $16.

Stewart decides to pay $5 as a tip, explaining that she was trying to budget and save money. The woman saw this and asked, "That's it?" Her reply shocked Steward and she openly asked her how much of a tip she expected. The woman replied, "Definitely $20 to $30." This upset the creator quite a bit and she stated how it kind of ruined her entire massage experience. She told the woman that she was not willing to tip 20%, at which point she let her know that the girls there worked "really hard."

She replied, "I'm not questioning that at all. I'm sure they do, but that's why I am already paying $80." The woman then let her know that the $80 she gave them would only cover their rent. Stewart told her that it was not her concern and tried to make her case. Unfortunately, the woman did not respond well, which was when Steward decided that she had had enough and would go to another place. She told the woman, "I'd be happy to take my business elsewhere."

The woman convinced her to stay but suggested that she could decide how much she wanted to tip after the massage. Stewart was still not on board but decided to go ahead with the massage. While she was in the changing room, she could overhear the women talking about her in a different language. This made her even more uncomfortable and she started leaving, stating that she would get a refund from her credit card company. The woman at the front desk chased her down and tried to get her to stay by offering discounts and waiving the tip.

Stewart told her that it was not about the money but rather how she was made to feel bad because she wasn't ready to give such a big tip. She finally managed to get a massage with good service but spent most of her time thinking about the tipping situation. The woman decided to add some more to her tip and left the place confused about the whole incident. People did not find Stewart's stance wrong and shared their support in the comments section. @danyllehay said, "Tipping is optional. I don't understand why these businesses think it's mandatory." @b64ij added: "I don't understand why tipping is a thing on prices that are made up. Like... YOU set the prices why not just include the tip." @sp00kygh0ul shared what they would have done: "The second they said 'That’s it' I would have immediately said I want a refund and walked away, immediately call bank/CC. No way."

You can follow Taylor Stewart (@heyitstaystew) on TikTok for lifestyle-based content.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on February 8, 2024. It has since been updated.