Waiter rejects $25 tip from diner customer for being too small, reigniting the debate on tipping

Tipping is often considered an act of gratitude, but what happens when the gesture is deemed not enough? A now-deleted Reddit post that quickly went viral has sparked a debate about tipping culture after a diner’s $25 tip was rejected by a waiter for being too small. The incident, which took place at a restaurant where the bill came to $197.96, has raised questions about how much is expected in tips for service.

In the post, the customer explained that after having a great meal with friends, they left a $25 tip, which was around 13% of the total bill. But when the waiter came to clear the table, he took the $25 tip and placed it back on the table, saying he only accepts tips in the range of 18-20%. “I thought what the he**, I’m not obligated to tip and I felt very disrespected. Like if I’m gonna give you free money, then just take it, don’t ask for more. Tipping culture has gotten out of hand, and I wonder if I’m overreacting here,” the diner shared, as per Bored Panda.

Before the post was deleted, it sparked a range of reactions on the platform. Many commenters sided with the diner, criticizing the waiter’s refusal of the tip and questioning the broader tipping culture. u/Willy3726 shared a similar incident, "I left a place that demands a tip on top of the service fee. We had just sat down and only had menus on the table. I overheard the server telling the customer they had to pay the fee and tip. Nothing more than a money grab from the owner. The staff is already making at least $16.00 an hour in that location."

u/cmarinas11 said, "I’ve always hated percentage-based tips. Your amount of work doesn’t change if I order a free water vs a $4 Coke. Your work isn’t any harder if I order a salad vs a prime ribeye. Why should I tip more just because the items I ordered are more expensive when the work is identically the same?" However, some sided with the server. u/National-jav commented, "If you can't afford to tip at least 15% don't eat out. You said it was a nice meal where nothing was wrong, the cultural standard is 20%> If you can't afford to tip the wait staff don't eat out." u/Ill-Kaleidoscope-501 added, "Everyone who said 'don't tip, make your employer pay more' are the same people who get pissed when the prices go up or the service is slow because no one wants to work there."

While this story sparks debates about the server's expectations and fairness, another story sheds light on what happens when customers leave no tip at all. A Texas Roadhouse server, Keven Manochit, shared his frustration on video after a customer left him a $0 tip on a $98 bill. The video highlighted the financial strain servers face when tips are withheld. “Zero f*****g dollars!” Manochit, the waiter, exclaimed, showing the receipt. “That means I had to pay out of pocket to serve these foods.” Manochit explained that servers are required to tip out a percentage of their sales to bartenders, bussers and support staff, regardless of whether they were tipped by the customer. This means that when customers don’t tip, servers end up losing money for providing the service.