Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@smarthotties
Topics: Food and Drink, Money, TikTok
Daisy Phillipson
A bar server has sparked a heated debate after suggesting that waiting staff should confront customers who don't tip.
The topic of tipping is a controversial one, especially in the US where it's a big part of hospitality culture.
One thing people can't seem to agree on is the percentage - while 10 percent is seen as generous in some countries, it's another story in the US.
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Just take a look at this server who branded their customer as 'rude' for leaving a 10 percent tip after complimenting their service.
So you can only imagine what it's like when someone leaves their waiters with absolutely nothing.
This was something bottle girl Kat spoke about on her TikTok page, where she recommended taking drastic measures on customers who leave servers with no extra cash.
In a video titled 'What to do with $0 tip', she explains that this has only happened to her a 'handful' of times during her four years in the business.
She says: "If they haven't left yet, walk up to whoever paid in front of everyone [and say] 'Hey sir/ma'am, I see you didn't leave a tip, is there anything I can improve on on the service that you feel like you could share with me?'
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"Nine times out of ten they're going to make some excuse like, 'Oh, it was a mistake, I didn't see the receipt,' and they're going to give you some kind of tip, a couple of bucks here and there.
"Worst case scenario: they just give you a tip to improve your service on so you can make more money in the long run."
If the tab was particularly high, Kat suggested you could maybe explain the situation to your manager and they could 'comp off a soda or something' just to make up for the loss.
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She finishes by saying that the recommendation is only for restaurant waiters or bottle services, where you typically get tipped in one go at the end of the transaction.
"If you're a bartender and someone zero dollar tips you, I would just take forever to serve them again," she says.
The TikToker's opinions have left people divided, with fellow server Jess Rowland arguing that confronting a customer could get you fired.
While stitching Kat's video, he says: "Have the manager do that. They're [the customers] embarrassed and you'll get fired."
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The comments section is much the same, with one person writing: "I would get in SO much trouble if I did this. Some people just don't tip no matter how good your service was."
"New tip, don't let those things bother you," said another, while a third added, "Hostility industry deserves zero tip."
Not everyone disagrees, however, with some pointing the finger at employers for not paying their staff enough.
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"I would ask your boss to pay you guys better," wrote one.
Others shared their experiences with zero dollar tippers, including this person who said: "I just remember them next time and give them terrible service."
A second chimed in: "Servers should be allowed to do this! I would have loved to embarrass a lot of people when I used to serve."