Server tells customers to ‘serve yourselves’ after they say they wouldn’t be tipping

In a video that’s gone viral on TikTok, a waitress recounted a bizarre tipping experience she’d had with customers, and how she handled it – and viewers are a bit split.

Gaining well over half a million views on the platform, waitress Syd shared an interaction she’d had with customers looking to be waited upon. 

In the video, she plays out the scenario, playing the part of the customer in question, who told her: “We wanna let you know up front we don’t tip. We’re not tipping. So you can just give us whatever service you need.” 

Her reaction was surprising. Instead of accommodating them, she tells them to return to the host stand, where they can place a to-go order instead. She explains that there is a service charge for sitting in the restaurant. 

“So because I don’t believe that I should have to pay your salary I can’t even eat here?” the customer responds. 

“If you don’t want the great service, if you don’t want to pay the service charge for it, that’s totally fine. We can still feed you. We can’t deliver free services,” she claps back. 

TikTok weighs in on tipping situation

After the video was posted on the platform, people couldn’t wait to weigh in and share their opinions on the matter. 

Many sided with Syd, commending her for her response: “This is a brilliant response – tip is the service charge!”

“Especially when the server has to tip out, I have paid $7-$10 to serve a table that didn’t tip,” another shared. 

However, many were confused by her response in the video, not understanding the rules of tipping: “I am confused… What is the job of the waiter/waitress? What do they get paid for then?”

“Interesting, I always thought you tip someone when they do a good job. I was unaware it’s mandatory,” another wrote. 

Some were flat-out enraged by Syd’s behavior, writing: “As a server for over a decade, this is ridiculous. I would never kick out someone that doesn’t tip. I’ll give them my most basic service maybe.”

“I hope the customers in this setting stayed there, took their time, and didn’t tip. The audacity of wait staff,” another chided. 

Another tipping situation went viral, when a customer demanded that an automatic tip be taken off their bill when a waiter refused to serve them water.