If you or anyone you care about has ever worked in the service industry in the US, you’ll know all too well just how important the act of tipping is.
Now, there is a debate to be had regarding the tipping culture and whether or not it should be as large a part of life in American society as it is, but in my opinion, that debate is one that should be focused on legislatorial changes. That is to say that if we’re going to enact change, it must be done at the top level.
Put simply, servers – and indeed all other professionals who rely on gratuity from customers to make ends meet – should not be the one’s made to suffer.
For the most part this is a widely accepted notion. After all, who can stiff their server in good conscience, knowing that it’s precisely that individual they’re harming, not the restaurant or owner.
The whole topic gained viral attention a few years back when one woman, Taylor Cordova, posted to Facebook to reveal that a customer had refused to leave a tip on a $187 check.
Needless to say, the post in question got plenty of attention, highlighting the plight of service industry workers who need tips to pay their bills.
“This. This is the reason I work so much. This is why I cry in the shower. I STRUGGLE to put clothes on my daughter’s back and food in our bellies because of THIS,” Cordova wrote on her post, initially published in 2016.
“You, are the lowest of the low. Whenever you feel like it’s probably fine to not tip your server, that’s one more bill stacking up because they’re short on money. This is food for the week that our families will go without because you didn’t think it was necessary, even after asking for everything under the sun and receiving it free of charge, mind you. This is one less basic necessity my daughter needs because even TWO more dollars is too much for you.“
According to Taylor, she received no tip on a bill totaling $187.43, while a standard tip would have given her $28.11.
She added: “Every decision has a consequence. Servers are paid a base pay of $2-5/hr depending on the employer, so next time you don’t want to tip, regardless of the situation prior to receiving your bill, think about how much you would have to work that week off $2-5/hr to feed your family, not just you. Could you pay your bills based on that pay alone? Could you feed your family AND yourself? Because that’s what happens when you choose to not tip. Please, please tip your servers. Even if it was the worst service you’ve ever received. A 10% tip is a big enough slap in the face, this completely tore me apart. Don’t even bother walking into a restaurant if you can’t afford to tip. There’s a McDonald’s down the street if you’re that cheap.”
It will probably come as no surprise that Taylor’s post – which was shared over 12,000 times – received conflicting reactions.
There were commenters who agreed that the waitress had been treated unfairly, though others were less sympathetic to her cause.
“CHOSE TO WORK, KNEW THE HOURLY PAY. OH YOU DONT LIKE IT? WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT PAYS MORE THAN $2,” one person wrote.
What do you think to Taylor’s situation? Although her post was published in 2016, I think it’s equally as important to discuss topics like this today.