Posted on 10/20/2025 5:47:10 AM PDT by Morgana
Tipping culture in the US appears to have become so extreme that some staff now think that customers who do not leave a gratuity are breaking the law.
At least, that's what some restaurant workers seem to think, judging by a viral video this week that shows a dramatic confrontation between employees and a customer.
The clip has reignited a broader debate over whether tipping in America has spiraled out of control, raising questions about 'tipflation,' social pressure, and the expectations placed on diners.
It shows the tense aftermath after a man allegedly left a restaurant without tipping his wait staff.
According to the post, the bartender and server chased after the customer, even blocking his car with their vehicles, demanding he 'tip properly.'
The clip shows the visibly shaken man stepping out of his beat-up Honda as the two workers confront him.
'What do I do?' he asks, while his children, including a baby, sit inside the car.
One of the staff filming the scene can be heard saying, 'My brother's a cop, you gotta go back there now, bro. Seriously.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I’m starting to prefer the new restaurant model where you pay at a register up front, sit down and your food will be brought out to you. You can choose to tip or not right at the register.
Seeing this all over California now - I think it’s to prevent dine and dash.
Sad that they have to do that, but I don’t see why tipping really fits that model.
35 Years ago in college I made about ~$50 a day in tips on the weekends delivering Pizza. I never asked for a customer to give me a tip and never even thought about it. Some people have no manners.
I don’t tip anything if I’m being served at a counter. For regular service, I tip decently.
I am not a fan of “tipping”. I do it because it is expected. Yet, I don’t always tip.
If they didn’t do anything other than their JOB, I don’t tip. Put your tip jar up there, but I won’t be putting anything in there.
Because prices have gotten out of control, a dinner for two, regardless of total $, gets no more than $10.00. 15% my arse.
Tipping is a custom that should be done away with.
Some of my family members refuse to tip at such “restaurants” - all they do is bring out the food to the table and no service after that - most ask you to bus your own tables as well.
It was long that way.
> Waitresses make $2 an hour and you’re not obligated to tip ever.<
The article purposely left out the location. Some cities in Washington state and California have a minimum wage over $19 and as high as $21.10. I see no need to tip in those locales.
I tremendously over tipped during Covid. That was for a different reason.
EC
A gratuity is wholly voluntary. Go away, bitch. You bother me.
The trashman gets at least a case of beer for Christmas. You gotta keep the right people close! UPS guy is one in a million. FedEx dude is an asshole. I tip very well when I do. For my own reasons.
We give out small gift cards if we catch delivery people at Christmas...and tell them to buy themdelves lunch...iow...dont report it to anyone
Tipping has gotten crazy. I’m tired of being asked to tip every place I go.
When I was in high school and worked part-time at KFC (we all had part-time jobs back then and still managed school and extra-curricular activities), we were strictly forbidden to take tips.
Every once in a while, some kind-hearted soul would try to give one of us working the counter a small tip and we politely refused.
Now, the fast food places give you that stupid pad with tip amounts right in your face. On the rare occasion I go to a fast food restaurant, I make sure to have cash so I can bypass that BS.
I do tip well at regular sit-down restaurants with wait service - if the service is decent. It almost always is. If it’s not (and I can’t remember the last time it wasn’t) I’ll at least give them 10% unless they were outright rude or something.
I see ...
So a "tip" isn't a gift, it's income; payment for services rendered.
Some people (not you) are unclear on this concept.
And this group is very demanding. I learned this when I worked at Denny’s.
Which leads to the old joke, “What’s the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?” “Canoes tip.”
👍👍
🔝🔝🔝
(I’m tired of being asked to tip every place I go.)
Same here
Well said.
Good for you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.