Leaving a tip has always been an expression of appreciation for good service. However, customers are being asked to tip more often with bigger sums and for more services than ever before. Workers in the industry are also starting to get so used to supplementing their paychecks with gratuity they don’t even know what to do if they don’t receive it.
A server under the TikTok username @housecatchronicles recently brought up this issue in a short video after she was ‘stiffed’ by two tables in one night. She discussed this matter with a coworker who suggested she go to the customers to ask why they didn’t leave a gratuity, which rubbed her the wrong way.
Scroll down to find the full video and a conversation with customer service expert and founder of I Am Your Virtual Professional, David Levine, who kindly agreed to chat with us more about tips and how servers should behave if they don't receive them.
Service workers are so used to receiving tips they don't even know what to do when customers don't leave gratuity
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
When this server brought this issue to a coworker, she was advised to confront the customers who didn't leave a tip
Image credits: @housecatchronicles
Image credits: @housecatchronicles
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Curated Lifestyle (not the actual photo)
You can find the server's full video here:
57% of servers wages on avarage are collected from customer tips
Image credits: Lala Azizli (not the actual photo)
For years, tips have made up the bulk of restaurant servers' pay. According to the newest data from the ADP Research Institute, base wages for these workers currently comprise 43% of their paycheck on average, which means that the rest 57% are collected from customer tips.
Even though the base wage grew 8% from 2020 to 2024, gratuity still makes up the biggest part of servers' salaries. Since they are dependent on tips to make a livable wage, it's not surprising that they have attached a great significance to it and feel 'stiffed' or don't know how to behave when they don't receive it.
Customer service expert and founder of I Am Your Virtual Professional, David Levine, tries to see both sides of the coin but also believes that it might not be a bad idea to approach a customer when they don't leave a tip to their server.
"I can understand why the server in the video chose not to approach the customer. I also think that sometimes it is OK to make people feel uncomfortable," he said to Bored Panda. The server also speaks about the social contract, which he thinks the clients should be a part of too. Even if they aren't satisfied with the service, they should still leave a tip, just a low one so it signals their dissatisfaction.
"In that way, if their server approaches them and asks why the tip was low, they can give them the reasons they chose to provide them with the tip they did. It also makes it more difficult for the server to chalk it up to the customer just being cheap and that perhaps it is a reflection on the service that they are providing their clients."
"A server can ask what he/she could have done better to make the meal more enjoyable"
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
In case a server gathers the courage to go up to the customer to inquire about a tip, Levine recommends them having a prepared script and taking a deep breath physically and emotionally before asking. "It is an uncomfortable question, and I can understand why the server in the video did not ask it. However, if framed correctly, it can be a learning experience. A server can ask what he/she could have done better to make the meal more enjoyable."
In general, Levine suggests service workers take a deep breath and try to put themselves in the position of the customer when they don't receive a tip. "Is it possible that the customer's experience was negative because of a misunderstanding or a perception that the server did not mean? Was the server too talkative, or maybe not talkative enough? Self-introspection is essential not only to evaluate the last transaction but also for future encounters with clients," he said.
However, Levine still believes that no matter the service received, all customers should tip their servers. "A large part of a server's income is based on their tips. That being said, not all services are equal, nor are all tips equal. When I have had poor service, I have left 10% for atrocious service or 15% for decent service, realizing people have bad days, are clueless, or are poorly trained," he said.
"Additionally, I have left as much as 20-25% when I have had outstanding service. Unfortunately, not everyone is introspective. Often, a server will not question what happened with that table or customer and will automatically put it on the customer for being cheap."
Many people shared the server's opinion, saying that tips aren't mandatory
