A waitress has gone viral after sharing a strongly worded rant about a "disrespectful" couple who left her a meagre tip, despite being served minutes before closing time.
Gina, a server at the popular steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse in Florida, claimed the couple and their child received "great service" and were accommodated for despite arriving at the end of the night - but still left a paltry US$2 tip on a $184 bill.
In the US, it is customary to tip a waiter between 15 and 20 percent of the bill - or higher if the service was exemplary. If the family had tipped the standard 20 percent, Gina would have taken home about $37; significantly more than the $2 she was left.
Sitting in her car, Gina - who goes by the username @whatsthatmeen on TikTok - launched into a lengthy tirade about the couple, who she claimed were both on separate phone calls and "ignored" her "multiple times" when she asked if they were ready to order.
"Just blatant disrespect," she said to the camera. "And then when they finally do decide to order, it takes a solid 10 minutes for them to do so, and only two of them ordered - one of them wasn't going to have anything.
"Do you not care at all? Like obviously not," she continued.
"I even let you order shots after last call - the bartender was basically done... you did not get bad service, 'cause me and my trainee did not let you know that we were annoyed.
"They got great service - they didn't get end-of-the-night shit service because I don't give that. I've been working in restaurants for 20 years, and I understand this shit happens as part of the job, I get it, but it will never not infuriate me when it happens. Reason being, is treating your server that way, or anyone else for that matter, is just a blatant disrespect for your fellow human.
"As you walked out the restaurant, did it feel good to you?... Did you feel okay doing that? You know, people like that don't think about things like that - they have no conscience, no self-awareness, they don't have any kindness in their soul. Who raised you? That's what I want to know. Who raised you?
"Whoever you are, just know that you suck," she concluded. "You absolutely suck. I hope your kid doesn't grow up to be like you."
Gina added that the couple also paid their tab in an unusual manner, with five $20 bills and 86 $1 notes.
The clip has since been viewed over 246,000 times, amassing more than 27,000 likes and 1500 comments - many of which were from fellow waitstaff who empathised with her experience.
"Someone tipped me [US]$2 on a $487 bill," one commented, while a second shared: "Someone tipped me $50 on a $1200 check. I gave them great service too, I cried lol."
"Someone came in 15 minutes to close recently. Ordered drinks from the bar and of course dinner - $80+ bill, $0 tip," another weighed in, with a fourth adding: "My favourite is when they pay cash and tell me to keep the change as my tip with a big ole smile and it's like 36 cents. Like no you keep it dude, can't even pay for a bus ride with this, but thanks."
Others commiserated with Gina and the way waitstaff are often treated by "unaware" customers, with one writing: "I always say everyone should work in that industry first, so they know how to treat people in that industry."
"I have worked in restaurants, and I won't even go in an hour before they close," said another.
However, many others hit back at Gina and tipping culture more broadly, arguing it is not mandatory to tip and servers shouldn't expect every customer to be able to afford a gratuity of 15 percent or more.
"It's not an obligation to tip, I know I don't, I'm already paying for my food... find a job that will pay better than a restaurant," one said, with another adding: "I've stopped tipping all together."
"Take it up with your greedy boss that doesn't pay you enough to make a living. We are not responsible for your income," another lashed out, while one user declared: "[It's] no one's fault you work for a corporation that doesn't pay you well... get a better job and stop crying about people unable to tip after giving your restaurant $180+ for food."
When one viewer suggested telling late arrivals that the kitchen is already closed, Gina explained that she could get in hot water for doing so, adding: "If they [the customers] would have made any noise about me telling them that, I'd be in big trouble. Once I got in trouble for locking the doors two minutes before close."
According to a report from PYMNTS and LendingClub, nearly two-thirds of Americans reported living paycheck-to-paycheck in December 2023 due to lingering inflation.
Speaking to CNBC in January, Dr Jaime Peters - an assistant professor of finance at Maryville University - explained that waiters are not paid the same minimum wage as, for example, a cashier at a grocery store.
"The lower hourly rate is justified by the opportunity for the waitstaff to earn generous tips, which should - theoretically- bring their wages to or above the state's minimum wage," Peters said, noting this is why leaving a gratuity for a waiter has long been standard practice.
Peters and Vincent Birardi, a wealth advisor, both told CNBC a 20 percent tip is the minimum that is appropriate for standard workers and larger tips (more than 20 percent) should be given to recognise excellent customer service.
"You can always decide to tip a little more or less based on your financial situation and your appreciation for the service provided," Birardi said. "The thought still counts the most."
It's not the first time Gina has gone viral for detailing her experiences as a waitress, with several of her storytimes racking up hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of views.
