‘Server Life’: 30 Of The Most Entitled Customers That Servers Ever Had The ‘Pleasure’ Of Meeting
Working in the food service industry is one of the toughest places you can be. Not only can the pay be errr ‘challenging,’ but you also have to constantly deal with poor management and flak from your customers. Now, that’s not to say that every client is going to be a jerk. Far from it! But there are enough rude people to make servers reconsider their faith in humanity.
The popular r/Serverlife subreddit is an online community that invites servers, waiters, and waitresses from all around the net to get together and talk about work. We’ve collected some of the group’s top photos that show just how entitled some customers get. Scroll down and get ready to wonder how anyone could act so entitled. And remember—tip your servers!
Bored Panda reached out to workplace expert Lynn Taylor, the author of the book 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant' and a popular blog on Psychology Today, with some questions about what managers can do to support and empower their staff, and how employees can stay resilient when dealing with extremely critical customers. She told us about the importance of good training and empathy, and having everyone be on the same page about the rules. Read on for our interview with the expert.
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Was Told I Did An Excellent Job And Earned An "Early Christmas Gift" Came Back To A Fake $15 Tip
I would have called the cops and turned them in for counterfeit just to be an a*****e. Even thought it was a tip it still is technically passing 'funny-money". Sure they won't be doing that s**t again.
That would have been justified. This is worse than stuffing them and I'm sure the arseholes who did it thought they were being funny. Let's see if they were laughing when the cops showed up to question them. Honestly, I wouldn't feel bad if they got charged.
Load More Replies...As a Christian, I would just like to apologize to all of the servers, retail staff, and other people who are routinely abused by people who call themselves Christian. Don't get me wrong -- I screw up, and badly, but I don't treat people who are trying to earn a living like s**t, and think that's ok because I have a cross around my neck.
I think that giving a fake tip is actually worse than no tip, it shows such disdain for the server ( who works for peanuts anyway ) just don't be a d*** simple as that....
Know what's even worse than that? Self-proclaimed Christians leaving tracts designed as currency, in lieu of a genuine tip. (And yes, I am a Christian.) Little wonder servers hate working Sundays, all because of the "cheap Christians" (that is a direct quote.).
Load More Replies...Wrong. Just....W-R-O-N-G. Hope the server kept an eye out for that piece of work. Just crappy.
This is why tipping should be outlawed, and waiters and waitresses be given the fair wages instead.
"When employees must deal with rude customers, they need management’s support and training. Employees must feel assured that their company doesn’t tolerate abusive clientele, for example. In this situation, the more training the better. There are many varieties of challenging customers, and each one often requires a different response," workplace expert Taylor told Bored Panda via email.
"In today’s market, where there are labor shortages, it can be beneficial for a company to make sure their employees are the priority, not antagonistic patrons. Uber mastered this concept by providing a customer rating service to maintain a level playing field. That said, management must also be sure that the solution matches the misdeed, as supporting the employee can also be a fine line," she added. Clarity and communication are key.
"With many customer conflicts going viral today, companies must do their utmost to define what is and isn’t acceptable… how to take the highroad, unless it’s abuse. One internal litmus test to live by is to consider how the scenario would be perceived by an objective person—or the outside world," the author of 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant' said.
Sorry I Politely Asked Your Crotch Goblin To Not Throw Sugar At Other Guests. Lmao
or you can teach your kids to properly behave in a resteraunt (i know i didnt spell that right)
well, the kid can always break something and the parents will have to pay for it, soooo 🤷♀️
Load More Replies...Once, in a restaurant/bar in California, I was making my rounds during a packed World-Cup afternoon. I was passing a table with 2 parents and a child, maybe 4 or 5 years who was definitely old enough to know how to behave in public. This child takes the sugar caddy, dumps the packets on the table, and in one motion sweeps them all onto the floor. The father made eye-contact with me and just shrugged, as if to say, "Eh. What can you do?" I don't know? Maybe use this teachable moment to parent your child!?
Kids are the worst at restaurants! Your kids can't behave? Don't make that someone else's problem!
Kids who don't have boundaries or parents with a spine are the worst at restaurants. I've seen plenty of them just enjoying their chicken tenders and having a good time
Load More Replies...Yeah. Eff this customer and her jerk kids. I've got up and left an establishment because when my sons were younger and extremely wound up they were being obnoxious. Teach your kids what is exceptable.
That is awful! I used to work in a restaurant, and we had an upstairs, you could see over the railing to the downstairs, at one time the kids were dropping sugar packets, shaking salt and pepper, and I stopped them right before they decided to drop a ketchup bottle. Some parents think while at a restaurant, the serer is also a babysitter, so not the case!!
💀💀💀
It's not like they were flirting, when I was younger waitresses used to always say "Is that all for you, sweetie?" or "Can you speak just a teensy bit louder, sweetie?" or even "we have a lemonade meal deal! Do you want some lemonade with that, sweetie?" Not at all like "Heyyyyyy, sweetie sweetie"
That was a different generation. "Read the room" as they say.
Load More Replies...I am an old gay man from the South. I call everyone "sweetie". Friends, family, old people, young people. "Sweetie" means "You are sweet" or "it is sweet to be around you." It does not mean "I want to steal you from your spouse right in front of their face."
Omg I hope this isn’t offensive, but you totally make me think of this episode of King of the Hill: https://youtu.be/rz9rQsutfuo
Load More Replies...If you're that concerned about a server calling your man "sweetie" then darling that foundation is already shaky :)
'Taken men'? Seems very ownership-ish. Was she perhaps not entirely confident about his takenness?
Yeah the guy is probably on the fence to be truly "taken" as he sees the controlling behavior escalate...making her more controlling 😅
Load More Replies...I thought it was the husband writing that till I saw your comment
Load More Replies...As a 20-something, I went to a restaurant alone (I like to read while I eat). The waitress, who was about the age I am now, called me honey. I called her sweetie. After that, she called me miss. I gave her a larger tip than I normally would have, because she got it.
"The key in many training programs is for employees to understand where to draw the line. What are the boundaries? How do you provide a service in a friendly manner, but let the customers know there are limits? This is where role-playing is invaluable. Being in a customer-facing business does not mean being a punching bag; in this case, the customer is 'not always right.'"
According to workplace expert Taylor, one of the easiest ways to stay resilient at work is to put yourself in the overly critical customer's shoes. Of course, this is far from easy. "Oftentimes, clients want to be heard. They’re unhappy and are likely critical customers as a rule. Understanding that their complaints are not personal (and may be their issue) can help. At the same time, you can feel empowered knowing that there are limits—and management supports you when pushing back to untenable behavior," she told Bored Panda.
If You're That Broke, Don't Order Tequila Shots For You And Your Friends At An Upscale Bar In The Middle Of Uptown
Your server doesn't set the prices nor do they get a portion of the profits. You must think you're addressing the owners. How about we raise the prices with an automatic gratuity that goes directly to your server, jack*ss?
'an automatic gratuity that goes directly to your server'. So like fair wages?
Load More Replies...I'm more shocked that owners of "upscale" restaurants doesn't pay proper wages. Then again why complain to the servers, it's not like they can change the prizes.
Tbh, you can be very unpleasantly surprised by the prices once inside (not everybody read the full menu outside or research the place beforehand), choose to order the minimum and leave without spending extra.
DON'T CALL US (GUYS) WHERE FEMALES, SAY FOLKS INSTEAD OR MAM AND DON'T CALL PEOPLE SWEETIE OR OTHER STUPID NAMES. BE MORE PROFESSIONAL ON YOUR JOB.
And if you can't afford the tip, don't go somewhere that requires it. It's very simple
Everyone should ask upon entering an establishment whether tips are required to make up a living wage - if they are, then go elsewhere. In the short term, waitstaff will suffer and lose income and jobs, but it would not take long before restaurants were forced into paying proper wages.
Load More Replies...Server should stop bitching about not getting enough tips and start bitching to their bosses to be paid a living wage
It’s Always The Extra Nice Customer Who Asks For Extra Sides When You Check On Them
Must be my European brain, so I expect some pushback here, but apart from the fake bills, "life advice" and so on, I would say: stop bashing the customers and start pressing the employers. It is them that should pay your wages, not the customer
My hope is they put the heart on the credit card slip but left cash on the table. If I have cash at the time I'll leave it on the table instead of putting it on card.
We do that often, but just cross through the tip line.
Load More Replies...Yeah, the ones who go over-the-top with verbal gratitude and compliments about how great my service was and then leave me nothing are the worst. As if I can pay my rent with compliments. In the US, gratuity is how you express gratitude. Otherwise, cook at home. I get that it's a messed-up system that needs to change. We need to abolish the tipped minimum wage of $2.13/hour and maybe use a profit-sharing model. Yes, that will mean menu prices will go up a bit. But you can't protest a flawed system by stiffing your server and thinking you're in the right because the system is wrong.
Tips are optional, you know. If you disagree with the wages, unionize and protest or get another job. Your customers are not responsible for your salary. Your boss is.
Load More Replies...Tipping should go the way of the dodo. I don't get tips for doing my job. I also cook my own food and do my own dishes and I don't pay myself for cleaning up or serving myself
Why do you get to complain about not being tipped for a job you're being paid to do you don't like your earnings talk to your boss and get paid more or move on
Might have been someone from Europe, the UK, Australia. Anywhere where we don’t need to tip because most employers pay them decent wages. What if all the servers went on strike for just one day to demand a proper living wage. How about a union? Is it actually ‘the law’ that tipping is required? Although I never will, but if I visited the US I’d make jolly sure I gave you all a decent tip after reading lots, and lots of this type of story.
Tipping culture has gotten so out of hand. Tipping is meant for the person who is receiving the service to give a little extra something to the worker. Now it’s meant to be their whole paycheck??
I'm 50, and I waited tables at different times in my teens, 20s and 30s. I never worked at a restaurant where the hourly wage was even close to minimum wage. Even 30 years ago, tips were the primary wages for servers. Tipping culture is certainly out of control when people earning at least minimum wage or who do very little for you expect to be tipped.
Load More Replies...This Was Given To Me As A Tip Yesterday
Agreed. Looks pretty and well made but still a s****y thing to do.
Load More Replies...Call the Secret Service. They're charged with handling this stuff, and they have even less of a sense of humor than the FBI.
Load More Replies...Some people think it's hilarious to give fake money. It's one thing if they handed it to you on the street, but it's counterfeiting if you use it for a service.
Maybe they were a time traveler and that's what money looks like in 10 years...
Once again, someone spent money just to not give you money.
"Dealing with difficult people, whether customers, coworkers, or even tough managers, can often be like dealing with a terrible two toddler—who doesn’t know how to moderate their behavior when stressed or frustrated. So likewise, the antidote is to use some parental training techniques you’ve used or seen before," Taylor said, adding that she elaborates on this in her book, 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant.'
"For example, after witnessing a meltdown, let the perpetrator know they’ve been heard, but set boundaries to bad behavior. Also:
- Reiterate what their beef is, to offer some validation.
- Be the voice of reason in a way that they know benefits them.
- You just can’t fight fire with fire whether it’s an irate customer or an out of control toddler who is running amok.
- Show patience and understanding, but also some solid boundary setting is in order.
- Diplomacy is critical… as in many contentious situations, it’s how you package your information. Your delivery matters.
- You may need to repeat yourself in a polite way, using varying phrases to get your message across.
- Use a little levity to defuse tension when you feel you are turning the situation around."
Left By A Lady Who Didn't Look At Me And Didn't Speak To Me When I Asked Her How Everything Was
Fake- this is the customer copy, not the one they sign and leave the tip on. I'm sorry, but don't do this! I have been a server, and people do comment c**p like this, but it's annoying when people try to play the victim card for internet points. Why would you even want to fake something like this? Yes, people can be rude and yes some servers suck. I also think tipping is antiquated and the industry needs to change. Servers deserve a living wage and shouldn't have to worry about feeding their own kids on a slow night or because someone didn't tip. No other industry puts this type of pressure on the customer to pay the wage of their service provider, even other industries that have tipping! Your massage therapist, your hairstylist, etc. all get paid either an hourly or per-client wage!
Me And Other Server Agreed To Split The Tip On A Party Of 15. They Tipped A Dollar…
At my restaurant, any table with 10 or more guests we can ask a manager to auto-grat. It charges an automatic 18% tip for the bill, even if the split it, to prevent this from happening.
Maybe pay them $3.50 and $7, respectively, above minimum wage and take away tips and quit gouging customers (I have done build outs and remodels for very high end restaurants and bars plus personal homes to know 300%+ mark up is the standard ) and treat your staff with dignity and respect. Why is it up to your customers to pay the difference for you underpaying employees?
Load More Replies...And this is why most restaurants can add gratuity for parties or six or more.
1 moron is easy to find, 2 morons is a very common coincidence, as per 3, 4 or even 5 morons... but 15 morons at the same table?
This one is likely that the party was assuming auto gratuity or they had been told that. The single dollar is probably someone tipping beyond auto-grat.
Democrates
Well he's not wrong. Democrates, or Democritus as some believe him to be, was an ancient Greek philosopher so definitely not American or Christian. I can't say for his take on freedom, but he is thought to be one of the first philosophers to talk about the concept of democracy. It's possible he's the same Greek philosopher who first hypothesized about atoms too!
You always know when someone is a republican because they tell you without being asked about it. I've worked in customer service for years and it happens frequently "hi, how are you today?" Customer responds with someone about the left or democrats or liberals. It's like, ah so you're a miserable POS, Got it.
Yes, how dare a political party stick its nose into politics? Shocking!
Load More Replies...I like it when folks identify themselves as classless jerks. Saves me the time of figuring it out myself.
Give me the money please. The receipt and their garbage opinions can then just go in the trash.
Load More Replies...Why are republicans like this? Sincerely, they seem to HAVE to let everyone around them know all the time what their party affiliation is. Not one person I’ve worked with at my job knows my political party but somehow I know who every republican in the office is.
so... they wanna vote for the guy who wanted to build a wall across the border, but yet.. that keeps america "Open"... ?
Looking at the date on the receipt, this was only 7 months after vaccines had begun to be widely distributed. This person was someone who objected to restaurants only having take-out food as a way to mitigate the spread of the covid-19 virus (therefore this customer considered these restaurants to be, "closed"). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EDIT/NEW (same day as this BP Post): Complaining about Covid Control measures might seem like old news, but TODAY, conspiracy peddling politician Rep, Marjorie Taylor Greene (MGT) Falsely Claimed that an inordinate amount of Americans died from covid shots, and suffered miscarriages and stillbirths. When corrected, she said she, "I don't want my staff to be educated" . . . . . . . . . . . . . https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marjorie-taylor-greene-rochelle-wolensky-staff-educated_n_648985cae4b025003ee114ef ... ... (links to video of the encounter on Twitter)
Load More Replies...I thought the idea of voting Republican was to keep America closed. I'm so confused.
Looking at the date on the receipt, this was only 7 months after vaccines had begun to be widely distributed. This person was someone who objected to restaurants being take-out only to mitigate the spread of the covid-19 virus (and therefore, "closed").
Load More Replies...The expert noted that employees can be effective in using tough love when dealing with critical customers, meaning that they remain assertive, consistent, and polite. "When times get testy, it can also mitigate tensions to be empathetic to their issue—but let them know how your company operates and its policies," she said.
"As the provider of any service, you retain the right to deny customers the right to be in your establishment. Still, there are plenty of headlines today where situations get out of hand. Worker safety is therefore a key concern for both management and team members. And this is where company training is paramount."
My Girlfriend Received This As A Tip On A $50 Bill. The Woman Stuffed It Behind The Plastic, So She Had To Pick Each One Out
It's called a check presenter. I can't post pictures on here. But if you Google it it has plastic on the inside that doesn't give you a lot of room to put your hand in. That's why the OP said she had to dig the change out one by one.
Load More Replies...Yeah, real small. Not even as much as a quarter, just pennies, nickles and dimes. Cheapo!
Load More Replies...It'd be great if one of those turned out to be a rare coin worth hundreds of dollars.
I Made The Total 129.99 And Really Hope It Bothered Them A Little
People like this shouldn’t even be allowed to dine out.. Cheep mofos!!
WOW. I am assuming somebody must have gotten really, really bad service, or was rude ,...to leave a .40 tip on this amount. This establishment probably has a policy of tipping out -most of them do,@ it's based on a set percentage of the servers sales that evening. It can be one to three "tip outs"-to host, busboys, bartenders. The server STILL has to tip out to everybody on those sales, regardless if the customer decided to leave him change. It comes out of the servers pocket. The IRS does not believe any customer would ever leave anything less than 8% of a bill, so the server has to pay taxes on that, even if they didn't get it. Now honestly, most customers tip well,@that helps cover the loss.( 20%=25.80-.40=25.40 loss, plus whatever tip out is, plus taxes on tip, after tip out) that's a lot of cash to loose on one table. If it was bad service, this person is correct, it's an effective way to make your server "feel it". $2.13 is a common hourly wage for companies to pay servers.
So the system makes it possible to LOSE money (not just not being paid enough) on a table but somehow there are still people defending that system. Okay.
Load More Replies...Jackass
Someone paid for part of the bill in cash before the card was ran.
Load More Replies...I think 18 is being pushed to be the new standard not 15.
Load More Replies...Seems like some context could be missing here...if part of the bill is already paid in cash, the tip too could be paid in cash. Some people just like to have full dollar amounts on the bill.
I hate when places put in **THEIR** suggested tip amounts - here the LOWEST % is 18% - that is wrong. People have calculators on their phones, they can figure it out without the place giving them their guidance. Also, in this pic, what is going on with the totals?
"TIP" is an acronym for "To Insure Promptness". If the service was extraordinarily bad, I personally am not above stiffing the server but I wouldn't be nasty about it.
Bill Total is $58.98 But He only Pays $34.00??? How is That Possible?? It would be $58.98 + 0.02 = $60.00 Total Paid!!
The r/Serverlife subreddit is an old one, with roots all the way back in late May of 2014. Over the years, the online subreddit has grown by leaps and bounds and now boasts nearly 112k active members who are invited to take off their aprons, have a glass, and chat about work.
Among these numerous members are both servers who enjoy venting and discussing issues at their jobs, as well as random people from different industries who like taking a peek into the reality of waiting tables. This subreddit is a perfect place to remind you that, yes, servers are living, breathing human beings who deserve respect.
According to the data collected by Indeed, the average salary for a food service worker in the United States is $14.88 per hour. Of course, this fluctuates quite a bit depending on what company you work for. For instance, Indeed notes that Chili’s pays its employees an average of $21.32 per hour. Meanwhile, Applebee’s compensates its staff around $21.19 per hour, and IHOP pays $20.27 per hour.
I’d Rather Be Tipped With A Bag Of Dog Sh*t
Tips are earned- just putting a plate in front of someone does not deserve a tip
People Don’t Understand The Restaurant Industry
SO, like I'm supposed to stand here while you attempt to make up your mind even though I have 5 or 6 other tables to take care of? Sheesh, entitled people rub my fur the wrong way.
8 don't know why you were down voted. Must be someone who has never served!
Load More Replies...Yet I bet this person is one of the ones moaning no one wants to do these jobs and why stores are shut as they don't have staff!
Ah, the time burglar customer who holds the server hostage while they ask a million questions that are mostly answered by the menu itself if they bothered to read it. They think no one else matters but them and that they deserve preferential treatment. I was working in a restaurant one time on a Mother's Day afternoon and we were mega slammed. A customer called wanting to call in order to be picked up and basically wanted me to read the entire menu to her. This is a nice Italian restaurant and it would have taken me ages. I was the only bartender and had a line of servers wanting drinks as well as bar customers wanting stuff. Lady got huffy on the phone when I told her I couldn't read the entire menu to her.
Oh, you mean one of those fake jobs where I sit in a chair and browse the internet, stare out the window, micromanage, and act important because my parents had the money to send me to my daddy's college and one of their Country-Club friends owns the company where I "work?"
And probably is as bad to his workers as he is to restaurant workers.
Load More Replies...Doesn't this depend on what "be patient" applies to? If it's about waiters trying to hustle people off a table while they're still trying to finish their meal then I'm on the customers side.
A Tip is Not the Waiter or waitresses Income!! A Tip is The Expression of the Servers Manners & Service Towards the Customer! If the Customer is Rude you can expect Nothing anyways!!
We didnt see the service. Bet she or he were not good at serving them if they felt this way.
And at least 6 weeks teaching school and surviving on that salary as well. Wouldn't Washington sing a different tune with these experiences under their belts?
I think it should be a requirement before anybody is allowed to get their first job, they must spend three months as a server waiting tables. It needs to be a law. That way, these greedy companies would finally " get it"-a server has the most influence on sales, and the most influence on the customers experience. A waitstaff can make or break a business- companies need to pay them what their worth, so the customers don't have to make up for it, and tip only for above and beyond service. But we all know, they will never pay a real living wage to servers. They have gotten away with it for way too long......
Some People Should Just Stay Home…
Tipping is optional. Restaurants should pay a living wage so servers don't have to count of tips and customers don't feel obligated tip.
In one of my former restaurants, the owner did not put up with this kind of nonsense. You would be noted in our host's reservation system, and you would not be given a table again. God bless that man.
Wouldn't it be simpler if he gave the waiters bigger salaries?
Load More Replies...Absolutely not. The employers are underpaying way too much.
Load More Replies...Nurses and bus drivers don't make 2.13 an hour on the expectation that tips will make up the difference between that and min. wage.
Load More Replies...This is right up there with the people that refuse to give five stars on surveys. "well you didn't go BEYOND my expectations, you simply met them"...
I Believe that is Correct but if The Server was Extra Nice and Watchful of Your Good Meal & Good Time then Leave them Cash at the Table!!
Could've just written "I don't understand how much servers make an hour, and I'm an a*****e."
Red Lobster’s average food service worker’s wage is slightly lower, sitting at $17.82, just below the US Department of Veteran Affairs which offers $18.45 per hour, but slightly above IKEA’s average salary of $17.73. It’s important to keep these numbers in mind when doing background research for a raise or if you’re looking to jump ship and head toward greener pastures.
The city you live in will also have a massive impact on your salary. For example, if you’re living in Los Angeles, California, the average food service worker’s salary is going to be $17.42 per hour. Washington, DC offers something similar, with $17.30 per hour. If you happen to live in a nearby town, consider comparing your wage there with the salaries in LA and DC. A slightly longer commute to a different job might just work out.
Last Table Of The Night
If you can't afford the tip, you can't afford to eat out. Period.
Exactly. When I go out I never think, "I won't tip today" no matter the cost.
Load More Replies..."I wish I could tip...". I'm sure Visa wouldn't have minded you spending a little bit more
This is ridiculous. Maybe she can pray she gets decent service next time........
When I worked at outback steakhouse, you had to automatically tip the restaurant 3% of your sales so for that server to have waited on that table they actually lost money, $2.25. I know if you check my math it’s only $2.21 but outback steakhouse also does not work with pennies and makes you round everything up.
East Tn :(
I respect this. They customer has announced “Trump supporters don’t support working people. They are bad people. If you are a bad person, vote for Trump. I’m a bad person, and I vote for Trump.”
The “both sides” commenters have arrived! Oh, callooh callay!
Load More Replies...Füçk Joe Biden they were making a cheap political statement
Load More Replies...I’m gonna ask again to highlight how little most of the world cares about trumpers: what does FJB mean?
Guess I’ll Just Go Sell My Left Kidney 🙃
I think these people can't do math. 10% is one decimal point not two.
I think this is someone deliberately doing a 1%. If you are spending $350 on a meal, you know enough math to know this tip is insulting.
Load More Replies...It is even worse than it seems. Many restaurants make servers pay a percentage of the sales to the "house". It goes to bartenders, busseres, hosts/hostesses. I worked at a place that took 3% based on sales. $348 would cost a server over $10 whether or not they even received a tip. Yes, I knew about tip share, it's a common practice. And, its not optional.
If that jackass truly believes that the server will forget that, I have some lovely swampland to sell him.
Some other high-paying US cities also include Sacramento, California ($16.05 per hour), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ($15.67 per hour), Las Vegas, Nevada ($14.76 per hour), and Atlanta, Georgia ($14.66). Among the runners up are Tampa, Florida ($14.45 per hour), Dallas, Texas ($14.41 per hour), and Jacksonville, Florida ($13.70).
A fancy restaurant server Bored Panda interviewed earlier shared a lot of great tips about her job. “The essence of being a good server is making sure everyone leaves the meal having had a nice time. The essence of being a great server is making sure everyone leaves the meal having had a memorable time,” she shared her perspective on being a professional server.
“I’m always on the lookout for anything extra I can do to make the night special for our guests. If I overhear a birthday mentioned, we bring out a piece of cake. If someone comes in wearing a Dolphins jersey, we’ll turn on that game if they’re playing. We take pride in our work,” the server said.
“Serving Teenagers Isn’t That Bad”
I served teenagers once years ago. No tip. The next day one of the parents came back and gave me $10. And apologized because the kids didn't have enough money the night before. But man that night I was pretty ticked off. I ran my a$$ off for those kids.
Yeah sometimes they just don't know any better either. The adults who were actual jerks pissed me off way more.
Load More Replies...teenager here- I rarely go out for food bc I just can't afford food + tip. but when I do go out I tip generously, it's the least I can do. I'll be in their shoes once my internship runs out
No context, maybe their service was horrible? Maybe it was one of those places that don't have servers? Pho and teriyaki places usually do nothing service wise and still add/expect tips. Why do fast food places not tip? It's because it's all factored in as it should be
Whenever my kids went out with their friends to a sit down place with a server, when they came home my first questions was always how was the service and what did you tip? I worked tow jobs, paralegal during day, server at night, so she knows I will ask. And a lot of times teenagers work in the restaurant business, she was a hostess, and then a server a Skyline, she always tips!
Y’all we’re broke I’ve been applying to every job around and nobody contacts me back
In HS, I went to a club dinner with mostly upper-classmen, and they all told us to tip well because we were a large group and it was likely an inconvenience to serve us. Most of them have probably had a service industry job, or their parents raise them really well. I never thought I'd ever see good peer pressure. 🙈
when i was a kid, no one explained the purpose of tips, or that servers hardly got paid, so they needed the tips.
I can forgive kids because they might not know yet. By 18, that goes out the door. They should know better.
"You Ruined My Mother's Birthday"
And they won't be back. That's a complete victory.
Load More Replies...I mean if the food was bad and the service horrible then $5 is very generous.
Yeah this is the problem I have with tipping. Assuming the service was genuinely bad then why should you expect a 20% tip? Living wage, then make tips purely for exceptional service. Everyone wins.
Load More Replies...... and the problem with this comment is -- ? Tip zero from me if was really that bad.
A 12% tip isn't that bad, especially for someone who didn't enjoy the food or service. I would never dip below that. Maybe it was a busy night, maybe the cooks made something that wasn't to your liking but she didn't have time to check with you to make sure everything was okay because she was over-sat and also she had to put her dog down yesterday but her boss wouldn't give her today off, maybe someone called out sick. You never know. Also, your gratuity isn't just for your server. It also gets shared out to the bussers, runners, bartender, and hosts, who may have been doing an exemplary job on their parts. Even if my dining experience wasn't perfect and my server wasn't attentive, it isn't right to take food out of other people's mouths. 12% is the bare minimum you should factor in when going out, regardless of service. Kudos on this lady's son for at least being decent.
Load More Replies...I mean SURE a $5 tip isn't much, but it's better considering the other "tips" on this list.
"you were horrible, but I'm not one of the a******s from the other posts so I'll still tip you." That's nice!
What the hell kindof 75th birthday you treated your mom to for only $41.48!?! Sir, you ruined your own mums birthday dinner!
If the food is bad that's not the server's fault. If the service is bad no tip.
Ridiculous How People Think This Is Even Remotely Acceptable. Service Was Great Too And Ran Me Around For Over An Hour. Help Me Feel Better, What’s Your Worst Tip?
I think that part of this tip rebellion has to do with "suggested gratuity" starting at 18%. I bristle every time I see it. Lately, the server brings a portable scanner to the table with that tipping demand before you ever see the bill, and then hovers over your shoulder while you're deciding what (if anything) to pay. After a waitress CHANGED my 10% tip (for poor service) to 18%, I only tip in cash now.
Cash tips are actually preferred as you don't have to claim 100% for tax purposes, whereas 100% of tips on credit cards are reported.
Load More Replies...I always pay with plastic and tip in cash. Used to date a waitress (that's what we called them then).
Just FYI- When you tip on a card (debit or credit), the server DOES NOT get the whole tip. The restaurant has to pay a fee to the card companies for the usage and swiping of the cards. The restaurant takes a portion of all electronic tips to cover this fee. Not a big portion, but if you waitress for some years, this adds up quickly. Always tip in cash, even if you pay by card, to make sure the server gets the whole tip.
Something that customers can do to help out the staff, especially trainees, is to step in if they see another client being rude to them. “The server may look unbothered, but that’s because it’s their job. ‘The customer is always right,’ is one of the only pieces of training many of us get. It is literally our job to be sure tables leave happy. We cannot argue with you. So, just because they’re smiling on the outside doesn’t mean they’re not offended, or even feeling unsafe, on the inside,” the professional revealed what the reality is like.
Normalize Staying Home
Even though i understand American tipping culture i also understand the huge amount of tips expected is not possible for everyone on top of the already pretty steep bills of eating out. The caption normalize staying home doesn't sound very fair to me either. Stay home if you are too poor to tip 18% or whatever.
It shouldn't be the customer's responsibility to pay the server a living wage, and if more people refuse to tip, the sooner the tip culture will change.
Load More Replies..."normalise staying home"........or maybe normalise not expecting a 20%+ tip for just doing your job..........and normalise businesses paying a decent wage so servers don't have to rely on tips! - as an Aussie, I find the idea of tipping just so greedy - I realise it isn't because the workers don't get paid a decent wage etc, but I always have to fight to urge to say- come on- why should you expect a "tip" for just doing the job you were hired to do!?
To answer your question, the tip is expected because otherwise the server wouldn't make the federal minimum wage. Where I live, the minimum wage for a tipped employee is just $2.13 per hour (that's not a typo). Their tips are expected to bring up their hourly wage to at least $7.25 per hour. If they don't make enough in tips then the restaurant has to pay the difference. It's a very flawed, gross system and it needs a major overhaul.
Load More Replies...So you spent your last $41.19 on a restaurant meal and didn't even have $6.17 in your account for a minimal 15% tip? Büllshit.
This is why I have not eaten at a restaurant in over 7 years. Bad food, bad service, bad attitude. Why should someone be guilted into paying more than the advertised price? Tipping culture is one that needs to be canceled
I mean at least they’re being nice and possibly honest about it I guess??
It Should be Left up to the Customer How Much tip to Leave Based on the Service Received not the Cost of the Staff Behind the Scenes in the Kitchen!!
What the f**k? Tipping is not mandatory, this customer wasn't rude at all. Entitled server, this industry has to strike if they want to make more and not push it on the customer
Got This Today As A Tip, Would This Be Valid Anywhere? And Yes It’s Sticky
There's enough left to be valid everywhere, though not everyone will take it. If a bank won't replace it, you can send it to the US Mint for replacement.
Bank should take it. They send a lot of money to the treasury for replacement.
“I Even Named My Son Logan” Yes I Work Here God Help Me
Not tipping you because of management. This must be a modern Robin Hood.
Why should this person care if the restaurant does better, when he clearly states he will never come again?
...so we're not going to address that this person insinuates that they named their kid after a chain restaurant???
Isn't he going to be so proud growing up knowing you named him after a restaurant. You couldn't even come up with a name from a deceased family member or close personal friend, you had to resort to a food chain. How original. Just picture him sitting in 4?th grade and all the kids start talking about who they're named after. "And who are you named after Logan?" "My daddys favorite restaurant at the time that he now hates." (queue all the kids laughing)
“If you’re not comfortable saying something to the abusive customer directly, just find a manager and quietly inform them of what’s going on, they’ll take it from there. A lot of servers are students who are too nervous about losing the job or looking unprofessional to ask for help. And, as someone eating in the restaurant rather than working there, your words will carry far more weight with the harasser than ours would anyways,” she told us.
I Hate People
Why do these skinflints come out with this "I'm short of money" cr*p? If they can't afford a tip when eating out (and presumably everyone in America knows about tips) then should go to McDonalds or stay home
Order less! Always factor the tip in up front....
Load More Replies...Alot of people are short on money. So they should only eat at home or McDonald’s? I’m starting to think tipping is the problem not the people paying. Sure some are jerks but not all servers or food are good.
Or order something less expensive. If someone has the money for an almost 80 dollar meal, you’re telling me a few more dollars is going to break the bank?
Load More Replies...If they are short on money, then why eat out. it would be much cheaper to cook at home.
"Short on money", but you just spent nearly $80 on one meal. Sure, I believe you're at the poverty line. (◔_◔)
Fun Little Love Note! Also According To Her Restaurants Website They Actually Do 20% For Parties Of 8 Or More…
So an 18% tip on a $49 bill at the other place gives a total of $57.82. This tightwad is whinging about less than a buck
If they can't afford it, then what? What if they wanted something nice for once?
Load More Replies...Six people for two hours and they only spent $50??? They were cheaping out on their meeting or something.
Six people and your bill isn't even $60?!? Yeah, I hate tables that come in, drink only water, and everyone pairs up and sharing each an entree. 😒
They left a tip better than gold. They told the server where they work....(insert sinister laugh)
I'm wondering what they all ordered for 6 people to eat out for less than $50 isn't too bad lol
What is this, nap time at day care? Who the hell cares hour many times you're checked on, more than 2 would definitely get annoying
Regular Who Has A Different Date Every Week
There's an easy solution with regulars. Refuse to serve them. You're risking $.04.
Know what the best manager would do? Allow you, the server, to earn every cent of that lousy tip. Don't refill their beverages, take your sweet time bringing their food, avoid eye contact when they try to get your attention. At the end, the manager pays you what you would have gotten, had the table actually paid you a 20% tip.
Load More Replies...As a server, I would VERY politely return his change. Obviously, he needs it more.
I don't think that I would be able to refrain from remarking (in her hearing) that this one is the best looking you have brought this month
Give them Water & a Menu & then Have All your Waiters or Waitresses Ignore them as Pour Payers of Service at your Establishment!!
Everybody that has ever worked in restaurants knows that leaving a penny means bad service.........let me guess....that customer probably didn't say one word when they were asked how everything was......
If you look closely, it's actually 4 pennies. ¡Lotteria!
Load More Replies...Other things that customers can do to make a server’s day are to be kind, be polite, tip well (depending on the country), and avoid venting their frustrations on the staff. All in all, how you treat food service industry workers says a lot about you as a person. If you’re rude to someone who you think has no power, it might be time to rethink how you treat people as a whole.
Manager Got This Back From A Table (Adults) He Told Couldnt Order The Kids Meal
If it's on the menu you should be able to order anything you want. Some people may just want smaller portions. I agree with the customer on this one.
Agree, what business is it of the managers if a person wants the kids meal, who cares. He probably just lost them as customers and anyone those customers care to complain to about it. Managers power trippin.
Load More Replies...This is what really bugs me as it’s the same in the UK. I have a major problem with my stomach that means I can’t eat very much - and NO it isn’t a gastric band. I’ve stopped arguing and instead I’ll ask for a meal from the usual menu but a small portion only please and yes, I’ll pay the full price.
As someone who's had surgery that means I cannot finish a meal without being sick, I order kids meals (and half the time I can't finish those) Why the hell do you force people to waste your cooks time and your companies money by wasting food? Let people order what they want.
Last time I went to a fish and chips place I asked for a small portion, because I couldn't eat all I got the time before. Oh they said just a childrens portion then and I also only paid for a childportion, though that was not my intention, I just hate wasting food.
Some of us Can't eat the Adult Portions any More so Why should we Order them?
You know what else matters? Not being an insufferable, passive aggressive jerk
Not everyone can eat an adult sized meal. Like Bariatric patients. Why should I pay more for food I don’t want?
Load More Replies...This Has Been Happening All The Time Lately, This Shift I Didn’t Get A Single Tip 20% Or More. Thinking Of Applying For Minimum Wage Job
That math ain't mathin'......omg. it's late, without glasses, I thought it was 58.09. My apologies!!!!
I've defended the tip culture and how you don't get to rip off waitresses just because you think it should be different. But the size of the expected tip and the new places that ask for a tip are getting ridiculous. 15% was standard. 20% was for exceptional service.
Thinking of applying for a minimum wage job. So Americans, lobby your state legislatures to fix that.
Restaurant servers do not earn minimum wage, they are usually paid $2-$3 an hour.
Load More Replies...$70.00 Paid minus Bill of $68.09 = $1.91 Tip? WOW!! Somebody needs to Be only Partially Served in the Future!! Menus & water & Ignored as they do in Europe!!
When They Give You The Ol’ “We’ll Take Care Of You” Razzle Dazzle
But i agree if I already spend 144 on food i dont want to spend a minimum of over 20 on a tip. I don't make 20 dollars an hour why would it be normal to tip it for some service?
I don't live in the US, and we don't tip in our country (Spain), but if I know that my tip is what actually she server is going to earn, then I would give a correct tip. What I don't understand is tipping based on the price. I understand it can be a reference sometimes. But if I buy a wine bottle, it's not like the service is so different whether the bottle is $50 or $100.
Load More Replies...this idea of 20% tip is ridiculous even in a culture that exploits its workers. 'oh, its what's expected' ... by who? the owners, that who. just put up your prices, be honest and pay your staff. quick question, do you pay income taxes on tips?
Not only do servers pay income tax on tips, but there is a "minimum expected earnings" attached. This means, even if you didn't make that minimum, you still have to pay taxes on that money the government *thinks* you should have earned, but didn't.
Load More Replies...I agree rob a tip doesnt need to exceed 15-20 per hr. And assume a bit of like 5-10 per hr theyre paid at restaurant. (I was a waitress and a car hop i got zero complaints and many large tips fyi), just because prices are high doesnt mean waitress should be paid higher tip. We just need to do away with tipping all together and pay people normal rate like England has for a long time.
All I see is whining, what about when they get over tipped? I would love for someone to pay me 20% over what I already get paid and that's only 1 table
When did 20% become "normal"? 15% for good service is more than generous.
Vals last comment, which is downvoted and hidden, sums it up. Servers only work their jobs because of expected tips. The fact that a server can make as much as a psychologist due to tips is the problem. Stop tipping America. Force the change.
Val is not expressing the truth of the matter because she's angry and b*tchy. She's right - a server *can* make as much as a psychologist does in one night.... if they are *lucky* and work in a place that has wealthy clients *every night*. That's not the case for most servers, however. The truth for most servers is that they live paycheck to paycheck, barely scrape by in the bad weeks, *maybe* get a little extra on the good weeks, have to share whatever tips they DO get with the back of the house, are legally paid LESS than minimum wage because of "expected tips", which is the *government's* expectation by the way, and come tax time - they have to pay taxes on what the government expects people should have tipped them - even when they didn't. You can't say just because *some* servers are lucky enough to work with high-end, high tipping clientel, that ALL servers should get stiffed by their customers, especially when the system is *designed* to screw them out of the most wages possible.
Load More Replies...Geez... when the hubby and I hit the little Mexican joint on Saturday nights he always flips a ten to the server on a $30 bill. These people are nuts. No wonder we all get such a bad name.
10 is good. Just cause the price of the food is expensive doesn't mean they have to give you an expensive tip....don't know if you were a good server, how long they were there etc...
For some more hellish posts from r/Serverlife, check out Bored Panda's previous feature right here. Meanwhile, if you've ever worked as a server, feel free to share your experiences with the best and worst customers ever in the comments. And if you have any tips to give servers who are completely fresh to the industry, we're sure they'd appreciate it, too, dear Pandas.
I Made The Total 129.99 And Really Hope It Bothered Them A Little
Democrates
And both times, they spelled "republicans" incorrectly.
Load More Replies...PAY YOUR WORKERS ENOUGH WAGES SO THAT THEY DON'T RELY ON TIPS. Here in India & most other countries Tips are totally optional and sometimes we're asked not to leave any tips. PAY YOUR SERVICE WORKERS ENOUGH MONEY SO THEY CAN SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN AND NOT ON OTHER CRUEL HUMAN BEINGS.
Exactly. It is ridiculous how the workers expect big tips for mediocre work. Workers should have decent salaries. Tips should be for excellent service only. .... Imagine the Olympics and all 100 athletes running in the marathon are getting a golden Olympic medal. Ridiculous!
Load More Replies...This is so American. We don't tip. Only when the service is good.
I got through 6 of these before I was so disgusted and angry that I had to stop.
Why is this tipping culture seen as part of the ultimate freedom one enjoys in the US?
Because tips are more like commissions based on performance. It's like running your own business without the risk because you're technically employed with all the benefits of an employer's umbrella.
Load More Replies...Increase prices by 10-15% and stop the need for tipping. It's demeaning for people to live off tips, it's like throwing scraps to a dog. If you don't believe me, try tipping your doctor.
And demeaning for customers who can't afford to pay. I've heard American waiters say if you can't afford to tip you shouldn't eat out, the audacity, in a job they are already been paid for, f**k.
Load More Replies...Yes, we do. People should stop tipping for poor service and tip generously for really good service.
Load More Replies...Obvious Guy says because the tip will still be included in the increased menu prices, whether the service is good or not.
Load More Replies...If you want to make a difference, don't give a tip; give a gift instead. Neither the giver nor the recipient are required to report cash gifts to the IRS. The recipient doesn't have to share it with other employees or even report it to the employer. Be sure to include a small piece of paper identifying the money (including the amount) as a gift, NOT a tip. (Even easier, see if your server has a Venmo or CashApp and use it to gift them.)
I think this tipping thing is out of hand, including shaming people for not tipping (except the ones who leave stupid comments on the receipt). Employers are expecting everyone else to pay their staff a living wage. Or the expectation from staff that you have to tip and tip based on the percentage that is listed on the receipt. Some people cannot afford to add a tip, does it mean they shouldn't be able to eat out, nope. Because if people stopped eating out because of tipping it wouldn't matter because restaurants would be shutting down.
That is also so classist, cruel and entitled for some waiters to say people who can't afford to tip shouldn't eat out
Load More Replies...PAY YOUR WORKERS ENOUGH WAGES SO THAT THEY DON'T RELY ON TIPS. Here in India & most other countries Tips are totally optional and sometimes we're asked not to leave any tips. PAY YOUR SERVICE WORKERS ENOUGH MONEY SO THEY CAN SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN AND NOT ON OTHER CRUEL HUMAN BEINGS.
Exactly. It is ridiculous how the workers expect big tips for mediocre work. Workers should have decent salaries. Tips should be for excellent service only. .... Imagine the Olympics and all 100 athletes running in the marathon are getting a golden Olympic medal. Ridiculous!
Load More Replies...This is so American. We don't tip. Only when the service is good.
I got through 6 of these before I was so disgusted and angry that I had to stop.
Why is this tipping culture seen as part of the ultimate freedom one enjoys in the US?
Because tips are more like commissions based on performance. It's like running your own business without the risk because you're technically employed with all the benefits of an employer's umbrella.
Load More Replies...Increase prices by 10-15% and stop the need for tipping. It's demeaning for people to live off tips, it's like throwing scraps to a dog. If you don't believe me, try tipping your doctor.
And demeaning for customers who can't afford to pay. I've heard American waiters say if you can't afford to tip you shouldn't eat out, the audacity, in a job they are already been paid for, f**k.
Load More Replies...Yes, we do. People should stop tipping for poor service and tip generously for really good service.
Load More Replies...Obvious Guy says because the tip will still be included in the increased menu prices, whether the service is good or not.
Load More Replies...If you want to make a difference, don't give a tip; give a gift instead. Neither the giver nor the recipient are required to report cash gifts to the IRS. The recipient doesn't have to share it with other employees or even report it to the employer. Be sure to include a small piece of paper identifying the money (including the amount) as a gift, NOT a tip. (Even easier, see if your server has a Venmo or CashApp and use it to gift them.)
I think this tipping thing is out of hand, including shaming people for not tipping (except the ones who leave stupid comments on the receipt). Employers are expecting everyone else to pay their staff a living wage. Or the expectation from staff that you have to tip and tip based on the percentage that is listed on the receipt. Some people cannot afford to add a tip, does it mean they shouldn't be able to eat out, nope. Because if people stopped eating out because of tipping it wouldn't matter because restaurants would be shutting down.
That is also so classist, cruel and entitled for some waiters to say people who can't afford to tip shouldn't eat out
Load More Replies...
