There are some things in life that aren’t necessarily mandatory by law but are kind of assumed, like a social contract of sorts. But there is one social contract that people tend to egregiously abuse, and that’s tipping your server at a restaurant.
And when you’re trying your hardest to make a living, all these things really start to hurt after a while.
Taylar Cordova, a Colorado waitress, is a prime example of how mistreatment or inconsideration towards workers who interact with the public can leave so much more damage than the average person might expect.
After taking care of a patron, Taylar went to collect their receipt and saw she was left $0 as a tip. Infuriated, she took a picture of the receipt and posted it on social media with a scathing message to the person who stiffed her and anyone like them.
“You are the lowest of the low,” she wrote, speaking not just to the customer who stiffed her, but also to anyone who does not tip. Then she continued with an explanation of the consequences of diners not adding proper gratuity to their bill:
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.
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.
Of course, what she posted is not merely hearsay, we all knew that her facts are backed up by the U.S. Department of Labor, which explains that:
“An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount combined with the tips received at least equals the federal minimum wage.”
Her points are solid, especially considering the amount of this bill: $187.43. Essentially, the person who decided to drop almost $200 on food deprived her and her child of at least $28. While that number might seem small, it’s much more when considered in the scheme of her argument.
Even if this patron was less-than-satisfied with their service, choosing not to tip at ALL on a bill this large is something we’re glad was called out on social media.
So next time you think of forgoing the tip after a meal out, just think of this post, and how much your spare change might mean to someone who is trying their hardest to make ends meet.
Sources: OpposingViews, Mic, U.S. Department of Labor, AWM