Skip to Content
The Daily Dot home
The Daily Dot home
Advertisement
Unclick

‘For legal reasons, this is a joke’: Viral TikTok sparks debate about servers filling out tip section on receipt when customers leave it blank

A TikToker's satirical video about filling out the tip section when customers leave them blank sparked a debate among commenters.

Featured Video

The TikToker, Christian Maxwell (@christianmaxwelll), who works at a restaurant in New York City, according to his bio, posted a satirical video pretending to write in a tip after his customer didn't leave one but left the section empty.

In the video, Maxwell records himself pretending to scribble on a notepad, as the text overlay notes: "When your table only signs the credit card receipt and leaves the tip and total lines empty."

He lip-syncs to audio from FOX's Empire in which Cookie tells Lucious: "I gotta put me first Lucious! I gotta put me first!"

Maxwell's video was seen over 63,000 times and was generally well-received by viewers. "For legal reasons, this is a joke," one person joked in the comments section.

Several viewers explained what steps they take to ensure this doesn't happen to them when they dine out and tip cash.

"I always put a dash across it and the total when I leave a cash tip. Can’t trust anyone," one said.

"I ALWAYS THROW THE SECOND ONE AWAY FOR THIS EXACT REASON!!!!" another said.

Maxwell clarified that the video was a joke in the comments section. "You do this even if the person leaves a tip? I usually write cash but sometimes I forget," one viewer said, to which he replied: "don’t actually do this, neither do the people around me. I can’t speak for those who do LMFAOO."

The Daily Dot reached out to Maxwell via a TikTok comment.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from The Daily Dot

See all posts

Minimalism is making a comeback on TikTok

Get ready: minimalism is making a comeback on TikTok—and it's inspiring people to majorly declutter their homes and lives.

March 21, 2026

A very specific “Emoji Movie” offer gave Jordan Peele the push to start directing

"I never thought I'd have to thank The Emoji Movie for something, but here we are."

March 21, 2026

“The book is dead”: Horror novel’s publication canceled after AI allegations come to light online

"It would be insulting to publish it and expect people to pay for it."

March 20, 2026

“Wild times”: DoorDash stirs fears of AI job replacement with rollout of “Tasks”

"This data helps AI and robotic systems understand the physical world."

March 20, 2026