A restaurant employee caused waves on X when she made a controversial video about how getting a tip from customers works. She argued that gratuity is separate from a tip and that customers should leave an additional tip. While some people online found her point frustrating, others agreed that people need to treat waitstaff with more kindness.
A waitress says a gratuity charge at a restaurant is not a tip, and that people should still tip after the gratuity because the two are separate. pic.twitter.com/dgHt5qn0oh
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“I just want to let everybody know that gratuity is not a tip,” she says. “Gratuity is gratuity, and a tip is a tip.” She continues to explain that gratuity is often split between everyone in the restaurant. The waitress has to take money out of the gratuity to pay bar staff, and the bar backs, or the employees that come in to clean up the table when you finish your food. She said the money remaining after those payments may not go directly to her.
“When I give someone a receipt and they look at me and say ‘gratuity is included,’ I say, ‘gratuity is included, but a tip is not.’” She reiterates the difference between gratuity and a tip and explains why she believes customers should pay both.
“If gratuity isn’t solely going to the person who is serving you and your server is treating you right, making sure you have everything, keeping your space clean, being responsive, and just, you know, being a great server, then you should tip your server. If you can’t afford to tip, then you shouldn’t be out, plain and simple.’
X Users Debate Whether Customers Should Tip on Top of Gratuity
X users weighed in on the discussion she started. The post also included a picture of a receipt that some commenters found misleading. “As a former server , she’s right. However , I also totally understand when someone only pays gratuity. Also , the picture on the right is misleading. That's not an example of “gratuity is included” , that's an example of a place where gratuity and “a tip” are the same thing.”
Others found her point entirely misleading. “Gratuity is a tip, don't listen to this server. I've been in the business for 25 years. Gratuity is included in the bill and cannot be avoided by the guest (generally used for large parties of 6 or more) a tip is up to the guest's discretion, 10% for ok service, 15% for standard good service, 20% for great service, 25%+ for Outstanding service!” a user wrote. “All servers "tip out" the rest of the staff, usually the bartenders, the bussers, the hosts, and the barbacks. This girl called bussers ‘barbacks’ she doesn't know what she is talking about.”
Meanwhile, some X users were claiming they don’t tip at all and refuse to do so in the future. The varying opinions showed this was a hot topic.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the restaurant's gratuity policy or the server's claims about how gratuity is distributed among employees. The article is based on the video shared on X and comments responding to it.
