Waitress Gets $0 Tip On $187 Bill, So She Takes Matters Into Her Own Hands

by Terresa Monroe-Hamilton | July 9, 2017 8:01 am

When I was a teenager[1], I started out babysitting. Then I worked at a gas station pumping gas. But my real work began as a waitress… and it was back-breaking, foot-killing work. But at the time, the pay wasn’t bad. This was before the IRS clamped down on tips, like they do now. So, I can relate to this waitress in Colorado. On a ticket order for $187.43, the diners stiffed her on a tip. She took this issue to Facebook and let ‘er rip. I don’t blame her in the least.

Taylar Cordova took a picture of the receipt and posted it on Facebook. She followed it up with a passionate and articulate commentary on what it takes to work as a waitress. Waiters and waitresses count every penny they get in tips. It’s the difference between paying the bills and going without. The good ones are worth their weight in gold and they know when to be there for you and when to go away. They are there to cater to every order and need of the customer. All they ask in return is fair compensation for making the meal enjoyable and worry-free. When you chintz on a tip, it is a very selfish thing. Even now, when we go out, we tip between 25 and 50% of the meal. At the very least, you should tip 15% – this is a person that doesn’t ask anything else from you and they serve with no complaints.

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From Cooking Panda:

“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.

Servers are paid beneath the minimum wage many times and the tips are the compensation for their grueling work. They have families to support, just like everyone else. The U.S. Department of Labor states 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.” So, to not tip a server is to treat them like some kind of slave and it is reprehensible in my book.

My waitressing days are long behind me. I make pretty decent money these days and we live fairly well. But I’ve never forgotten the lesson of working hard for what you get in this world. I worked two jobs to put myself through college. I also never take for granted those who wait on others. Cordova has a piece of advice for people: “Don’t even bother walking into a restaurant if you can’t afford to tip,” she wrote. “There’s a McDonald’s down the street if you’re that cheap.” I agree. Consider if you would want to be treated that way if you worked your behind off serving others. Her message was shared more than 15,000 times and I agree with her completely.

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Endnotes:
  1. When I was a teenager: http://www.cookingpanda.com/story/trending/2017/06/23/waitress-gets-0-tip-187-bill-decides-take-matters-own-hands?fb=rwn
  2. [Image]: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/waitress-bill-e1499600390356.jpg
  3. [Image]: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Tip.jpg

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