Manager Chases Customer Who Left A 10% Tip To Scold Her That It’s Not Enough

It goes without saying that tips are a great thing to get at the end of the day. That’s why your barista might be extra smiley or your server might show their most professional self.

But some people expect tips without putting much effort into what they do. This redditor experienced it firsthand, after she left a 10% tip at a restaurant despite receiving bad service and had to explain herself to a very unhappy manager. Scroll down to find the full story in the OP’s own words below.

Leaving a tip is optional, but many service providers view it as a given, unrelated to the effort they’re willing to put in

100-dollar bill on a restaurant tip tray, related to customer tipping 10% for service.

Image credits: Curated Lifestyle / unsplash (not the actual photo)

This customer had to explain herself to the restaurant manager after leaving a 10% tip

Text describing a customer banned from a restaurant for tipping 10% due to bad service.

Text describing a long dinner with slow service, ending with a 10% tip.

Text exchange about tipping 10% for service, leading to a restaurant ban.

Restaurant manager interacting with seated customer, addressing service issues.

Image credits: Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)

Text discussing customer service standards in a French restaurant neighborhood.

Text discussing possible manager taking tips from serving staff, related to tipping and service.

Image credits: fashien

“I think restaurants should pay their employees a living wage,” the OP told Bored Panda

In a recent interview with Bored Panda, the OP shared that the thing that annoyed her the most about the situation was the entitlement of the manager to act the way that she did in public when the service the customer received wasn’t good. The redditor added that she usually tips around 15%-20%, mostly in restaurants or sometimes in bars, but in her opinion, restaurants should pay their employees a living wage.

Many people nowadays have rather strong opinions on tipping. For those on the receiving end, tips tend to comprise a large chunk of their income, so they might try to defend the practice. (What other choice do they have when many earn close to nothing without tips?)

For those who are expected to leave tips, though, it’s added pressure to spend their hard-earned money, even if they don’t feel the service was worth it. Sometimes, there isn’t anyone to provide the service to begin with, but even self-checkout counters nowadays are asking for a tip.

The latter scenario is puzzling at best for many reasons. First of all, aren’t you supposed to tip someone for a job well done? And if so, why are you expected to tip a machine after having done most of the work yourself? Also, who does the money go to when you leave a tip for a self-checkout machine?

According to a Wall Street Journal reporter, Rachel Wolfe, you can’t really know where the money goes in such a case. “Machines don’t have the same protections as tipping human employees, so while the law requires that something called a ‘tip’ has to go to employees when you’re tipping a machine, you can’t be quite so sure,” she told CBS News.

Image credits: SumUp / unsplash (not the actual photo)

Many people think that not getting good service warrants not leaving a tip

While tipping a machine may seem absurd for numerous reasons, some people are skeptical about tipping people, too, especially when they don’t have a good experience with the establishment, as was the case with the OP.

But the redditor was rather kind to leave a 10% tip despite not getting good service, as many other people would have left nothing in her situation. A YouGov survey from last year found that roughly a half of Americans, including both customers and restaurant staff and managers, believe that it’s acceptable to leave zero tip after receiving bad service.

The survey also found that the majority of people—nearly 70% of them—think that it’s okay to ask to be seated before the entire party arrives. Though that, too, was not met with a smile from the manager in the restaurant the OP was at.

As for the biggest no-nos when it comes to unwritten rules of eating out, the absolute majority (90% versus 4%, with 6% being unsure) of respondents agree that it’s unacceptable for a customer to refuse to pay for a dish they didn’t like but ate nevertheless. It’s also unacceptable to let children roam freely in the establishment or debate menu prices with the staff, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In the same way there are unwritten rules for customers to follow, management should also stick to certain dos and don’ts, such as not criticizing customers for the size of the tip they leave, for instance. Fellow netizens didn’t think that was acceptable, either, so many of them suggested that the OP should post about her experience again, this time in the form of a bad review.

Image credits: Lala Azizli / unsplash (not the actual photo)

The OP provided more details about the situation

Reddit comments about French restaurants in a neighborhood, with users discussing city size.

Discussion about tipping and service issues in an online forum.

Reddit comments discuss a restaurant ban after tipping 10% for poor service.

Reddit comments about a customer's 10% tip and being banned for perceived bad service.

Reddit comments discussing customer service at a French-themed restaurant.

Reddit comments discussing service at a French restaurant with humor.

Reddit comments discussing tipping 10% for poor service at a restaurant.

People shared their thoughts in the comments section

Customer discusses poor service and 10% tip in an online review suggestion.

Reddit comment about waiting too long for drink orders, mentioning poor service in a restaurant experience.

Comment suggesting an online review in response to perceived bad service at a restaurant.

Customer plans to review restaurant online, reflecting on service experience.

Reddit comment discussing manager's reaction to a 10% tip and potential reasons for banning a customer from the restaurant.

Customer comment urging public reviews for restaurant service feedback.

Reddit comment discussing poor service and being banned from a restaurant.

Reddit comment discussing service issues and advocating for abolishing the national tip wage.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment critiquing restaurant service in a Google review.

Some netizens have gone through similar situations themselves

Customer recounts experience of slow restaurant service, tipping 10%, then being banned.

Customer story about tipping 10% for bad service, leading to a restaurant ban, described in an online comment.

Customer recounts poor service experience at a French restaurant, leading to a minimal tip and being banned.

Text conversation about a customer's experience with bad service and being told not to come back after tipping.

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