“I Can’t Believe Any Of This Is Even Legal”: Server Explains Why Tip Sharing Is The Worst
Everyone is familiar with the traditional tipping model: diners pay a voluntary amount, yet it’s socially expected to tip at least 15% for good service. But contrary to popular belief, tips are not free money.
Not only are they taxed, but also, depending on the system a particular establishment uses, not all of it goes to the person who received a tip. If any goes at all, in some cases.
Now, you may have heard of tip sharing, a common practice restaurants and bars implement that’s based on the idea that a gratuity is given for the whole dining experience. It means that a server gets to share a portion of their tips and give it to other staff members.
But server and TikTok creator Abigail (@flabigailfartin) argues that not only is tip-sharing flawed beyond return, it’s milking the ones who’re the most vulnerable and that’s the servers themselves.
In a series of TikTok videos, Abigail demonstrates why tipping poorly or not at all is so problematic, as well as other other shady aspects of the tip sharing policy at her work that most people have no clue about.
Server and TikTok creator @Flabigailfartin demonstrated why tip sharing is so problematic and what happens when you tip poorly
Image credits: flabigailfartin
Image credits: flabigailfartin
Image credits: flabigailfartin
Image credits: flabigailfartin
Image credits: flabigailfartin
The author later posted another video with a more detailed explanation: let’s say she made $3,000 in sales, that means the 3% tip share is $90
Image credits: flabigailfartin
According to the TikToker, servers usually hope to get a 20% tip, so if your bill is $40, 20% of that would be $8
Image credits: flabigailfartin
So, for every $100 a customer spends, $3 go to tip share. If the tip is 20%, meaning $20, the server actually gets only $17, because that 3% is going to tip share
Image credits: flabigailfartin
That’s why servers hate “stiffing”, which means that a customer tipped $0
Image credits: flabigailfartin
Because whether you tip or not, @Flabigailfartin argues, they still owe the restaurant that 3% tip share which has to be paid out of their own pocket
Image credits: flabigailfartin
Here are the full videos that demonstrate why tip sharing is flawed that @Flabigailfartin shared on her TikTok channel
@flabigailfartin #greenscreen #tipshare #tipyourserver #howitworks #servertok #waitressproblems ♬ original sound – a silly goose :)
@flabigailfartin Replying to @julissagomez57 *disclaimer this may not be true for every restaurant. some stores have different percentages, systems, or don’t participate in tip share at all* #tipshare #howitworks #servertok #waitressproblems #fyp ♬ original sound – a silly goose :)
And this is what people commented about the videos
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Generally the whole tipping idea is ridiculous to me. Do you tip a bus driver? Or a cashier at a supermarket? Or a hot dog seller?
It’s showing up everywhere now. In America, it used to be you tip service workers, not just waitstaff, but your hairdresser, babysitter, cab driver, etc. But more and more I’m seeing options on retail checkout screens. Mostly small business. As an American, let me say: it IS ridiculous. Businesses need to pay living wages. Period. If businesses can’t afford it, then they can’t afford the cost of doing business.
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Tipping should always be an option, and tipping should only be given as a REWARD for good service. The tipping culture where the customer is SUPPOSED to tip in order to pay wages is criminal. The meal I pay covers ingredients, over heads, wages etc. To pay extra JUST to pay the wages of the staff should be criminal. It is for the employers to make sure the staff are paid a fair wage straight off the bat.
Whilst i'm sympathetic, the whole tipping culture is flawed - if you want better wages where you don't need tips to survive on then it is the problem of the company you work for not your customers. If the laws allow businesses to do this then vote for people that can change it. Why is it workers and customers that are expected to pick up the tab for the businesses and politicians?
Generally the whole tipping idea is ridiculous to me. Do you tip a bus driver? Or a cashier at a supermarket? Or a hot dog seller?
It’s showing up everywhere now. In America, it used to be you tip service workers, not just waitstaff, but your hairdresser, babysitter, cab driver, etc. But more and more I’m seeing options on retail checkout screens. Mostly small business. As an American, let me say: it IS ridiculous. Businesses need to pay living wages. Period. If businesses can’t afford it, then they can’t afford the cost of doing business.
Load More Replies... Tipping should always be an option, and tipping should only be given as a REWARD for good service. The tipping culture where the customer is SUPPOSED to tip in order to pay wages is criminal. The meal I pay covers ingredients, over heads, wages etc. To pay extra JUST to pay the wages of the staff should be criminal. It is for the employers to make sure the staff are paid a fair wage straight off the bat.
Whilst i'm sympathetic, the whole tipping culture is flawed - if you want better wages where you don't need tips to survive on then it is the problem of the company you work for not your customers. If the laws allow businesses to do this then vote for people that can change it. Why is it workers and customers that are expected to pick up the tab for the businesses and politicians?
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