Audio By Carbonatix
It’s no secret that tipping culture in the U.S. can make dining out feel like a luxury. By the time you factor in the meal, drinks, tax, and tip, a simple dinner can set you back over $50 for just one person.
For couples or families, it’s double, triple, or quadruple that, depending on the size of the family. This is why many say they save eating out only for special occasions.
These days, tipping isn’t just limited to restaurants either, as we’re seeing it spread across other industries. However, while it’s a generally accepted rule that servers expect around a 20% tip for their service, even this is a rule not everyone agrees with. Some argue that the percentage should be a given no matter what, while others believe the tip should reflect how the experience actually went.
One Reddit user decided to side with the latter, leading to a very awkward scene in the middle of the restaurant.
Diner Says Waitress Humiliated Him Over A 10% Tip
Posting under the username @lejeb40 on r/AmITheJerk, the diner shared that he and his girlfriend went to an Italian restaurant they’d visited before. He explained that their server, “Samantha,” seemed distracted all night.
“She lost my drink twice, served the wrong starter, and vanished for what seemed like an eternity when it arrived time to order dessert,” he wrote. “It wasn’t the end of the world; I’ve worked customer service myself, and I get that hectic nights go wild. However, service was really poor.”
When the check came, he decided to leave a 10% cash tip. “Not excessive; but not nothing, either. I thought it was reasonable given the circumstances,” he said.
But as they stood up to leave, Samantha allegedly came over, saw the money, and said loudly, “Seriously? This is it?” The comment drew attention from nearby tables.
According to the Reddit post, she then added, “You know, servers can’t pay their rent because of people like you. If you can’t tip properly, don’t dine out.”
The diner tried to stay calm, replying, “Okay, sorry you feel that way,” before heading for the door. But the waitress muttered, “Whatever, cheapskates,” loud enough for others to hear.
That was the final straw. He walked back, picked up the cash, and left without another word.
Reddit Largely Sides With The Diner
Most commenters agreed he did the right thing.
“NTA, she expected and then demanded a good tip for a crappy job,” one person wrote. “You were nice enough to leave her something but she wanted to be ungrateful.”
Another added, “I would probably have pointed out why the tip was not higher. And I would also contact the restaurant to speak to a manager because that server was way out of line.”
Others shared personal stories. “One of my friends had really bad service and didn’t want to tip at all,” a commenter wrote. “He took his tip to the manager and said it was for the busboys and bartender, because the waitress was terrible. The manager was appreciative.”
TikTok Viewers Are More Divided
The story also made its way to TikTok, where creator @shesreddit read it to her audience. Viewers there had mixed feelings.
“Okay 10% is horrible… like it’s offensive,” one person said.
Another commented, “Kinda both are. 10% is unacceptable but so is calling a customer out.”
Meanwhile, others thought the diner was completely justified. “Nope not at all. Should have reported her as well. She was rude,” one user wrote. Another said, “Tipping is suggested, not required.
The server is mad at the wrong person. Customers should not have to compensate the failure of employers to provide a living wage.”
@shesreddit AITA for taking my tip back? Follow back for pt 2 #redditstorytimes #redditstoriestok #reddits #aitareddit #aitastorytime
Is Leaving Less Than 20% Considered Rude?
According to Food & Wine, the only time it’s socially acceptable to tip below 20% is if the server is “blatantly rude or disrespectful.” That can include ignoring guests, making discriminatory remarks, or directly insulting customers.
But the article warns against punishing servers for issues outside their control, like food quality, ambiance, or unavailable menu items. At the end of the day, tipping remains a subjective practice—and diners are left to decide what feels fair.
BroBible has reached out to @lejeb40 via Reddit direct messages for more info. We’ve also reached out to @shesreddit for comment.