Man Claims He's No Longer Tipping Servers Unless They Provide 'Exceptional Service'

A man has elicited mixed reactions after admitting that he will no longer participate in tipping culture. In a TikTok video, Dustin Anderson claimed that restaurant servers should only be given tips from now on if they go above and beyond to satisfy customers and provide a well-rounded experience.

Anderson will no longer tip servers unless they give 'exceptional service.'

"I'm not tipping anymore, I'm done, I'm out," Anderson started his video. "Used to be, you would give a tip if somebody gave exceptional service. When was the last time you got exceptional service?"

He claimed that restaurant servers are now doing the bare minimum and shouldn't be given tips because of that.

RELATED: Customer Says He Was Charged A 20% Service Fee & Then Asked To Leave A Tip Despite Clearing His Own Table

"They bring you the bill at the end and they're like, 'Here, just fill this out,'" he continued. According to Anderson, when servers ask for 20 to 25 percent tips, it's usually not warranted because they're simply "doing their jobs."

"They made food, you carried it to the table. You got me a Diet Coke, thank you. That was your job," he said. "And I'm not the bad guy here, I'm not. If you own a restaurant, just tell me what it costs. I don't want people to go hungry. What does it cost for me to get food?"

He attempted to argue that he'd be willing to pay the "true cost" of his food and the service provided by restaurant waiters and waitresses if restaurant employers only told him what it was, claiming that he "wants people to be taken care of."

People in the comments section were divided on Anderson's assessment of the tipping culture in the United States.

"Tipping has gotten out of control. I love tipping for a great service but now it's the reverse, everywhere even take-out cashiers are auto-asking," one TikTok user wrote.

Another commenter added, "Same, no more tipping. I don’t get tipped for being an ER nurse and saving [your] life!! So yeah, I’m done too."

"You are so right? I order carryout at Pizza Hut and the options start at 18%. I drove there went in picked up. What am I tipping for?" a third user argued.

RELATED: Woman Says Tipping Machine Accused Her Of Putting In A 'Bad Tip' After She Refused To Leave Money For A $10 Smoothie

However, others were quick to criticize Anderson and point out that servers need tips to make a livable wage and that choosing to dine out is a luxury in itself. 

"I don’t think anyone should comment on tipping a server unless they’ve worked in the service industry," a fourth user remarked. A fifth user agreed, writing similarly, "He’s obviously never been a waiter because tips are how they make their living and they’re paid on that basis."

A sixth user chimed in, "If they do without tipping, restaurants will increase more than 20 percent for the cost for your server. Eventually, it will be more expensive to dine out."

Waiters and other restaurant staff rely on tips to make a living. 

According to the National Employment Law Project, waiters and other restaurant staff, including bartenders, earn more in tips than they do from their employers. In fact, the federal minimum wage for tipped employees is a mere $2.13 per hour — clearly not a livable wage for anyone without tips. 

A survey on tipping practices from Bankrate found that restaurant servers are the people Americans say they tip the most often. Still, only 65 percent of survey respondents said they always tipped for table service, with a shocking 5 percent saying they never tip at all. People were more evenly split on whether to tip coffee shop baristas, with 22 percent always tipping, 26 percent tipping most of the time, 30 percent tipping only sometimes and 23 percent never tipping.

While tipping may seem unnecessary, it's the one condition that comes with choosing to dine out at restaurants. When you don't tip, you're not "sticking it to the man" or making a statement on tipping culture in the U.S. — you're simply underpaying your server. 

The best way to thank your servers is by tipping a minimum of 20 percent, and if that's an issue, then maybe it's time to rethink the decision to eat at a restaurant.

RELATED: Restaurant Is Adding A Mandatory 25% ‘Service Charge’ To All Checks To Ensure Their ‘Deserving Staff Members’ Get The Pay They Deserve

Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.