Customers Leave Rude Note For Server After He Asked Them To Leave After The Restaurant Closed — 'Get A Desk Job'
The server said the note wasn't even the worst part of the interaction.
marwan murshid | Shutterstock A restaurant server turned to Reddit to vent his frustrations about those who don’t “understand the restaurant industry” after a group of customers left him a poor tip and some very rude, unsolicited advice. His experience highlights how stressful working in the service industry can be and how customers need to be more mindful of how they treat those who work these difficult jobs.
Customers left their server a rude note after he politely reminded them that the restaurant was closed.
In his post, the server claimed that while he was waiting on a group of customers, the restaurant was preparing to close up.“Not only was I polite and attentive, but I also told them they could stay as long as they wanted even after closing out,” the server wrote. “I was politely asking them to close out because I was being pressured to get off the clock.”
The server went on to explain the process of closing out at the end of the night and how tips are distributed to the kitchen staff. “If anyone is unaware of how tip-out systems work, it’s all sales-based. If you sit down and order a salad, I have to pay the people that make the salad and bring the salad to you and clean up the empty salad plates all a small percentage of that salad,” he wrote. “If you tip 0$, the fact that I have to pay out all these people does not change.”
Unfortunately, the customers were not thrilled by the server’s polite request and left him only a $3 tip on a $50 tab, along with a harsh note.“Be patient…or get a desk job,” they wrote on the check.
Reddit
While the note was cruel and unwarranted, the server was more bothered by the tip the customers had left him.
“If you don’t tip above 10% you’re taking advantage of that service at the server's expense,” he claimed. Tipping out, also known as tip pooling or tip sharing, is a practice common in the restaurant industry where servers and other front-of-house staff share a portion of their tips with other team members who contribute to the dining experience, such as bussers, bartenders, and food runners.
The exact process can vary depending on the restaurant's policy, but typically, servers will give a percentage of their tips, often a predetermined percentage of their total sales, to be distributed among other staff members. This ensures that all of the employees, even if they were not directly dealing with the customers, receive their fair share of the gratuity since they contributed to the overall experience.
If customers tip a low amount, the restaurant staff may not be taking home the funds they anticipated for all of their work.
Although everyone agreed the customers were rude, many argued that the restaurant industry and tipping culture were to blame.
Many commenters stressed that restaurants should pay their employees higher wages instead of relying on customer tips to make a decent living. “You’re making me feel like I have to contribute to their hourly wage on top of paying for food. And if I don’t tip then it’s my fault that the waiter is not making enough at this restaurant?” one Redditor shared. “Not everyone can afford a large tip even with the best service. We’re sorry.”
“I have worked in restaurants for the majority of my working life, it’s the restaurant that is doing the shafting here and not the customers,” another user noted. “Would I pay nearly double at a restaurant knowing that the workers are being fairly compensated with benefits for their time? Absolutely. Should that fall on the customers of said business? No, the restaurant is taking full advantage of the situation.”
Monkey Business Images | Canva Pro
While customers are certainly not required to tip a sizable amount to their servers, a little sympathy and understanding go a long way. It’s tough being a server and trying to please every table while trying to manage your schedule and clock out at an appropriate time.
It takes far more energy to write a passive-aggressive note for your server if you are dissatisfied with the service than just simply paying the tab and deciding not to return. While dining out, it is important to keep in mind that, like us, our servers have lives to get back to and would like to clock out soon after the restaurant closes for the night.
They are just trying to earn a living like the rest of us.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.