Social IssuesSEP 13, 2022

‘Nobody Is Obligated To Tip’: Tipping Culture Reaches Turning Point After TikToker Is Denied Service At A Restaurant

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Tipping is the cultural norm of dining out in the United States. But it is controversial. Heated debates around the gratuity system have bounced back into the headlines of late, with one side saying it is getting out of hand while the other argues that workers rely on patrons' generosity as their main source of income. Wherever you land on the matter, the topic continues to be the focus of attention on the platform.

A Florida-based TikToker, Bueli Njheri, has claimed in a recent video that a restaurant refused to serve her and her friends because workers believed there was a "non-tipper" in her group. The woman, who goes under the handle @buelistic, stitched another content creator who stated, "Nobody is obligated to tip." As a tattoo artist, her income also relies on tipping, so she encourages her clients to tip when they can.

But at the same time, the woman agreed with this statement and acknowledged that tipping is not something that should be forced. Her video quickly went viral and amassed nearly 1 million views. Scroll down to read the story in full, as well as the mixed reactions it got from the platform. Then be sure to let us know your thoughts about the situation in the comments.

TikToker Bueli recently sparked a heated debate on the platform after stitching another creator who stated, "Nobody is obligated to tip"

Image credits: buelistic

The Florida-based tattoo artist has claimed that she and her friends were denied service at a restaurant because workers believed there was a "non-tipper" in her group

Image credits: buelistic

Image credits: buelistic

You can watch the full video, which got nearly 1 million views, right over here

The video sparked a huge debate in the comment section, illustrating just how many people are divided on the matter. Some TikTokers agreed that tipping should be optional. Some said that the nature of gratuity has changed in the service industry, and businesses are offloading the burden of giving workers a fair paycheck to the customers. And others stated that if you can’t afford a decent tip, you shouldn’t be dining out at all.

Bueli explained that the situation at the restaurant happened the day before she saw the TikTok by @africanbarb where she stated that tips are not owed to anyone. This inspired her to share her story with her followers. "It’s interesting to see how people respond to my TikToks in general. So I really want to figure out what I can do to draw more attention to the topics I actually want to express and draw attention to in my creativity," she told Bored Panda.

However, she was truly surprised to see her video blow up as much as it did. "I really didn’t expect the comment section to be so active. People with so many different beliefs came through to defend their side of the coin and are still doing it now," Bueli added.

The creator still feels confused about the whole situation because, personally, she tips everywhere she goes. "I asked the manager at the time if he was refusing service to all of the people at the table or to someone in particular, and the manager told me he wasn’t sure, that it was directed at our table. When we asked to speak to the person who refused service, he told us they don’t want to talk to us," she clarified a few details from that night.

"I don’t plan on returning because I’d rather not take food from people who have negative energy towards me," she noted. "Just a belief of mine."

When asked about her thoughts on the tipping culture in the US, Bueli revealed she was taught to see gratuity as a way of showing appreciation to people providing a service. "I was also taught to tip restaurant servers at least 15%. My meals usually come to almost $100, so it’s usually a $20 cash tip."

"Tips are more than just appreciating someone for their service," the creator continued. "Some people aren’t being paid a livable wage from their establishments, and if that is the case, then there is a much bigger issue. No one should have to depend on gambling with tables to find out if you’re going to be able to pay rent this month."

However, Bueli also didn’t know just how low servers in restaurants are being paid. "Most of my comments were exclaiming $2-$3/hour. That’s not even minimum wage so that just gave me even more reason to continue to tip."

Tipping has always been a tricky matter of business. Technically, there are no strict rules that require you to tip your server, but as the federal minimum wage for tipped employees is only $2.13 an hour, it is a part of their wage. Whether you love it or hate it, there are tons of food industry workers across the country who rely on gratuities to make ends meet.

In fact, wait staff and bartenders depend on tips for more than half of their earnings. According to Irene Tung, senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, "Waiters and bartenders earn more in tips than they do from what employers pay them as an hourly base wage. The median share of hourly earnings that come from tips account for 58.5 percent of wait staff’s earnings, and 54 percent of bartenders’ earnings."

"I am a tattoo artist myself so I have always appreciated when my clients tip me and remind me of the reason I got into this form of work, so please continue to show love to the people putting love into their labor," Bueli concluded.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this matter down below. Do you think that tips are necessary because servers deserve to be compensated for their time and work? Or do you believe gratuities are only acceptable when the service is amazing? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments!