Today, I was waiting on a Canadian tourist at work, and he bought some of the most expensive stuff on the menu. I was excited about maybe getting a big tip, so I casually said that in the USA, waiters make most of our money off tips. The guy just snorted, "Sucks to be American, eh?!" and left. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Today, a guest at my restaurant asked me what a tip was. I had to awkwardly explain to him that servers don't make hourly wages, and we rely on tips from customers to make money. After I finished, he laughed at me, called me a sucker, and stiffed me on a $120 tab. FML
Today, I was waitering at the restaurant that I work at when I collected a credit card bill that was worth $120 and a big zero on the tip line. Angered, I turned to a co-worker and said "I knew this asshole wasn't going to tip me." The guy was standing right behind me with $30 in his hand. FML
Today, I was taking a table's order. After I finished, the guy told me, "Just FYI, I'm not a tipper." Trying to lighten up the situation, I replied, "It's amazing how many people forget I handle their food." He complained to the manager that I'd threatened him. FML
Today, at work, a man bought a lot of really expensive stuff. He paid the large bill with cash, and the manager helped me count the money. When we were done, he handed me a $100 bill to thank me for all the help. We can't accept tips. The manager was next to me. I had to say no. FML
Today, a customer handed me a 100 dollar bill. He then told me that it was my tip for doing a good job. He snatched it away just as I touched it, laughed, and said, "Just kidding." He then took his money and left the store. FML
Today, I was at my work. To urge people to be generous, I paid my friends to put 15 bucks in the tip jar while saying how great I was. He did this about ten times throughout the day. Turns out, us employees don't get to keep the tips. FML
Today, a foreigner walked into my restaurant to pick up his pizzas. The bill was $25 and he gave me $30 and a $100 dollar bill. I gave him his change from the 30 and I didn't understand so I gave him back the 100 dollars. He said "Well if you don't want it, okay." He was gonna tip me $100. FML
Today, at work, I got to wait on one of those tables where everyone had very complex orders, and some of them sent their food back. When the time finally came for me to bring them their check and receive my well-earned tip, I returned only to discover that they'd dined and dashed. FML
Today, I was working in a restaurant. On the receipt under "tip" someone actually took the time to write out "$0.00." FML
Today, I was waitressing for a huge family. Their bill was $750. Excited about the tip, I was shocked to see only $0.50. As they were leaving, I threw the two whole quarters at their heads. Guess who also got fired today. FML
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Top comments
NoNamesFree 8
That's basically asking for a tip. What a way to treat customers.
toxic_walrus 15
You were fishing for it but he was being a dick. I voted both.
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Comments (289)
KLyte 5
Yes Canadians! haha
adelya_c 11
I'm Canadian and the same goes for us. He's not coming from a rural country.
raphanne_fml 33
It's not because it's not expected to tip in a country that it makes this place rural. Tipping is forbidden in Japan and it's far from a "rural country". Not every country has the same tipping culture.
Bigsil69 3
I'm canadien eh ;)
Evolving_Squid 15
Every Canadian knows plenty about tipping. What you did was insulting to the customer, and clearly a passive-aggressive attempt to get the tip. I *HATE* when American wait staff do that. It's a guaranteed way to get nothing from me, and pretty good odds that I'll talk to your manager about your lack of customer service skills. I tip appropriately when I get appropriate service. Personally, I don't care if you live on it or not - as a customer, your employment conditions are wholly not my problem, and never, ever factor into the tipping equation. That appropriate amount is 15% of the pre-tax bill, + for increasingly exceptional service, and - for poor service. 0 for rude service, and a chat with the manager if you're truly insulting. A tip is earned, not owed. Exceptional service: Over and above normal service, being able to explain the menu choices if requested, putting up with my wife's complete inability to make a menu selection and remember her requests when the food arrives, sorting my situation out if I make a mess that is my fault (if I spill or do something weird that causes you extra work through my fault), or generally doing that little extra to make it a better visit. Normal service: my food comes in a timely manner, hot/cold as appropriate for the food, is properly cooked. Pleasant, or at least not rude. Poor service: anything that doesn't come up to the normal service level. Awful service: if you dare tell me how much I should tip you, or remind me to tip, or otherwise insult me personally.
Setareh23 34
I totally agree with most of what you said. Just want to point out though that the waiter doesn't really have much control over how well the food is cooked. That's more to do with the kitchen staff, and unless they actually taste the food or the bad preparation is physically visible, there's no way for the waiter to know. So rather than include "food is properly cooked" under normal service, I'd put "if the food is badly cooked, the waiter will take it back to the cook without giving you attitude." And if the food really just sucks at that particular restaurant but the waiter gives great service? Tip accordingly to their service the first time, and then never go to this restaurant again.
SkyBlueCloud 21
As a Canadian I can say we are just like everyone else! We are NOT overly polite. At all. We can be just as rude as anyone else.
raphanne_fml 33
Thank you. Stereotypes usually annoy me. There are rude and nice people everywhere. I'm French and I traveled with an American and a Canadian once. Everybody expected the American and me to be rude, and the Canadian to be polite when it was actually the opposite.
Andriaia 13
Even if I was going to tip, I would have decided not to after he just outright asked for one. Just because you make most of your money off tips does not entitle you to it, regardless of how much their bill comes to. Tipping should be based on your level of service provided! And there are plenty of other countries where minimum wage is something like $3-4 an hour, and they're not allowed to accept tips/ tipping is not a custom. They still manage to make ends meet, even with higher costs of living.
Evolving_Squid 15
In the USA, there is a sub-minimum base wage for wait staff, but if the tips don't add up to at least minimum wage, the employer has to cover it. Nobody should think for a second that wait staff make less than minimum wage - they absolutely do not, and if they do their employer is breaking the law. They want the tips because they make a lot more than minimum wage on tips, and it's not always well taxed.
Helldemon 32
Also because I believe most waiters won't be able to keep their job very long if the employer has to constantly cover if they aren't getting enough tips.
Exhayle 20
Wow, really does suck to be American.
akfree88 1
Just cause someone buys an expensive item doesn't necessarily mean they are made of money
kost4060 14
I love how u say USA like they know nothing about the U.S even though they live right on top of you and basically hear everything that happens there cause nothing bad ever happens in Canada and almost all the jobs are the same in Canada and outside of Canada and what kind of waiter doesn't make most of there money of tips