A man sparked outrage after claiming he saved almost $153 a week by not tipping at various places.
On his social media account, where he uses the username @idontip, the anonymous TikTok user frequently posts about the coffee shops and restaurants he has gone to in California, and how he does not tip workers at these places. In a video posted to his page earlier this month, he began by describing “how much money [he] “done in a week in Los Angeles without leaving a tip.”
The video went on to show him the different restaurants he went to, with a tablet showing him paying $12.80 for a meal, before deciding not to tip.
He went on to show other payments he made throughout the week, including one for $99.66 and another at a coffee shop for $6.75. In both situations she decided not to tip. Other receipts, one of which was from a restaurant, showed that the total for one of her meals came to $88, while the other was $58.
With each purchase, he demonstrated that although he was given the option to tip between 18 and 22 percent, he decided to choose the “no tip” option. He went on to detail how much money he saved by not tipping, as he stated: “This week I made $152.92.”
The video ended with a restaurant receipt for $389.47, with the TikTok user drawing a line through the spot where the tip amount was supposed to be left.
The clip quickly went viral on TikTok, as it has over 83,600 views. In the comments, many people criticized the man for refusing to tip.
“Not leaving a tip on the $300+ bill is crazy inconsiderate,” one viewer wrote, while another added, “There's no way you could have left $0 on a $300+ meal.”
A third commented: “This is absolutely disgusting.”
Other people shared their thoughts about the tipping culture in America and how they believed there were only certain cases where tips were necessary.
“Leave a tip when they serve you at a restaurant. You don't tip at any other time,” one person said. “Maybe you tip for takeout meals at small mom-and-pop businesses.”
“I have a policy of not tipping if they are not serving, but no tip in a normal restaurant is devious,” another added, while a third agreed: “You have to tip in places where they serve you and clean up after you.” you. If you can't afford to tip 15 percent, at least try for an 11 to 12 percent tip.
The independent has contacted @idontip for comment.
During an interview with news weekThe California-based TikTok user talked about his no-tipping strategy and how restaurant workers have reacted.
“I've gone to all kinds of places without tipping. Some of them include coffee shops, nice restaurants, smoothie bars, and nightclubs. And I went to a notoriously dangerous bar in Los Angeles where I didn't tip, and it was crazy,” she claimed.
He said he plans to continue his no-tipping strategy, as he doesn't want people to feel like they have to tip all the time.
“I get a lot of support and I'm proud to be part of the people who really care about their lives and want to make smart decisions,” he explained. “I'll keep doing it until I see there's only one option on the iPad and it says, 'No tip.'”
There has been an ongoing debate over Americans' tipping practices, as people have been urged to leave tips in self-checkout lines at airports, supermarkets, stadiums and coffee shops. In California, it is customary to leave 15 to 20 percent of the total bill before including taxes. Others insist on tipping 20 percent, but some say 18 percent is the bare minimum. Meanwhile, food place Diner He confidently stated that you should always leave a 20 percent tip, no matter where you dine.
Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert, author and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, previously said The Independent that “tipping 20 percent is standard for restaurant servers.” He added that “delivery drivers should also receive 15 to 20 percent when there is inclement weather and large orders to deliver.”
Aside from anonymous TikTok user's videos about avoiding tipping, people have been having candid conversations online about tipping culture in America. In January, a woman named Minna took to TikTok to promise that she will never be “pressured” into telling everything. “Tipping culture in 2024: I will always pay well and tip well for service, but I will no longer let a tablet pressure me in situations that don't require it,” the title of her video read.
He noted that while he is in favor of tipping 20 to 25 percent for a service, “the tablet tipping culture had gotten out of control,” as he has seen “20 percent tip suggestions ” when I was just going to a retail store to get a card. He claimed that he too had heard of tablets asking for tips even at “help yourself” yogurt shops, but he still didn't think it made sense when there was no one physically helping to earn the tip.
