Waitress Gets $0 Tip On $187 Bill, Sparks Debate After Posting About It Online
A waitress from Colorado utilized social media to convey a message about employment in America.
When Taylar Cordova received a $0 tip on a $187.43 bill, she snapped a photo of the receipt and shared it on Facebook. Her post included a heartfelt and articulate commentary on the life of a server.
“You are the lowest of the low,” she expressed, addressing not only the customer who left no tip but also anyone who neglects to tip. She went on to explain the repercussions of diners failing to provide adequate gratuity on their bills:
Whenever you feel like it’s probably fine to not tip your server, that’s one more bill stacking up because they’re short on money. This is food for the week that our families will go without because you didn’t think it was necessary, even after asking for everything under the sun and receiving it free of charge, mind you. This is one less basic necessity my daughter needs because even TWO more dollars is too much for you.
Every decision has a consequence. Servers are paid a base pay of $2-5/hr depending on the employer, so next time you don’t want to tip, regardless of the situation prior to receiving your bill, think about how much you would have to work that week off $2-5/hr to feed your family, not just you. Could you pay your bills based on that pay alone? Could you feed your family AND yourself? Because that’s what happens when you choose to not tip.
Her statements are supported by the U.S. Department of Labor, which clarifies that “An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount combined with the tips received at least equals the federal minimum wage.”
Cordova wrapped up her post with a piece of advice. “Don’t even think about entering a restaurant if you can’t afford to tip,” she stated. “There’s a McDonald’s down the street if you’re that stingy.”
Her message clearly struck a chord with the public, as it was shared over 15,000 times on social media.
Taylar’s experience prompts an important question that our society is currently facing: is our tipping culture flawed? And is there a more effective way to ensure servers receive a living wage without depending on tips? Only time will reveal the answer.