Current Events > Waitress Slams Diners Tipping Two Dollars on $120 Bill: 'I Was Shocked'

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A restaurant server who took to social media to voice her frustration at receiving a tip of just over $2 from diners who spent $120 eating out has sparked debate around the current tipping culture in the U.S.

Grace Mastronardi was shocked at the amount left for her in the $120 tip.

College graduate Grace Mastronardi, 24, took to TikTok, posting under the handle vibewithgracierose, to detail what happened during one of her most recent shifts. The resulting clip went viral, amassing 3.9 million views and prompting a wider discussion around the treatment of workers in the service industry.

An avid content creator who works as a server on a part-time basis while pursuing other passions, Mastronardi is nevertheless one of the many millions in the hospitality sector who rely on tips as a key part of their overall income.

According to 2018 research conducted by the National Employment Law Project, tips accounted for nearly 60 percent of the pay wait staff receive. So you can imagine Mastronardi's frustration when, after she received a tip of just $2.68 on a bill of over $122 earlier this month.

It was a return that left the young worker "on the verge of tears" and wondering what she did wrong. Mastronardi told Newsweek: "I was very disappointed and not expecting them to only leave $2.68. It's upsetting to not get tipped or get a decent tip because then I feel like I worked for free for this table."

According to the video, the customers explained to the server that they were from Germany, a country that does not have the same tipping culture as the U.S., and therefore felt the amount offered was "just fine."

Confused and unsure at how to address the situation, Mastronardi opted to speak to the diners and ask them if there was anything wrong with the service. They told her there was not.

"I informed them that servers get paid in tips to see if they would tip me more but they didn't," Mastronardi said. "I was shocked that they still thought their tip was good and I was embarrassed for even going up to them at all, but I figured it was worth a try."

Mastronardi was keen to stress that her decision to follow up was not simply motivated by the fact she had received so littlethe lack of a significant tip from the table impacts others too.

"I do not get to keep 100 percent of my tips," she explained. "I have to tip out the food runner, the bus boy and the bartender at the end of the night based on my sales, not my actual tips. This is why when a table does not tip you, you lose money by having them as a table."

As a result, Mastronardi rejected the notion that, because they were German, they did not need to adhere to the same tipping expectations as those found in the U.S, arguing that there was a need to "adapt to tipping culture" when visiting as "servers do not make a fair wage" here.

Yet, for many of those commenting on the clip, the problem lay not with the diners but with the industry as a whole. "Tipping culture has gotten out of hand in the US," one commenter wrote. "Workers need to unionize and demand better wages."

"Tipping in the US is crazy. just pay everybody a decent salary." a second wrote.

A third added: "That fact that they've tricked you into thinking it's the customers job to pay your wage is crazy."

Commenting on this response, Mastronardi said: "I think that minimum wage for all jobs should be $25 - $30 and if servers could get paid $25 - $30 with additional optional tips that would be good."

However, she noted that with many non-server jobs paying a wage of around $13 an hour, work in the service industry is still preferable. "I make more money on tips at my server job than I would making minimum wage at a different job," she said.

As a result, Mastronardi rejected the notion that, because they were German, they did not need to adhere to the same tipping expectations as those found in the U.S, arguing that there was a need to "adapt to tipping culture" when visiting as "servers do not make a fair wage" here.

So she is culture ignorant, got it.

I mean I'd argue they are culturally ignorant. If you are going to a foreign country, the onus is on you to understand their basic customs and cultures so you don't make an ass of yourself.

These individuals did not do that.

Her restaurant sounds shitty as hell if she's forced to tip out all of her coworkers, especially from a figure that's based on her sales and not her tips. That restaurant owner is making out like a bandit by convincing all of their employees to supplement each other.

I guarantee the Germans knew the culture. They just thought it was stupid.

So then they are just being assholes knowingly.

Rebelling against tipping culture by not tipping accomplishes nothing but hurting your server. You didn't hurt the restaurant. Tipping culture hasn't been damaged by your cheapness. You are just being an asshole.

Bringing out two $60 plates deserve the same tip as bringing out two $4 plates.

Okay, let's think about this logically.

She's getting upset at expecting two Germans to do something that they think is stupid, which yeah every German wakes up in hopes to pursue exercises in futility. (That's sarcasm)

Or, she she be upset at the plethora of issues that riddle the service industry up to but not excluding tipping.

Every other country has figured it out.

So yeah, finger point at the Germans who were just doing thier thing. That doesn't sound stupid as fuck.

If you go to a country and knowingly go against its culture, especially to the detriment of someone else, you are an asshole. You are the kind of tourist that everyone hates.

Idk man, it seems kind of understandable. Imagine going to a different country and being told it's the custom to pay out bribes to everyone that asks you for one on order to receive service. You'd be tight fisted with your money too.

If you go to a country and knowingly go against its culture, especially to the detriment of someone else, you are an asshole. You are the kind of tourist that everyone hates.

Well, Europeans don't tip more than that, so feel free to call them all assholes I guess.

Idk man, it seems kind of understandable. Imagine going to a different country and being told it's the custom to pay out bribes to everyone that asks you for one on order to receive service. You'd be tight fisted with your money too.

Idk man, it seems kind of understandable. Imagine going to a different country and being told it's the custom to pay out bribes to everyone that asks you for one on order to receive service. You'd be tight fisted with your money too.

Sometimes you get it, sometimes you get got. Comes with the territory.

I do tip as well sometimes more depending on service but the fact the companies are allowed to pay less than minimum wage because you can get tips is utterly stupid and evil

"I do not get to keep 100 percent of my tips," she explained. "I have to tip out the food runner, the bus boy and the bartender at the end of the night based on my sales, not my actual tips. This is why when a table does not tip you, you lose money by having them as a table."

That needs to be investigated.

An avid content creator

What fucked up world do you live in?

no really?

"forced to pay out a bribe!" Like... fucking REALLY? THAT is your take away?

so fuckin sick of people claiming shit like this, that their dining experience is somehow held hostage if they don't tip. First yall fuckin stiff us and then try to make us the villains? Shut the fuck up.

Reality is the opposite. YOU, the customer, hold our wages hostage. Unless you walk in with a big fuckin blaring neon sign that says "I'M NOT GONNA TIP YOU SHIT!"... guess what? we DON'T KNOW THAT. So HOW on fucking earth could you even possibly begin to interpret this dynamic as the server being the one with the power?

Trust me, if my wage was assured and I didn't feel like I have to do everything I can to make sure the customer is as happy as possible to even get fuckin paid? There's a lot of shit i'm not doing anymore and you're gonna fuckin notice, and I won't lose my job over any of it.

have you considered going on strike? If not that would be a good first step for you