Waitress chasing down customers to demand a tip
By saizo6
@saizo6 (2199)
United States
December 1, 2009 12:50am CST
I just heard the craziest thing today. Someone was telling me this story about how this waitress practically chased down some leaving customers to demand that they give her a tip. Apparently the customers didn't leave a tip after eating because they were very dissatisfied with the service they got. The waitress totally ignored them, she went off and decided to help other people that came in after them, and she didn't go to take their order until one of them called her over. After that they had to wait a long time for their food and the waitress wasn't helpful at all. They weren't happy with their experience so they decided not to leave a tip. The waitress thought otherwise and actually ran after them to demand some tip money.
My first reaction after hearing this story was "???" I know that it's the polite and expected thing to leave tip money after eating but should that be the case if the service was very horrible? Can the waitress even do something like that? That behavior is somewhat over the top in my opinion.
5 people like this
25 responses
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
1 Dec 09
This thing has happened to me also, the only difference is that it was a man, who demanded a tip from me. Till that time, I was keeping my cool, and when he demanded a tip, I gave him a piece of my mind. My voice quite loud, and because of this the manager came down, and aplozised to me and ticked off the waiter.
A tip is given only for good service, if you are not satisfied with the service given, you need not give any tip. I will never tip, anybody if I am not satisfied with the service. If I am satisfied I usually give a tip of 5 to 7%
1 person likes this
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
1 Dec 09
That is crazy to run after a customer for a tip. How tacky is that. If the service was not good they don't deserve a tip at all. These waitresses and waiters need to wake up to the fact bad service is not going to get you a tip. I don't understand how they aspect a tip if the service was lousy. I heard recently a group of people were arrested for not leaving a tip. It was suppose to be manatory tip on the bill. They refused to pay it because once again the service was bad. I havent' heard what has happened in this case.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
1 Dec 09
I heard that same story too. And I have to admit that I was incredulous when I heard it. Kind it makes me scared of going out to eat if that can happen if you don't tip. But waiters and waitresses these days seem to have some kind of mindset that states that they are required to receive a tip from each customer or something. I think they forget that we as customers do not have to give tips if we don't want too. I mean, there's no way I'm rewarding someone for crummy service.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
1 Dec 09
I'm glad I don't go out to eat that much. I may go out twice a year for dinner or lunch. Having to deal with waiters and waitresses thinking they should have a tip when the service is bad is just not right. I know some places put it in the bill which is just not right because then the waitress or waiter don't always feel the need to give good service. Thoses places I stay away from.
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
2 Dec 09
People are getting weirder by the day, lol. Nothing escapes my mind and I thought I have had my dosage of weird news, and then, this one came up. LOL.. thanks for sharing this on your discussion. That's really something weird for a waitress to chase down customers just for a tip. She must be really needing some cash desperately. She can give a bad impression to the restaurant, but I think if she is in a dire financial situation, it's best for her to communicate to her employer or if there are colleagues whom can help. But her behavior there wasn't appropriate, certainly..
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I know what you mean. I thought that this was strange too. And if she was in dire financial situation there are other ways to try and earn more. She could have talked to her boss to try to get more hours or talked to coworkers to try and get some of their hours.
1 person likes this
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
1 Dec 09
this is so sad that some workers now a days are loosing professionalism simply because of their desperation for money. can't say i blame her entirely, we are still facing crisis and a lot of business are using this excuse to lower wages. but i have seen a lot of people too that they are actually doing their job well despite of the lower salary. 
@Lucky09 (1763)
• Philippines
1 Dec 09
hi saizo^^;;
we don't have a tipping culture here in my country or tipping is optional.
i do still tip if i am really satisfied with the service but with the situation like that...NEVER! and wow, the waitress even have the nerve to ask tip for that kind of service she offered? it is indeed horrible and i surely will not go back to that restaurant just incase
tipping i believe is a way of showing appreciation for an excellent service a customer receives not only on food but also the treatment.
tipping i believe is a way of showing appreciation for an excellent service a customer receives not only on food but also the treatment.@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
1 Dec 09
I honestly thought that it was an optional thing here too but there have been some crazy stories going around about people getting arrested for not tipping or whatever. Makes me kind of scared to go eat out. But anyways, that woman should have reflected on why she might not have gotten the tip instead of acting the way she did. By doing that, not only did she make herself look bad but her place of work too.
@Lucky09 (1763)
• Philippines
2 Dec 09
oh yeah, i heard that story too. it's really a ridiculous thing getting arrested for not giving tip for a service you don't deserve
i was so appalled!...really can't believe it.. they will have the trial soon..i hope the couple who got arrested will win over that restaurant
i was so appalled!...really can't believe it.. they will have the trial soon..i hope the couple who got arrested will win over that restaurant
@ybong007 (6643)
• Philippines
1 Dec 09
There was a similar discussion of the same topic. The story is almost the same which is about tipping. But the difference was, the waiter/s who did not receive a tip called the police. The police in turn arrived in the scene and handcuffed the customers for not giving the tip. So which is the funnier story? From the way I understand it, giving a tip is just a way of showing your gratitude for the good service. It's also one of the things why customer are coming back. However, it seems that they are getting braver each day, the tip which is just a reward is now considered by some as an obligation. Cheers!
@mlhuff12 (797)
• United States
11 Jan 10
I wouldn't say the tip is a reward. After all the tip you give is their wage. Their base wages isn't even enough to cover all taxes. And at the end of the week they never see any of the money that comes from their base wage. You are paying for the service they give you. Obviously though, if the service is crappy so should the tip. I personally would never not tip at all. I would just leave a lower amount.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
1 Dec 09
Ah, I know what you're talking about there. My sister was just telling me about that earlier today. I thought it was the dumbest thing. I mean, it's the customers choice to tip or not. The worker doesn't have a right to demand it from them. I would have complained to the management and got that person in trouble. Behavior like that is inappropriate.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I don't blame them for not leaving her a tip if she did a terrible job. A tip is supposed to be a gratuity for a job well done and should be at the customer's discretion. Sometimes even good waitress's don't get tipped which is really too bad as the owners of restraunts barely pay their workerss. that being said...it is never ok to chase someone down for tips. I have a waitress friend and sometimes even when she has worked really hard and earned a good tip....she doesn't get one or she gets one that is so slight. It is never ever ok to chase down a customer for a tip. So what did they do? Did they pay her after that?
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
2 Dec 09
Well things can be pretty bad for both people when it comes to a waitress being tipped and you leaving the tip for whoever served your table. If the restaurant is really busy you should keep that in mind and give them a little slack and you also have to remember that the waiters and waitresses don't really have any control over how fast the cooks can cook the food or how well they cook it. The servers where I work at only earn like two or three dollars an hour or something like that so they kind of rely on their tips to give them a good amount of money. I always try to give the waitresses good tips as long as the service isn't really bad because I work at a restaurant.
@corrycrystal (1775)
• Malaysia
2 Dec 09
Ugh! That sounds like a desperate young waitress, but why would she do that? I mean, did she normally chase customers for a tip?? Hmmm... I worked in a hotel industry before and I have once being chased by the hotel guest because he wanted to give me some tip! 
In this case, I don't know if this restaurant the girl is working at have a sign that customers must leave a tip?? If there is none, her action was uncalled for and there should be other workers who have seen her doing this and let the management knows about it.
In this case, I don't know if this restaurant the girl is working at have a sign that customers must leave a tip?? If there is none, her action was uncalled for and there should be other workers who have seen her doing this and let the management knows about it. 
@voldrox (7191)
• India
2 Dec 09
now that is weird, does she not have any self-respect? who will expect a waitress or a waiter to run behind their customers just for having some tips that they rightfully don't deserve, we give tips according to our satisfaction, she did not do her part, she should not be feeling sorry about it, or if something else was there in her mind, something else which concerned her and she needed money desperately, that could be the case too.. sometimes we get lost in the troubles we face and forget to do the right thing, it might have been the case with her too... only she might know, so we should not say much, as they say step into other's shoes to feel what they are going through...
@lindiebiz (1006)
• Canada
2 Dec 09
This behaviour is really over the top. If I were them, I would not give her any tip, she may as well chase me to my car, I would not. When people have jobs, they should do thier work well and not disrespect others.
@junmae (1586)
• Philippines
2 Dec 09
I think that waitress should be punish by the management. What she did was very annoying to the customer and I believe that giving a tip is not mandatory to restaurants if they are not satisfied with the service. the waitress doesn't have a discipline nor even respect for her self because she even chase the customer just to give her some tip, its like chasing him just to beg for money.
@madie8008 (209)
• Malaysia
2 Dec 09
The waitress will still wants her tips even though her service was not so helpful. Therefore her customer must use her service as much as they want so that their needs are fulfilled. Just call her now and then and if she ignore the customer totally, then only you can report to the manager and not tip her at all. However, sometimes waitress can be busy and forget about something they should have done. Please be considerate and move one.
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
2 Dec 09
That's true too. But most of the time people don't even realize that they should talk to a manager about not tipping a person. I've never considered it before. I mean, if I get bad service then I'd leave no tip. I usually try not to involve the managers. But maybe I should start doing that in the future since I've been hearing some really crazy stories about people getting arrested and whatnot for not tipping.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
1 Dec 09
Hi, saizo6. My guess is that she was very broke and delusional to have to chase someone down. She does not deserve a tip, she deserves to be fired! She knows good and well that she can't get a tip if the service was sorry. I would report this woman to the police. She seems like she is a stalker of some kind. She would have never gotten any money out of me. That is for sure!
She knows good and well that she can't get a tip if the service was sorry. I would report this woman to the police. She seems like she is a stalker of some kind. She would have never gotten any money out of me. That is for sure!@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
1 Dec 09
I would hate for anyone to be fired from any job but that lady's behavior was a bit outrageous. I also wouldn't go so far as to report her to the police. I'd just stop going to eat at that place and spread bad stories about it. The power of a bunch of negative reviews on the internet can be a powerful thing too.
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
1 Dec 09
It is up to the customer whether they leave a tip or not. If they got bad service than I can see why they did not leave a tip. The manager should have a talk with the waitress and then she should lose her job. You do not act like that in public.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
1 Dec 09
hello saizo,
I don't know if that story is true since you have just heard it from some one but anyways, i will give my say in this one. first, if she was doing a good service, then there's no doubt that they will give her a tip, a tip is a priviledge or a benefit that is not force upon the customer, can only do when the service is extremely good and the customer is satisfied. unfortunately this waitress was only after money that she forgot her etiquette in her profession. if I were in her position, I'll give her something alright and that is to tell how unsatisfying her services is, and tell it in front of her manager and be firm that she didn't deserve such tip. of course, if the manager sided with the waitress, it's easy to spread the word and have people avoid going to that restaurant. @yourlankanfriend (156)
• Australia
1 Dec 09
Although this story does sound a little absurd, one must also evaluate the predicament faced by the waitress. She may be so poor that the paycheck alone doesn't cover the essentials of life for her and her family, She may have kids we just don't know. Perhaps the employer may only pay her a very low wage per hour and to make her hours worthwhile she needs to have a tip. These are desperate issues for her and that may be why she sounds so drastic. I certainly hope your friends did give a reasonable tip. Because, despite her tactics being far from nobel, the reasons behind the need for these actions are noble.
@rika999 (104)
• India
1 Dec 09
It is totally upon the will and wish of customer whether to give tips or not. But a waitress chaising a customer for the sake of tips is a quite funny things. It downgrades the reputation of the retuarant as well as of the waitress. The retuarant manager should take ample steps to avoid these types of circumstances in future.
@deniser28 (30)
• United States
1 Dec 09
In my opinion, people leave tips if they are satisfied with the service. I know for a fact that if I'm not satisfied that I won't be leaving a tip. Tips are only if you choose to give them that anyway. Waitresses must have good customer service skills to earn their tip. No exceptions!!
