Tipping has become one of the most argued-about topics in the U.S. as more consumers push back on how often they’re asked to tip—even in places you wouldn’t expect.
Viral stories have included someone being asked to tip on a simple to-go sandwich, another person spotting a tip jar at a USPS office, and even a water fountain prompting for gratuity.
But when it comes to full-service restaurants, the expectation of leaving 15% to 20% is still widely accepted.
That’s because servers usually don’t make the same hourly wage as “tipless” jobs. In many states, restaurants are legally allowed to pay servers below minimum wage—sometimes as little as $2.13 per hour—under the assumption that tips will make up the difference. When customers don’t tip fairly, it can mean a night of hard work with very little actual pay.
Recently, one Iowa server went viral after showing just how disheartening it can be when customers don’t hold up their end of this unspoken agreement.
Pregnant Server Says Customer Left Her Only 5%
TikTok creator @evanryleex, who is eight months pregnant, posted a storytime about a recent encounter at her restaurant job. Her clip quickly racked up over 426,000 views.
She says she was working a double shift when a couple sat in her section. The woman, she says, complimented her pregnancy “bump,” and the two chatted warmly, while the man remained quiet. She says she kept their drinks full, cleared the table regularly, and gave “excellent service.”
When it came time to pay, the bill was about $60. She says she watched as the man typed in a custom tip amount on the tablet.
“He puts in $30. And I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s super nice of them,’” she recalls. But then, she says, “He goes, ‘Oops,’” and deleted a zero—leaving just $3.
Feeling disrespected, she says she decided to confront the couple.
“I looked at his girlfriend, and I said, ‘You should know that your boyfriend only tips pregnant women 5%,’” she admits. According to her, the couple argued afterward. Minutes later, the man returned and handed her a $20 bill, apologizing.
“Moral of the story, don’t be a s—– tipper, and don’t think that you won’t get called out for it,” she adds.
@evanryleex someone had to say it #serverlife #storytime #pregnant #tippingculture #serviceindustry
Commenters Weigh In On Tipping Etiquette
In the comments, most people sided with the server. “For those of you not in the industry: tips = to insure prompt service. If you get prompt service, you tip. PERIOD,” one person wrote.
Another commenter said they’d spent decades bartending and agreed that “the customer is not always right.”
Not everyone supported her, though.
“You being pregnant was irrelevant,” one person argued, calling her confrontation “bullying him into a tip.” Another commenter added, “You are getting paid to do your job and if you think you are entitled to a tip of what you want you are ridiculous and rude.”
BroBible has reached out to @evanryleex via email for official comment.