A Chicago woman says she prides herself on tipping well, partly to combat the stereotype that Black people don’t tip. But she found herself in an uncomfortable situation that’s reigniting conversations about tipping culture and racial bias in restaurants.
Commenters are split about whether the server was pushy or if the customer was actively feeding into the stereotype. Would you have tipped in this situation?
Woman Calls Out Restaurant For Demanding Tip Mid-Meal
In a trending video with more than 118,000 views, a Chicago woman, who goes by @chicityyaardiegal online, shared her frustrating experience at a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown.
What should have been a routine lunch with a co-worker turned into an awkward confrontation over tipping etiquette.
“OK. So me and my co-worker, we come here all the time. Right? All the time. And I always tip. I pride myself on tipping very well because they say that Black people do not tip,” @chicityyaardiegal said.
The woman explains that while she was still actively eating her meal, the server brought over the payment machine. After she paid for her food, the server didn’t leave. And instead, the server stood there and repeatedly said “tip tip” while @chicityyaardiegal was still mid-meal.
In the video, you can see she still had plenty of soup (possibly pho) in her bowl.
“She’s trying to force me to make a tip, to pay her a tip. And I’m just trying to figure out, I still got my food in front of me,” she said.
She emphasized that her frustration stems not from an unwillingness to tip but from the pressure to do so before she’d even finished eating.
“I don’t like to be forced to make a tip when I already tip any other time I come in here, but OK,” she concluded.
The Research Behind Racial Bias And Tipping
Research shows that Black diners frequently receive worse service than white customers, The Conversation reported.
For research done by sociologists at Wayne State University, they surveyed more than 700 servers and bartenders (mostly white) and gave them hypothetical scenarios with either white or Black customers to see how they’d respond.
They found that servers who either had their own prejudices against Black people or worked in places where racist comments were common were way more likely to assume Black tables would tip badly and cause problems. Because of those assumptions, they admitted they’d give worse service to Black customers.
While surveys show Black customers aren’t always as familiar with the standard 15-20% tipping expectation, the research suggests the real fix isn’t just getting Black diners up to date on tipping percentages but addressing the actual racial bias and bad service they get in restaurants.
How Much Should You Actually Tip At Restaurants?
So what’s the actual standard for tipping at restaurants? According to Bankrate, the tip at sit-down restaurants should be at least 18% of the pretax bill, with many experts now recommending 20% as the new standard.
Cortney Norris, an assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management at Oklahoma State University who studies tipping habits, told Bankrate that tipping expectations have increased due to inflation and rising costs of living.
Servers’ base wages haven’t budged. The federal minimum wage for tipped workers has been stuck at $2.13 an hour since 1991, meaning tips aren’t just a nice bonus; they’re the bulk of a server’s income.
Around two-thirds of Americans who dine at sit-down restaurants always tip their server, according to Bankrate’s survey. But the tip amount should depend on the quality of service, including whether your order is correct and whether the server checks on you after you receive your food.
Here’s what makes the woman’s situation in the video particularly frustrating: She was being pressured to tip before she’d even finished eating, meaning she hadn’t received the full service yet. Restaurant etiquette typically calls for servers to wait until customers have finished their meals before bringing the bill, unless specifically requested earlier.
Tips aren’t necessary at fast food restaurants, counter-service restaurants, or for takeout orders, Bankrate notes. Those workers usually already receive a full hourly wage, unlike traditional waitstaff who rely heavily on tips to make ends meet.
Commenters React
“Any excuse not to tip,” a top comment read.
“You proved everyone right ma’am,” a person said.
“As a server u did right!!! Because rushing u to tip is crazy lol and u not even done,” another wrote.
“I stand with the creator. ITS HER MONEY AND TIPPING IS OPTIONAL you’re not about to press me for a tip and some people leave the tip in cash like be patient and let me enjoy my meal,” a commenter added.
@chicityyaardiegal @The Noodle Vietnamese
BroBible reached out to @chicityyaardiegal for comment via TikTok direct message and comment.