A waitress in New York caused an online debate after expressing her dissatisfaction with tourists who left only a 10 percent tip on a $700 bill.
Although the tip amounted to $70 (£57), which is a significant sum, some argued that it was not enough given the tipping culture in the US where percentages play a crucial role.
Madison, a waitress at a New York restaurant, expressed her disappointment over the tip left by a group of European tourists who had a $700 bill.
Instead of trying the cheaper but delicious street foods of New York, they went for more expensive meals, but only tipped 10 percent. Madison shared her frustration on Twitter.
Madison shared on Twitter how the customers from Europe stayed for hours at the restaurant and gave high praises for the service. However, the customers only gave a 10% tip of $70 on a $700 check.
"[My manager] explained the customary tip is 20% and they were like "ok." and left," Madison shared.
Madison wrote that she "f**king hate[s] Europeans sometimes". The cultural differences in tipping between Europe and the US may have contributed to her frustration, as tipping is more significant for earning in the US.
The waitress' tweet ignited a debate on social media as some Twitter users believed that $70 was enough, while others disagreed.
"Only Americans would complain about a $70 tip," one person pointed out.
"Tip culture almost borders on entitlement because why are you shaming people for giving you $70 for doing a job you're already paid to do?" another wrote.
Madison explained that servers in the US heavily rely on tips as a significant portion of their wages, which may not be fully understood by those who do not work in the US. She further commented:
"We KNOW it's bad. you're not saying anything Americans aren't painfully aware of. but you still need to tip while we fight this fight."
Someone replied to Madison's post, acknowledging the cultural difference between the US and European countries but suggesting that the customers could have left a larger tip considering the amount they spent on their meal.
"I don't think you are wrong, if they spend 700 on food they very likely could've tipped you. I think the main reason we don't tip it's because our wages are low but that doesn't apply to this case," the responder wrote.
Madison expressed gratitude towards the Twitter user for their support and mentioned that the customers she served were not poor, as she works in a fine dining restaurant. She also acknowledged that she would not have received the entire tip anyway and stated:
"I have taxes, tip out, and credit card fees also taken from my tips. so I won't be receiving a full $70 nor would I have received a full $140."
