09/25/2026
Absolutely — I’d make it a little tighter, more conversational, and balanced while keeping the tension around tipping expectations.
Tipping used to seem pretty simple.
Great service? Leave a tip.
Not-so-great service? Leave less.
But somewhere along the way, tipping expectations got a whole lot more complicated. 💀🍽️
A viral story recently claimed that a customer left a $6.61 tip on a $33 restaurant bill — exactly 20% — and still received a handwritten message that said:
“Learn to tip. It's not my job to serve you for free.”
Whether every detail of the story is accurate or not, it sparked a much bigger conversation about tipping culture.
For years, 20% was generally viewed as a solid tip for good service. Now, some people feel like even 20% is becoming the starting point rather than the standard.
But there's another side to this conversation.
For many restaurant workers, tips aren't just a little extra money. They're an important part of their income, and a bad night of tips can have a real impact on their paycheck.
So customers feel like they're constantly being asked to tip more, while workers may feel like they're working long hours without enough compensation.
And somewhere in the middle, the meaning of a “good tip” seems to have gotten pretty blurry.
What used to be a simple way of saying “thank you” has become something that can frustrate both customers and workers.
Maybe the bigger question isn't whether the number should be 15%, 20%, 25%, or something else.
**What should a tip actually represent — and who should ultimately be responsible for making sure restaurant workers are fairly paid?**
What's your take? 👀
Is 20% still a reasonable tip for good service, or have tipping expectations gradually gone too far?
