Server Calls Out Customers Who Refuse to Tip for Baffling Reason

A server has taken to TikTok to share his bizarre experience with “Karens” refusing to tip.

Dean Redmonds (@deanredmonds) works as a server in a fancy New York City restaurant, he went over to a table of women to do ask for their drinks order when they immediately told him they were not going to tip, so to carry out his service accordingly.

The group of six women then started hysterically laughing and the bewildered server joined in on the laughing, as if it were a joke.

To his shock, the gaggle were being serious and Dean shared the demoralizing experience in a video which amassed 81,000 likes and 1.1 million views on TikTok.

Redmonds, 23, who lives in Manhattan told Newsweek: “That group of women in particular really made me feel less than. It’s such a sad concept that working as a waiter/waitress makes you lower class.

“I genuinely do believe everyone should tip if you received service that exceeds normal expectations, not just the bare minimum.

“Do I think people should tip bad service? No, but issues with food taste or issues out of my control should not affect my tip.”

After Redmonds went over to the women, he revealed he joined in with the laughter until he realized they were not joking.

One woman told him she was not tipping to make a point to his boss to raise his hourly pay, saying it is not their responsibility to pay his bills.

Redmonds explained to the table that they are a sit-down restaurant and the hostess will inform them that if they do not want to tip, they will have to leave.

The woman then shrieked and reacted as if he threw something at her, he added.

She told Redmonds: “I don’t think you get to decide that. You have to wait until the end to see how we liked your service, and then we tip.”

The bemused waiter then explained to the customers there is a Panera down the street where you order at the counter, sit anywhere and do not pay a service charge.

Dean waited 20 minutes until the group got up and left.

He added: “Go away if you’re not gonna tip.”

Despite this experience, the waiter says he has worked in the service industry for over eight years and has hit back at haters on the app who question why he continues in the job when he has documented so many experiences with difficult customers.

He explained: “I would love to share that I really do enjoy working in the service industry. I have done it for over eight years and certainly wouldn’t be continuing so if I hated it.

“Do I have bad days? YES! But of course I have good ones. I get so much hate. ‘Do you ever have a good day?’ and the answer is, ‘Obviously.’ Do people think my once a week post means that I hate my life? Again the answer is no. I love talking to the customers and genuinely making people days better.”

Tipping is an integral part of New York City culture and often baffles tourists who do not know the correct etiquette.

The general rule of thumb is to tip 20% of the bill, according to New York tourism site NewYork.co.uk.

Some users were angered by the concept of mandatory tipping.

One user said: “Honestly, I’ve stopped tipping all together, usually the service is wonderful and I feel bad about it, but I can’t be dropping a $10 tip on top of my $15 meal every time.”

Though others agreed with Redmonds, one TikToker commented: “People don’t realize how many restaurants would close bc of having to pay $10-$20 added to payroll.”

Danita added: “Every person should work in service for just one week and you will know why you should always tip your servers.”

The waiter asked for others to have some more empathy for people who work in the hospitality sector.

He said: “Please just try and think about if you were in my position and someone treated you in such a way, how would you feel? Would you keep a smile on your face while being spit on?”