Eating at a fine dining restaurant is a lavish affair - right from the décor to the ambience and to the three-course meal. But even eating out comes at a cost. Most restaurants, especially in the United States, impose a compulsory tip or a 'gratuity' cost on their customer's bills. In India, this is known as a 'Service Charge' at restaurants and is capped at 10%. In the US, however, the tip is a whopping 20% of the bill amount. A content creator and blogger named @calvinandhabs created a video on this very topic, and it soon went viral on Twitter. Take a look:
"THEN THE BUSINESS SHOULD NOT EXIST!" pic.twitter.com/De8L9fhViL— Juul e Laal (@antifatwa) May 12, 2021
(Also Read: Indian Restaurant In US Gets Generous $2,020 Tip From Patron. See Viral Post)
The video was shared on Twitter by user @antifatwa, where it received over 1.3 million views and counting. It also received over 111.4k likes and 36.2k retweets. "When the Germans find out about tipping in the US," read the caption to the video.
In the one-minute 3-second clip, we can see a conversation between the customer and a waiter. The customer expresses his shock on seeing the 20% compulsory restaurant tip, when the waiter says it's just how the restaurant industry works. He further says that most of the earnings of the waiting staff come from the tips that customers leave, which shocks the customer. The waiter also said that this was a way to keep business costs down, when the customer said, "Then the business should not exist!"
A spate of discussion started around the video on Twitter, as users found it an extremely relatable situation. "Why should we pay a compulsory tip," questioned a few while others remarked to the waiter, "You should seriously look for another job."
Take a look at the reactions:
i get paid 2 dollars an hour
the rest relies on if the customer wants to give me money— Nerva, Dwemer Chad (@Nerva3D) May 13, 2021
To anyone thinking videos like this encourage not tipping, it's not about that.
It's about the fact customers are being guilted into paying more than the advertised amount in order for employees to make a livable wage, something the EMPLOYER should supply, the tip is an EXTRA.— Henrik Ilisson (@GrantDN) May 13, 2021
I find it hilarious when Americans come to other countries and they offer a tip and it gets refused then the sentence is usually "we don't take tips we earn enough money to support ourselves— InstantPain (@PainInstant) May 13, 2021
I worked at a hotel bar in Australia and American customers would always be surprised when I would tell them tipping isn't really a thing here.
One guy was shocked and even got mad to hear that I was paid more than him without tips even after conversation, he was a teacher.— Griff (@kaiser_kami) May 13, 2021
But this guy is right.
Just imagine a car manufacturer saying
"Well, I sell you this fine car for only 9.999, but additionally you have to pay the workers who built it, thats only fair, isn't it?"— valaki ???? (@valaki_berlin) May 13, 2021
My first trip to Europe was enlightening on how a restaurant should be run.— Minerva - That Commie Shark ????️⚧️☭???? (@shorkgirl) May 12, 2021
“With the delicious unlimited breadsticks I have now been served an unlimited disgusting moral dilemma” is perfection ????— sɟoolℲ ʎsɯǝǝ˥ (@Cub_Eolis) May 12, 2021
(Also Read: Couple Leaves $2000 Tip At Restaurant, Here's The Heartwarming Reason)
What did you think of the video? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
About Aditi AhujaAditi loves talking to and meeting like-minded foodies (especially the kind who like veg momos). Plus points if you get her bad jokes and sitcom references, or if you recommend a new place to eat at.