TikTok ‘tip shames’ customer who couldn’t afford 20 per cent gratuity

A customer who couldn’t afford a 20 per cent gratuity has been ‘tip shamed’ on TikTok, dividing the internet.

A TikTok troublemaker has divided the internet after publicly dragging a restaurant customer in the US who couldn’t afford to leave a generous tip.

The man — known on TikTok as “KingJ24” — shared a bill from an Applebee’s Neighbourhood Grill & Bar in Staten Island last week, showing that the patron had left a gratuity of around 9 per cent.

The person’s meal came to a total of $73.45 ($A101), with Applebee’s suggesting an 18 per cent tip of $12.14 ($A17) or a 20 per cent tip of $13.49 ($A19), reports NY Post.

However, the customer left just $6.55 ($A9), along with a handwritten note which stated: “You was great. Holidays are just rough right now.” They added a sad face to the end of the message.

The bill shows the server’s name at the Applebee’s restaurant was Dana G. It is unclear how KingJ24 obtained a copy of the receipt, whether he also works at the establishment — or perhaps just posted the receipt as a bad joke.

On his TikTok account, KingJ24 shared footage of the bill, accompanied by the song Oh No by Capone-N-Noreaga, indicating his disapproval.

The video had racked up nearly 700,000 viral views as of Wednesday evening.

The customer wrote “holidays are rough” on the receipt. Picture: @KingJ24 / TikTok

The receipt is from an Applebee’s restaurant in the US.

“Your thoughts?” he captioned the clip.

“Some people save up for weeks to take the family out for an $80 meal. At least they left SOMETHING!” one person commented, defending the patron.

“If restaurants paid a decent wage it wouldn’t be the responsibility of the customer to solely compensate with tips. Once again corporate America wins,” another person added.

However, others chimed in saying it was inappropriate for the patron not to leave an adequate gratuity.

One stated: “If I can’t afford a 20 per cent tip, then I’m not going out for a $80 meal.”

“If money is tight, don’t eat out. The server needs the tip money to support her family most likely too,” a second concurred.

A Staten Island resident claiming to know the server in question has contacted The Post to say she had nothing to do with posting this receipt to TikTok, saying “she is so sick and upset over this.”

Applebee’s has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, KingJ24 is not the only TikTok user to post a viral video about restaurant work in recent weeks.

Last month, a 25-year-old Tennessee waitress, named Liny, took to TikTok to share a video showing her paystubs, claiming she made just one cent for six weeks of work.

This article originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as TikTok ‘tip shames’ customer who couldn’t afford 20 per cent gratuity