A waitress in Colorado utilized social media to impart a lesson about working in the US.
When Taylar Cordova received a $0 tip on a $187.43 bill, she photographed the receipt and posted it on Facebook, according to Mic. Her message was accompanied by a passionate and insightful remark on working as a waiter.
“You are the lowest of the low,” she said, referring not only to the customer who stiffed her, but to everybody who does not tip. She then went on to explain the implications of guests failing to add the required tip to their bill.
Whenever you feel like it’s probably fine to not tip your server, that’s one more bill stacking up because they’re short on money. This is food for the week that our families will go without because you didn’t think it was necessary, even after asking for everything under the sun and receiving it free of charge, mind you. This is one less basic necessity my daughter needs because even TWO more dollars is too much for you.
Every decision has a consequence. Servers are paid a base pay of $2-5/hr depending on the employer, so next time you don’t want to tip, regardless of the situation prior to receiving your bill, think about how much you would have to work that week off $2-5/hr to feed your family, not just you. Could you pay your bills based on that pay alone? Could you feed your family AND yourself? Because that’s what happens when you choose to not tip.
Her claims are supported by the U.S. Department of Labor, which states that “an employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount, combined with the tips received, at least equals the federal minimum wage.”
Cordova’s post concludes with a piece of advice. “Don’t even bother walking into a restaurant if you can’t afford to tip,” she wrote. “There’s a McDonald’s down the street if you’re that cheap.”
Her message clearly resonated with the public, having been shared more than 15,000 times on social media.
Sources: Mic, U.S. Department of Labor
