I Received a Massive Tip From a Creepy Customer, and It Backfired

Big tips often feel like a win in the service industry, but sometimes servers are left wondering if accepting them was the right choice. One waitress recently shared her story on Reddit after receiving a generous tip from a customer, which sparked a lot of discussion about what’s appropriate and where to draw the line.

She posted about something that happened at work.

“I (27f) am a waitress. Friday night, I served this table. It was a middle-aged woman and a very handsome middle-aged man. A guy I would have gone out with if he wasn’t so creepy. He had made sure to mention that the woman he was dinning with was his sister.

After the meal, he gave me a $500 (US dollar) tip. The tip was almost twice the price of the meal. He told me the tip was because I was so pretty.

After work, I told a fellow waitress (32f) and she was angry. She told me it was a stupid decision to accept that. She said I made it seem like behavior like that is acceptable by accepting it.

I probably would never accept a tip like that under those circumstances again. Am I wrong for this?”

Some people said the coworker was acting out of jealousy.

• “I’ll bet anything OP’s coworker will try to be his waitress next time he comes back.” © n9neinchn8 / Reddit
  • “Some people will only tip big to a specific server, though. That customer liked OP because they found her attractive. OP’s coworker could give an amazing service but still not receive the same amount of tip.” © 5tarlight5 / Reddit
• “I’m in the service business and work for tips too. I’m one of the few men at my workplace. I get tipped quite a lot more from women patrons than my female co-workers. A few of them seem to hate it when I make more money than them.
  Jealousy is rife in the business. Make your money while you can, and don’t listen to the haters. They just want to bring you down to their sad level.” © R0gueR0nin / Reddit
• “Don’t spill your business to others. Your money is your money.” © PatentlyRidiculous / Reddit

• “It’s not like you asked for the big tip or agreed to do anything for it. If he’s wealthy and wants to leave a big tip, all the better for you. You did nothing wrong here.” © One_Violinist7862 / Reddit
• “You should have kept quiet about it. Next thing you know, the manager will demand a share.” © MisterKIAA / Reddit
• “As a former server, you are not wrong for this. This was never about her principles, it was about her being upset you got a huge tip and she didn’t. Your fellow servers care about their money, so you don’t need to tell them about yours.
  Bragging about your huge tips is a good way to make enemies or get robbed after work when one of the shady ones sends a text to their friend or partner and has them waiting by your car outside. Never talk about how much you made in tips.
  No one needs that information but you, the IRS, and your boss. I guarantee she would have kept the tip herself if she had been the one serving him.” © Unknown author / Reddit

Others were divided and shared their own thoughts about the situation.

• “It’s your job to accept tips, and it’s not your fault he was creepy.” © CatEyesAndSin / Reddit
• “But be careful that he doesn’t start coming back thinking you owe him anything at all, you owe him no extra attention.” © Zestyclose-Height-36 / Reddit

• “My son is a waiter and has been given big tips before. The correct response is ’thank you’ and I am not sure since when is being told ’you’re very pretty’ harassment. Take it as a compliment because one day you will be sol old you won’t get told that anymore, and you will wish you did! Just a little perspective from a 47 YO woman.” © Mundane_Papaya9009 / Reddit
• “Based on your post, the guy was clearly trying to impress you, but there was no expectation for anything beyond him giving you a wad of cash. This is referred to as ’pretty privilege’. IYKYK.
  Your friend is more upset that you got the tip and not her. If the tip included a note that said ’Call me #XXX-YYY-ZZZZ’ or something similar, then it’d be creepy.” © Longjumping-Many4082 / Reddit
• “Attractive man that you were attracted to, lets you know that he was not dining with a date, gives you a ridiculous tip, does not post about it on Reddit, and he is the creepy one?” © Hooliken / Reddit

At a café or restaurant, you might leave with more than just a good meal. The people in this article walked away with stories they couldn’t keep to themselves.