20+ Waiters whose customers gave them bad tips: 'Someone put a $5 tip on a $300 bill'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
May 6, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

Believe it or not, there are some tips that are worse than just leaving $0! Just ask the poor waiters and waitresses who have experienced it for themselves. 

I know what you're thinking: if a server works hard to provide someone with a meal and they give them a big goose egg on the receipt, isn't that the worst case scenario? Especially if a huge group comes in, and after dining for hours with a party of 15 people, decides not to tip at all. But no. What's worse than that is the group who left a handful of change covered in barbecue sauce! 

One person was left with a measly $10 bill after serving a group of 26 people. At least for that dude, the incident was so egregious that their restaurant created a new policy: all big groups have to call ahead of time and reserve a table, and they have an 18% autograt slapped on the bill. Good for that restaurant for respecting their waiters enough to implement new rules! 

Next up, read about the "loyal client" who spent $460 on a waxing package, only for the waxer to suddenly close her doors and refuse to refund the customer: "Just sue her… slam dunk case." 

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  • 01
    gravebandit My sister got a dime in the bottom of a glass of ice as a tip for a large unruly party once.
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  • 02
    N546RV I was a cook, but I can still chime in. We had a large party that came to eat on a Saturday night. They were quite unhappy at having to wait for a table - apparently they were unable to comprehend that weekends are, like, busy and stuff. So of course they were bitchy throughout the entire evening, and when they were finished eating, they
    via u/N546RV
  • 03
    left some loose change on the table and poured bbq sauce on top of it. The impressive thing about this was that their waitress was the most calm, meek person in the entire store, and she was emitting curses that would have had a sailor cowering in fear. Never before or since did I see her that furious.
    via u/N546RV
  • 04
    Our store owner promptly went to the table, retrieved the sauce-covered change, intercepted the in the parking lot, slapped the money in one guy's hand, and told them not to ever come back.
    via u/N546RV
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10502196224
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06
    [deleted] Not leaving me a tip when their kid puked all over the table, they sat there and continued talking while I comforted the kid and cleaned up the puke from the table. In the middle of cleaning puke, the mom asked for a refill on her drink by lifted it and shaking it at my direction making vomit fling all over and informing they needed a new pizza for
    via u/[deleted]
  • 07
    free because the last slice on the tray got puke on it. They did not leave or take the kid home and did not tip. She flung puke in my face and their 8-10 year old was shirtless because he puked on his shirt and was devastated. I tried to cheer him up by letting him help me blow up balloons in the
    via u/[deleted]
  • 08
    party room so he could hide from the kids he knew that came in. The worst customers were the tour buses full of the cranky old people. 40 extremely ornery demanding rcist f s and you would be lucky to make $4 in quarters from them in the two hours they clog up the place.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 09
    I never really cared too much about people not tipping because it usually always worked out for me before the end of the day.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 10
    [deleted] Most everyone is going to have that story where someone left a fake bill with a bible quote on it, or the cards with bible quotes as a tip. My worst story comes from the Rotary club of my county. It was during our slowest time of the day, so I was the only waiter on duty.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 11
    It was me, the bartender, and the head chef; that was it. 26 people came in at one time, and were upset that we didn't have a large table ready for them. They hadn't called and asked for a reservation, or let us know that they'd need a large setting, nothing.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 12
    They ordered a bunch of drinks and appetizers, and the treasurer told me to make sure I put everything on one ticket to make things easier. After the three of us struggled to get all the drinks and appetizers out in a timely fashion, it came time to collect the main course orders.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 13
    Of course every of those things customized. one wanted Got it taken care of, got everyone their food. Got refills for drinks. Dessert comes around, and we get that out. By this point everyone is mingling around and talking. I bring the check to the treasurer, and he tells me
    via u/[deleted]
  • 14
    that they decided everyone was paying for their own meal. I ended up having to split that ticket 26 different ways; even though ticket software makes things simple, that's still a pain in the a to do. I start collecting money, running cards, etc. For the 26 people, it ended up being almost $500.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 15
    As I'm cashing everything out I realize 2 of them (one of which was the treasurer) ditched on their bills. The total for my tips after they all left came out to about $10. The bartender didn't get a single tip.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 16
    After that we implemented a policy that a group larger than 8 had to call ahead at least 30 minutes, implemented an automatic 18% gratuity for any party larger than 8, and implemented a policy where a single group couldn't split their ticket more than 6 ways.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 17
    RenAndS I'm a cook but one of our coworkers was hyped about getting a $20 tip. She made such a thing about it the manager came over to see what the commotion was all about. That's when he informed her that it was a counterfeit 20.
    via u/RenAndS*********
  • 18
    And after checking the register, also found out the rest of the cash they used was fake as well. The money didn't even look real at all. And it's all now taped to the wall to remind everyone of that faithful day we got paid in basically monopoly money.
    via u/RenAndS*********
  • 19
    starkicker18 Okay, so this post is for waiters, but i'm going to share my tipping story anyway. I was working in a shipping and receiving department and part of my job was to lift very heavy things into people's tiny cars. One day I was helping an older couple with their tv. Mind you, this was in the days of those big
    via u/starkicker18
  • 20
    clunky tvs. It didn't fit in their car in the box so I asked if it was okay that I took it out of the box. They agreed and I was able to fit the tv in and then secure it so it wouldn't rock around, then folded up the box and garbage and took it inside. Unbeknownst to me, the couple had found me to be very professional and helpful and they had wanted to offer me a tip, but they had
    via u/starkicker18
  • 21
    no cash on them. So they mailed in $10.00 addressed to "The young woman who worked dock pickup on (date/time)." This arrived at my store a few days later. The store assistant manager opened the letter, proceeded to read the letter in front of the store (I wasn't there) and then took the money claiming that we weren't allowed to take tips because we were paid
    via u/starkicker18
  • 22
    enough (I made minimum wage), then proclaimed I was donating the money to a charity. The store manager then photocopied the 10 dollar bill and gave me a copy of that plus the letter when I came in for my next shift. I was so ped off, not because I couldn't have the tip, but because they didn't even give me the benefit of choosing the charity.
    via u/starkicker18
  • 23
    LemonFake I was a waitress in a city that had a church (or two or three) on every street for awhile. Church people were regular customers and sunday was always a really busy day. There was one particular church group that came in regularly every sunday of about 10 or 11 people. They'd come in in their fancy church clothes and we'd have to move
    via u/LemonFake
  • 24
    several of our tables to put them together so they could all sit beside each other (we didn't have a big table only 2 and 4 person ones) and they'd usually order something about mid-price from our menu and stay for about an hour or so and for that time I'd keep their drinks refilled and I'd make sure they had everything they needed. Usually they'd wish me a good day/week and I never had any
    via u/LemonFake
  • 25
    complaint. And every single week without fail, instead of money, they would leave me bible verses printed out on little slips of paper like the ones you get out of fortune cookies only they were always in all these different bright colors instead of white. I worked there for probably three years and I never saw a dime from those people.
    via u/LemonFake
  • 26
    155
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 27
    Sp... This was when I was 16 working my first gig. It was during one of the busiest days of the year when our town throws this huge concert festival and people come from all over the province. I showed up to discover I was the only one who came because the two other people who were supposed to be on shift with me bailed to go to the
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 28
    concert. In the middle of this busy supper hour a table of 15 comes in. Throughout the whole ordeal I'm flying around the restaurant like a cat with it's a on fire and the whole while the guys at this table kept making snarky comments and laughing, saying things like "Jeez, are you the only one here or somethin'? Service is some slow." Do you see
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 29
    anybody else here? Seriously. So the meals miraculously get out on time, I am run ragged taking care of all the other tables while keeping their drinks. flowing, and the whole time I am just getting this barrage of passive aggressive insults. Finally, the place starts clearing out a little aside from them. Once they finish their meal I start gathering
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 30
    up their plates and empty glasses as the majority of them are putting on their coats. I'll never forget this one with a salt and pepper mustache calling me over and grinning at me over his glasses as he pats his hand down on the table and says: "Here. This is for you."
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 31
    It was twelve cents. Not one word of a lie. I saw red and tried not to cry. I mean, a volcano after everything that had gone to sh this day let loose inside of me. My lips. must have went as tight as an a hole. I looked him de d in the eye, shook my cleaning rag out, and swept the dime and pennies so hard that they went flying across the restaurant. I spat: "You can take that sh with you."
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 32
    His face just crumpled and a woman who had come back to the table for something said what did you do?" He laughingly explained to her as if what he had done was actually funny and she was extremely appalled. She went over to me, opened her purse, and pushed a twenty into my hand. She said, "Take it. Oh my God, I'm so sorry." I had to go out back to the dish pit to hide my
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 33
    tears of embarrassment, but apparently she spread the word on what he'd done, because there was a nice tip left at the table when I mustered the gumption to go back out when they'd all left. TLDR: The ass just fell out of it at work, big table came in during a rush when I was alone, guy tried to leave me a twelve cent tip for the table.
    via u/Speedy_Cheese
  • 34
    Dy... I work as a server at a somewhat higher end restaurant and frequently there is horse shows down the street. During these shows we will get many customers coming in smelling like horse covered in mud. They're and some of the nicest people we wait on and they always buy a lot and tip very well.
    via u/Dydarian
  • 35
    Mennonites sometimes come in with them, and generally they don't tip. Not like "hey they only tipped 10%", but literally zero. One time there was a party of 10 of the horse people that came in (our lovely name for people from horse shows) and I was the only closing. server left. They came in 15 minutes to close and told our manager that a few more would be in very soon. 10 minutes after we closed 8
    via u/Dydarian
  • 36
    more people for the party come in. Now there is some Mennonites with them, but since there was so many people, I figured a few bad tips wouldn't hurt anything. This party had everything they could get their hands on. Desserts, apps, expensive add ons, so l thought it was going to be great. Here's the bad news. My restaurant had recently stopped doing gratuities on parties since the the change
    via u/Dydarian
  • 37
    in the tax code. I come out with a $634 tab after one of the guys whom I had been talking to all night said that just one person was picking up the tab. I think you can all see where this is going. One of the three Mennonites picked up the tab and
    via u/Dydarian
  • 38
    literally left a zero with a line through it as their tip. My manager ended up buying me a meal and taking me out for several beers afterwards as some sort of recompense, but it was still awful. TL;DR Mennonites sometimes don't tip at all, no matter how much the bill is. EDIT: one word
    via u/Dydarian
  • 39
    JPerception Not me personally but I know a good one. Coworker got a nickle on one of his first days working. Went in the kitchen area and threw it in the trash and starting speaking a lot of profanity. Everyone was laughing even though we felt bad at same time, mainly because it was one of the first days for this person
    via u/JPerception
  • 40
    electricshock88 As a bartender I had some asshats sit at the bar and drink all day. I took pretty good care of them and when it came to paying one guy pulled out his wallet and put his credit card down and a £20 note and put it on the bar. As I went to grab it he
    via u/electricshock88
  • 41
    said "actually nah, you'll just spend it on beer. I'd rather buy you a drink" and put the £20 in his pocket. I replied "thank you, that's kind of you (hiding my anger) but I cant drink whilst I work." He replies "okay, well I'll drink it for you." Laughing, he drank a beer and waved a £20 note in my face. ahle.
    via u/electricshock88
  • 42
    srikamaraja Saudi Prince (not that impressive; there are like 500 Saudi Princes,) Party of 5. I spoke English, Arabic, French, and Spanish with the table, only apologizing for my lack of Greek to the fifth member of the party. $14 tip on a $330 bill. Shokran, kafir (He ordered wine.)
    via u/
  • 43
    Chihuahua_enthus... My sister works at an ~~upscale small plate eatery and wine bar~~ and someone put a five dollar tip on a three hundred dollar bill that included bottle service.
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  • 44
    [deleted] - 9y ago I wasn't a waiter (I worked for a moving company) but this one guy after about 3 hours of trying to put together his desk, which btw he knew how to build but decided to be a dick and let us figure it out on our own, tipped us Halloween candy from 2 months earlier. To be exact, candy corn. A FUCKING HANDFUL.
    via u/
  • 45
    Wfhrecords I worked at a dive-y bar in college where Wednesday was 25 cent draft night. One time a dude ordered 3, gave me a dollar and could me I could "keep dat, homeboi." Sweet, now I can almost use a payphone.
    via u/
  • 46
    A_Storm Group of 40 came on a nonbisy day for some soccer game that we didnt expect to get busy. I was the only one able to serve them and they were extremely needy, wantinv refils every second and i tried my best to serve all 40 they left me 18 total on about 745.
    via u/
  • 47
    Benreineck123 Table with a husband wife and kid came in. Orders come out husband says he order bacon cheese fries instead of cheese fries (though I heard cheese fries) I offer to fix it he's gets all pissy with me and says nope no it's fine manager offers to comp everything once again guy acts like a brat. Long story
    via u/
  • 48
    short he comes up to pay he signs our receipt that we keep and on the tip line he puts 00000000000000000.1 And hands it to me and then waits for me to read looks up and then grins at me. Right as he walks out I shout very mature
    via u/
  • 49
    Who_Knows_ I worked for a company where you had to pay 3% of your takings back to the company for the privilege. I.E. if I took £2,000 on a Saturday I had to give them £60 out of my tips. If I only made £50 in tips, the 10 would come out of my pocket. They justify it by saying that it goes towards. training managers, and bonuses that managers get.
    via u/
  • 50
    Because... you know... people on minimum wage should have to pay for that. This made me resent most people. If a table spent £100 and didn't tip, i'd be pissed off because i'd be paying for them to have a good time. Anyway, to the story. I had a table of 8 or so people. No manners, nobody said please or thank you. I was there to be their servant,
    via u/
  • 51
    because that was my job, and that's how they acted. When they finally paid, they were short a significant amount. They had taken a prawn head from their plate, and wrapped it up in the cash. I had to find this treat, count the money, and go back and confront them, so that I didn't have to pay any more for their delicious meal.
    via u/
  • 52
    Needless to say, I lost my shit, and that was my last shift at this wonderful company. Looking back on it, in the long run, I feel like they did me a big favour. Most nights my 3% would equate to more than my wage for the evening. Fuck paying to work. Rant over, for now.
    via u/
  • 53
    AnUnderwhelimin... Prom season is always the worst. I wait tables at a nice restaurant so we're always busy during prom season with reservations from all the local high schools. It's in a wealthier area, so we get all the entitled kids who think we're a 5 star place that will treat them like
    via u/
  • 54
    they're celebrities or something. This one little shit, who had on a pink and white tux, was acting like the total douche that he looked like he would be. I was busting my ass trying to check on all my other tables and this kid is pissed because his food wasn't out within like 15 minutes. Like the whole time he's glaring at me like I'm
    via u/
  • 55
    supposed to be in the back making his food. At the end of the night the whole tables bill only came out to like $60 because they got pizzas and chicken tenders. All of them left like a handfuls of change that equaled up to $3.
    via u/

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