Customer insists baristas return tip after waiting 15 minutes for coffee: 'If you can't refund the tip... I'll just take $2 from your tip jar'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jul 24, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

Getting food or a drink when you're in a rush can be a high-stress activity. Sometimes you're running late to work or an interview, and you know if you arrive hungry or uncaffeinated, your performance will suffer. So you make the choice to stop and grab a coffee, and of course, that's the one time they take forever to make your order. It'll be the one time that the barista decides to clean the espresso machine surface before making your beverage, or they'll be out of that sandwich you ordered, and they'll have to grab it from the back room. The whole time, they'll be moving as slowly as possible, as so often happens when we're rushing. 

This person had a maddening experience while trying to grab a coffee. The baristas took so long to make the drink that they made this person late! And that's not all to the story, as you can read about below. 

After that, read about some dates that went wrong, like one person who sadly "Made cake for a girl and got stood up and ghosted." 

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  • 01

    "Why I stopped tipping"

    I was one of those normal guys. Almost always tipped generously. During Co id, I tipped a lot for my takeout orders because I knew waiters/waitresses weren't getting their regular tips and times were tough. Fast forward, I go to Starbucks and order a coffee and I'm met with my options: 20%, 25%, 30%. For my coffee my tip was $2.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 02
    I sit down and while waiting I notice the staff are yip yapping and goofing off. Didn't really concern me until they got a rush of customers. I start noticing that people that came after me were getting their coffees. I give them a few more minutes since I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. I look at my watch and I have to go since I have somewhere to be. I go to the register and let the barista know that I never got my drink.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 03
    "Oh, we'll make it right now." Problem is I can't wait any longer and I have to go. "Don't worry about it, I'll just take a refund because I have to go." The barista says no problem, asks me what I ordered and asks me to swipe my card. However it was only the cost of the coffee. I tell the barista I also tipped them $2 so I'd like that back as well. "Oh we can't refund tips."
    via u/[deleted]
  • 04
    Now I start getting p ed off. I tell them I waited for 15 mins for a coffee that wasn't made and I was generous and left a tip. Ped off I notice their cash tip jar. "Fine, if you can't refund the tip to the card I'll just take $2 from your tip jar." The barista was shocked.. They dig in the jar and give me $2. I'm never tipping at Starbucks again.....
    via u/[deleted]

    What terrible service! This person was right for taking back their money and tip. After all, why would they tip for a service they literally did not even receive? They'll have to find another location to get their coffee, because it just shouldn't be that difficult to get one drink in a timely manner. 

  • 05

    Commenters agreed with their actions

    [deleted] I will never tip before services are rendered. It's appalling that businesses even suggest it.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 06
    fitandstrong0926 I only tip AFTER I receive a service, and that's only for specific things. If you make at least minimum wage, no tip except pizza delivery. If you pay upfront, it's a bid, not a tip. I never tip when placing an order.
    via u/fitandstrong0926
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10533325056
    via Kateryna Hliznitsova For Unsplash+

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

  • 08
    Natural-Donkey-4... I don't tip for counter service. I only tip at sit down restaurants and If I get bad service I do not leave a tip.
    via u/Natural-Donkey-4516
  • 09
    Miguel4659 Great way to handle it. Until people realize tipping is for providing great service, they are not going to get good tips. It should not be an automatic thing. And definitely should not be based on a percentage of your cost. That makes no sense, since a $5 item might take longer to deliver than a $20 item.
    via u/Miguel4659
  • 10
    Forsaken-Moment... I just don't go to places that tip now or try hard to find places that include it. I'm so over what is companies not paying their people and expecting you to make it up. If your model of employment is dependent on tips perhaps it's a sh model
    via u/Forsaken-Moment-7763
  • 11
    [deleted] I stopped tipping everyone after a pizza guy delivered to me and handed me my 2 liter and I handed him $20. He said "oh hey man you may want to wait I shook that up because there wasn't a tip, sorry about that".
    via u/[deleted]
  • 12
    That was 3 years ago and I haven't tipped a single person since. I don't know what fantasy these terminally online server defenders live in but I've literally never received poor service since then.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10533325312
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 14

    You know you're dealing with bad service when even those who work for tips are in your corner

    watwatinjoema... As someone who works part time for tips, I totally agree with you here.
    via u/watwatinjoemamasb***
  • 15
    Mariocartwiifan You don't have to tip at places where you are served by hourly cashiers such as Starbucks, Panera, etc. Just because they are putting it. on the screen doesn't mean you have to. It's acceptable to tap no tip unless you had a very large or very fussy order.
    via u/Mariocartwiifan

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coffee shop tips cash barista tipping food service coffee money
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