Bartender loudly interrupts customers' conversation to demand 20% tip instead of $1.50: 'This was funny and enraging at the same time'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 12, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

The tipping debate continues! It seems like every time you look, there's a new restaurant, cafe, or bar in town who have suddenly installed iPads and those square card readers. Instead of popping a few dollars into a glass jar labelled "tips," you're now prompted to push the 20% tip button on an iPad. Sometimes you're being asked to tip a person who just handed you a drink that they grabbed from the fridge and opened for you. Is that really worth a dollar tip? 

The general rule of thumb while at a bar used to be to tip a dollar per drink, but it's possible that that tip range has gone up to adjust for inflation. And what about the baristas working at cafes? Should they receive a dollar per drink, or a percentage? Does it depend on the type of drink? Perhaps a barista making a 10-ingredient frappuccino deserves a better tip than the person who's pouring your black cold brew into a cup. It's all very confusing and up to your personal preference, and it periodically stirs up a big online debate about who's getting tipped and for which services. 

After that, read about the mortifying situation that unfolded when this 30-year-old employee bashed their coworker in front of an entire Zoom call full of people: "He was on the Zoom call the whole time." 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10541145600
    via Filip Rankovic Grobgaard on Unsplash+

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

  • 02
    lol this was funny and enraging at the same time. SO and I find two seats at the edge of a bar in that Eataly building and wait probably 5 minutes before a grumpy bartender finally comes over and then demands ID (which is cool happens once in a while. We're late 30s. But not usually in NYC). We order 2 overpriced drinks which are measured out exactly and provided.
    via u/nesnayu
  • 03
    We sit there for maybe 20 mins drinking and talking when I pay and tip $1.50 for the two drinks. Usually tip dollar per drink but when I feel unwelcome and there's no friendliness from the bartender I don't really feel compelled to.
    via u/nesnayu
  • 04
    Anyways I sign the check. My SO and I are in a middle of a conversation and this bartender comes over and pokes her head across the bar with the receipt pointing to the bottom saying "these are the suggested tip amounts" - like where it says 18%-this or 20% =that. This being middle of Manhattan a 20% tip would've been like $6. So she interrupts and I'm like Nodding with a sort of shucks look like "yeah I know but this is more
    via u/nesnayu
  • 05
    appropriate" and turn back to my partner. She repeats herself even louder (she's not a native english speaker) and point again with the receipt in my face, again interrupting us talking with each other mid sentence. At this point I'm p ed and just say "Well THATS all I'm paying" pointing to the $1.50 I already tipped. Only then she gives me shocked eyes and leaves.
    via u/nesnayu
  • 06
    If you want a tip be at least somewhat welcoming and pleasant, don't stare my ID down like I'm lying, take your time to even serve us or interrupt. You don't get to demand a 20% tip on an overpriced drink that you measured out to the T. I decide what I tip. At least this community will understand
    via u/nesnayu
  • 07

    People in the comments thought that server was incredibly impolite, and a lot of them said they'd tip nothing at all

    Federal-Carrot7930 That's where I'll go "My bad let me fix it" And correct it to $0.
    via u/Federal-Carrot7930
  • 08
    Majestic Writing296 Bartenders expecting a percentage instead of the dollar or two they've been getting for decades is next level nonsense.
    via u/Majestic_Writing296
  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10541148672
    via Yunus Tuğ For Unsplash+

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

  • 10
    Zen_5050 How's zero sound champ?
    via u/Zen_5050
  • 11
    No-Signature-2306 Meanwhile bartenders make 300% more per hour than anyone here.
    via u/No-Signature-2306
  • 12
    Then-Wealth-1481 You should check your credit card statement to ensure they didn't add more tips. People do that a lot lately.
    via u/Then-Wealth-1481
  • 13

    Most of us have probably never revoked a tip before, but there's a first time for everything!

    Yorudesu Nah. That pure audacity would make me ask for the 1.50 back. Something is wrong with that server.
    via u/Yorudesu

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customer service tips customers tipping restaurant bartender entitled restaurant work tipping culture entitled people
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