Entitled customer removes money from the tip jar to pay for his ice cream: 'Tell him he still owes you money'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 19, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

It's challenging to put an entitled customer in their rightful place. It's far more common for entitled customers to unjustifiably get on a high horse and assert a false sense of authority over employees in customer-facing roles. We all know that nine times out of ten, these individuals are in the wrong. Perhaps their general frustration is valid and understandable, but there is often no need to direct that frustration at the people who are trying to help you. In fact, those people might just be able to make your experience even worse if they so desire.

In this instance, an employee at an ice cream shop was in the middle of a shift when a customer who just completed his order realized that he was a few cents short when he was paying for his ice cream. As the employee noted, in this day and age, most customers in this situation would choose to pay via credit card or Apple Pay. We know this customer had at least one of those options at their disposal. However, he was so committed to paying in cash. You would think he would potentially opt for a cheaper order that he could use the cash he brought with him, right? Nope! Did he ask if any other customers were willing to lend him a few coins? Nope!

Instead, this guy had the audacity to reach into the tipping jar right in front of the employee and use that change to pay for the remainder of his order. You can just imagine how folks online reacted to this customer's unruly behavior.

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  • "Customer takes money out of tip jar"

    A large jar with a yellow note stuck on it reading "TIP" against a blurry background.
    via Sam Dan Truong

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • We have sympathy for the employee in this situation, who claimed the entire encounter happened so quickly that it was difficult to stop it from happening. Still, it's the principle of the matter. It doesn't matter if it's five cents or $500. Well, it sort of does, but regardless, this customer was worth chasing down the street if necessary to get him to, at the very least, apologize!

  • I work at a local ice cream store the customer's order was $5.05 a common price ordering a single item.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • This particular customer says he doesn't have coins with him today and reaches into our tip jar proceeds to takes a nickel out and pay with our tip for his ice cream.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • Most people in this situation pay with a larger bill or credit card no questions asked.
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  • His actions rubbed me the wrong way and felt wrong although it wasn't a significant amount just the idea of someone doing this. He is not a regular if that makes a difference.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • A young woman wearing a blue top and jeans stands with her hands up and jaw dropped with a look of shock and frustration against a black background.
    via Kajetan Sumila

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • RiotTown... Put the nickel back into the jar when he hands it to you, hold the five dollar bill in your hand, look at him, and repeat the total.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • Engineeringlcy8919 That's wild! People are so entitled. I know it's not a lot of money and had he asked for a nickel I'd give him one, but just to take one? that guy...but I wouldn't have said anything either.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • KindCommunicati... We ended up making lids with slots for our tip jars for this exact reason
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  • AwayAd1536. this one happened to me too!!!!! I was working at Dunkin' Donuts and a guy who had another dollar in front of me started going through our tip cup. I
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • stopped and I told him no. I informed him it was our tips and he was genuinely shocked I would not let him spend our tips on his order
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • CustomerFair2292 "that was really mean to take money out of my tip jar." call them out. point blank.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • Dependent_Price... you should have scraped a bit of the ice cream off the top & put it back in the tub
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  • shedevil71 I'd ask if he's in the habit of stealing and I wouldn't be quiet about it either. Doesn't matter if it's a Nickle or a 50 dollar bill.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • Not5id Remind him that that's the tip jar, not a "take a penny, leave a penny" dish.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • glemits Move it, to where he can't reach it, every time. Grab it.
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • Solid_Trainer_9809 Immediately tell him take his hands out of the employee. tip jar he is not an employee and is about to be arrested
    via Mission_Button_7188
  • <atmndoo Put the 5 cents back in the tip jar and tell him he still owes you money.
    via Mission_Button_7188

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customer service entitled customer customers tipping entitled customers entitled people karma entitled karen tipping culture entitled people
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