It’s well-worn ground at this point: service staff in the US get a raw deal in base pay, but tipping culture typically plugs the gaps. In many cases, tips make up the bulk of a service worker’s earnings on the other side of the pond.
Considering how challenging it can be to work in hospitality, from gruelling shifts to unreasonable customers, it’s fair to assume that most people in the industry really do earn those tips.
One TikToker’s pay packet from a three-hour shift has got some casual tippers reconsidering how much they put down, however, with some saying she’s getting overpaid. Who says the milk of human kindness has dried up?
Amanda, posting on TikTok under @amanda4xx in 2023, shared her takings from a three-hour waitressing shift at Texas Roadhouse.
She said it had been a “slow day” before breaking down her tips per table alongside her hourly rate.
Across nine tables, with “the majority” tipping via credit card meaning some tips were yet to come through, Amanda made $150.14 in tips. Not too shabby for three hours’ work.
Her tips certainly dwarfed her base pay of $9 per hour, amounting to $27 across the shift before tax.
The total between her tips and wages came to $177.14, or $59 per hour. Considering many doctors in the US earn less than that per hour, it’s very good going for just three hours at Texas Roadhouse.
Sadly, people aren’t allowed to have nice things, and commenters were quick to try and poison Amanda’s glee.
"I need to lower my tips,” said one bona fide Ebenezer. “Thanks for sharing."
"For now on instead of tipping the waiter I’ll just buy a round of drinks for the cooks," said another miser.
A third added: "Been seeing a lot of these videos lately and it helped realize I need to lower how much I tip, thank you." Grim.
"I’m tipping two bucks next time," said another misery guts.
Thankfully, some pleasant people were on-hand too: "Always tip 20 percent, she’s obviously is a good server. Get that cash."
"$59 an hour sounds good until you realize you have to pay taxes on that, plus you don’t get health etc so it’s really $20hr at most," a second added.
"Great job!” said another. “It’s not easy putting up with people every day."
Sadly for Amanda, and perhaps the rest of us, it seems the best course of action would be to keep her tips to herself.
Featured Image Credit: Catherine McQueenTopics: TikTok
Rachael Davis