A Threads post showing a server’s reaction to a missing tip has sparked debate about tipping culture.
The post, which has amassed 4.5 million views since it was uploaded on December 16, was shared by @lionellsaidit2. It includes a photo of a receipt for a $33.06 meal with “0.00” written in the tip line and a handwritten note from the server after seeing the blank gratuity amount.
In the caption, the poster explained the situation: “On my holiday travels, I stopped and had breakfast. this occurred afterwards. I was gonna leave a cash tip……”
The image shows a note written on the receipt in bold red letters that says: “Learn to TIP. It’s not my job to serve you FOR FREE!”
The Threads user added a pointed criticism aimed at restaurant staff in the caption of the post, saying: “These servers are out of control, a lot of times they blocked their blessings for greed!”
The viral moment arrives as tipping culture continues to evolve—and for many, intensify—across the U.S. According to a 2023 study by the Pew Research Center, around 72 percent of U.S. adults say they are being asked to tip in more places today than five years ago.
The same survey found that more Americans oppose businesses suggesting tip amounts (40 percent) than favor it (24 percent), and approximately seven in 10 also oppose automatic service charges regardless of group size.
The report also found that more than half of Americans (57 percent) say they would tip 15 percent or less for an average sit‑down meal, while only a quarter tip 20 percent or more. For most diners (77 percent), the quality of service is the primary factor in deciding whether—and how much—to tip.
‘Tips Are Their Salary’ vs. ‘Reward for Kind Service’
The image in the viral Threads post struck a nerve online, feeding into broader national fatigue over expanding tipping expectations.
Several users argued that tipping should not be viewed as the customer’s obligation.
User @bcn_ya wrote: “Your job is literally serving diners. It’s your bosses job to pay you, not mine.”
Another user, @gaga.looie, insisted: “If you’re not getting paid by your EMPLOYER, that’s your fault. Tipping is OPTIONAL.”
Others echoed frustration with relying on tips to subsidize wages.
User @trice_the_bea commented: “U.S.A. should start learning how to pay its workers. Tips should be a reward for kind service, not their paycheck.”
User @mother_earth_101 added: “It’s your employer’s responsibility to pay you not your customers. Tips are for excellent service. Going above and beyond.”
But not everyone agreed. Some defended the server’s perspective, pointing to the realities of sub-minimum tipped wages.
User @azjohnsons responded: “Tips are their salary. Not a blessing. They worked and should be paid. Sorry for the frustrated note but I get it.”
User @lucy.vard challenged the idea that the server’s reaction was rooted in greed, explaining: “greed? in U.S. servers get a base salary of $2.13/hour on average. In most other countries it’s even less. The majority of the money they make is tips. We can argue that the system is broken, and restaurant owners should pay their employees, and, while valid, it’s a different point. This is how system works, and we shouldn’t punish people for the system’s imperfection. Tipping is customary in many places and people rely on it. It’s not greed.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via Threads.
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