A server in Los Angeles was working his shift when a group of four teenagers walked into the restaurant. They were heading to their homecoming dance and dining alone at an upscale restaurant for the first time. The server took it upon himself to give them a good experience. However, at the end of the meal, the teenagers left him a meager tip of $3.28.
“There is nothing more frustrating than when I get little or nothing for a tip and the customer smiles and thanks me profusely as they leave,” he said.
Despite his frustration, the waiter decided to move on and forget about that night. But ten days later, he received a letter from the children. The letter was full of praise for his service, as well as an apology and a good tip.
“Sorry on behalf of my group”
Despite this incident in 2018, the letter was a testament to teens’ mindfulness and growth. Not to mention the importance of tipping the waiters well! Here is what the letter said:
“About a week and a half ago, October 7, my 3 friends and I came to eat at this restaurant for our own homecoming party. It was an exciting experience for us to be alone here, and it was all new to us. And you were the best waiter we could ask for. You were kind, helpful, accommodating, you didn’t treat us like babies and you were even able to adapt the food to all my allergies! So I wanted to thank you for making the “adult” experience so amazing and fun.
“I would also like to say sorry on behalf of my group. Since we were new to all of this, our 14 year old minds weren’t quite sure how to handle the bill. You were a big help in splitting the check and taking our not so preferable money. The bill was reasonable, but we completely forgot (and frankly didn’t know) what a tip even was, let alone how much to give.
“So we emptied our pockets and all our money came to $3.28. Not knowing how little it really was, we left, ignoring what we left you for all your hard work. Later, we realized our mistake and felt HORRIBLE We knew we had to do it right.
“So in that envelope you’ll find the correct 18% tip + extra for being just amazing. We appreciate your help and patience, and thank you for making our evening fun. Thank you! – The 4 teenagers from that night.[1]
Read: Salt Bae’s Overpriced Restaurant – How Smart People Make Money From Idiots
Dear Sir Server
Letter from teenagers to their waiter, apologizing for their bad tip
“I’ve been serving for a long time,” the server said when he posted photos of the letter on Imgur. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me or anyone [I know]. I don’t know how you learned or learned to tip, but I really appreciate the effort and kindness. I hope that your feedback has been fantastic.
Letter from teenagers to their waiter, apologizing for their bad tip
How to tip
Tipping expectations in restaurants often depend on the culture and its service industry. In the United States, tipping is considered common practice. Although not legally required, it is considered poor etiquette or unethical to leave a poor tip or no tip at all. This is because restaurants are legally allowed to pay their employees below minimum wage, allowing tips to offset the rest of their payment.
Therefore, tips can represent more than 60% of employees’ overall income. Keep in mind that it’s common for servers to split their tips with other staff like cooks and busses who don’t receive tips from customers.
