'Single Mom, No Tip' Stirs Outrage: Should Patrons Have to Make Up for Low Wages?
A receipt photo uploaded to Reddit that uses the excuse of being a "single mom" to get out of tipping on a $138 bill has made the rounds on the internet, prompting a discussion about U.S. customs.
Internet users were left bemused when they discovered the photo of a receipt that was obtained from a diner. The check total was $138.35. But on the tip line the only thing that was written was a comment that read, "Single Mom. Sorry."
The non-existent tip seemed inexcusable, unless of course the service was inexcusable as well. However, the diner countered this notion by offering her compliments to the waiter at the bottom of the receipt.
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"Thank You it was Great," the diner added.
Most Internet user did not agree that being a single mom excuses anyone from not tipping for "great" service.
"I'm sure $140 could have gotten you and your kids a week's worth of groceries, but instead you spend it on one meal?!" PhoenixSongFawkes, who posted a photo of the receipt on Reddit, wrote. "For shame!"
According to Phoenix, who has been a server for seven years, according to Yahoo, and uploaded the picture for a fellow server friend, the fact that the diner didn't tip isn't the main point.
"It doesn't matter if she tipped or not," Phoenix wrote. "The point of this post was that her writing 'sorry single mom' was unnecessary."
The user went on to explain that serving was hard work both "mentally and physically" adding that servers only get paid $2.13 at that particular diner.
"If restaurants ever did change to just minimum wage, good servers would be hard to find. Because no one would work like that and put up with that for minimum wage," Phoenix added.
But others argued that tipping is only customary in the United States, some stating that it was ridiculous for patrons to have to make up the difference that restaurant owners were not paying their employees.
