The life of a server isn’t easy.
They deal with impatient customers, their fair share of Karens , and bad tippers.
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Since the minimum wage in the U.S. is $2.13 an hour, servers rely heavily on the tips they make.
This was made more than evident when one server on TikTok showcased her ONE penny earnings for six weeks of work…
In case you’re unfamiliar with how servers get paid in the U.S., here’s a quick lesson.
It’s perfectly legal for establishments to pay their workers a minimum wage of $2.13, so long as that amount, combined with tips received, equals the federal minimum wage.
Typically, the government views a “tipped employee” as someone who regularly earns more than $30 in tips per month.
As a result, servers complaining about their pay on TikTok is nothing new.
A few months ago, Aaliyah Cortez, a bartender and server at a local sports bar, showed how she made a measly $9 for 70+ hours of work! Her viral video has been viewed millions of times.
She made the video as a “PSA” that highlights the importance of tipping.
“This is why you tip,” she said while zooming in on the small number of $9.28 for 70 hours of work.
While her final pay was supposed to be $150.81, a large chunk of that was deducted from social security, medicare, and federal income tax.
Now, another server on TikTok has sparked a tipping debate on the app.
@lvndsmac blasted her company for paying her a single penny for six weeks of work. “THE [EXPLETIVE] IMA DO WITH ONE PENNY STEVEN!!!!!!!” she joked in the caption of the video, which has been viewed more than 1.8 million times.
“Life of a server…this is 6 weeks of ‘pay’ TIP YOUR SERVERS!!!” the text overlay on the video read.
While @lvndsmac was passionate about tipping, her PSA fell on deaf ears to some. This ended up sparking a huge debate in the comments of her video.
One believed that the responsibility fell on employers.
“I always tip, but restaurants need to pay you guys,” they wrote.
“Blame the business you’re working for, not the consumers. In other countries, they don’t need to tip because they pay livable wage,” another wrote.
A third compared tipping culture to a trash can.
“Blame these corporations for not paying you,” they commented. Some were against tipping culture in general. “It’s not my job to pay your bills I got my own bill to pay,” one wrote.
“Not my job to tip I never do,” another added with a smirk.
Many had little sympathy for the server’s measly check.
They even put the onus on her to get another job. “Why are you still working there YOU COULD JUST LEAVE. Like why would I work for free and blame someone else,” one user harshly commented.
Some even suggested that she get a “real job.”
“Yeah providing service requires tips I get that but why work at a restaurant get a real job where you don’t have to rely on tips,” they wrote.
One even pointed out that the check is so low because the server is making enough on her tips.
The negative comments did not impress other servers on the app.
“I’m laughing at this comment section!” one commenter wrote. “So much ignorance and selfishness… like people are literally serving you and you don’t have the respect to tip?” “These comments IM ENRAGED BRO,” another wrote.
As the lively debate continued, some servers even sided with the non-tippers.
“I’ve worked in hospitality for as long as I can remember and it shouldn’t be up to the servers to pay you bills,” this user commented.
Another server shared how she easily makes over four grand a month being a server. Clearly, the debate on this subject could go on and on!
