A server wants customers to start tipping more as inflation increases.
In his now-popular TikTok post, server Ben Raanan – who goes by the handle @blazikenben on the platform – got down on clients who actually leave a five or ten-dollar note as a tip, reminding individuals that it’s “not the 1950s” nor “the 2000s” any longer.
In the June 26 post – captioned “Tip ur f***ing servers” – Raanan says: “Inflation means that $10 is not worth that much anymore. You can’t just leave a little cute five, a little cute ten for your server, and think that that’s like fun and cute. It’s not fun and cute.”
He adds: “If your bill is like $50 you can leave ten, that’s 20 percent. If your bill was $200 and you leave me ten dollars, that’s five percent. That’s f***ed up. That’s a fucking insult.”
Check out the video here.
“If you come back to my f***ing restaurant after leaving me five percent – honestly, even ten percent – I’m gonna say something. I’m gonna be like, ‘Was there a problem with your service last time? Because you tipped 10%, 5% – and that is not a good tip at all.’ I’m going to put you on the spot.
“Servers, we honestly need to start doing that, because this is f***ed up, people shouldn’t be doing that.
“If you don’t know how to calculate a tip – take the bill, move its decimal point, that’s 10%. Double it, that’s 20% – that’s what you should tip.”
People flooded the post’s comment section after amassing over 150,000 views.
There were many who agreed with Ben. One of them said, “If you can’t afford to tip 18-20%, you can’t afford to eat out.”
Ben clearly agreed with this sentiment, as he replied: “Literally like why does your brokenness have to come out of my tip??”
Another TikToker added: “If you can afford to run up a $200 bill you can afford to tip properly […] If you don’t wanna tip go to McDonald’s.”
Some people argued that Ben should be complaining about the system rather than the customers.
“Come at your employers with that,” one person commented. “They making bank not paying you while you are mad at the wrong people. How do they get away with paying $2.”
Another agreed, writing: “I get it, but if your employer paid you a liveable wage, then we as the consumers shouldn’t have to tip you anything…”
Some people said that low tips are just part of the job as a server.
One person commented: “I tip based on the service and quality of my food (temp) If you respect me I respect you, But never think YOU are entitled to a tip.”
Another TikToker agreed, writing: “I tip when the food is good and the service is above and beyond. You aren’t entitled to a 20% tip, if you don’t like it then get another job.”
However, to this comment, Ben made another video, in which he explained: “If I’m not entitled to a tip, you’re not entitled to good service. Guess what? You take for granted the nice experience you have at restaurants.”
