TikTok creator Amelia Bedelia, who posts under the username @aserverinreallife, sparked a debate about tipping after sharing a breakdown of her earnings from a five-hour serving shift.
Bedelia said she expected the shift to be slow, but ended up earning $720 in tips. Her video showed individual tips ranging from $6 to $160, including $30 on a $165.08 bill, $80 on a $377.01 bill and $50.04 on a $244.96 check.
Server’s reaction to smaller tips draws criticism
Some viewers criticized the way Bedelia described several of the tips she received. After getting $7 on a $48.99 bill, she called it a ‘whopping’ $7. When a $299.27 bill resulted in a $50.58 tip, she referred to it as “only” $50.
@aserverinreallife Should be leaving with $720! But this isn’t bad on what was supposed to be a slow night. We actually got a decent pop. 5-10 pm shift #fyp #serverlife #server #serverproblems #servertiktok
The video showed Bedelia receiving a $160 tip on a $781.72 bill, $80 on a $377.01 bill and $63 on a $310.99 bill. She said she earned $720 in tips during the five-hour shift, but that some of the money would go toward tip-outs, leaving her with $438.
That $438 figure also drew attention in the comments. One viewer calculated that the amount worked out to $87.60 per hour over five hours and questioned why Bedelia appeared dissatisfied with some of the tips.
“Tipping is optional,” one commenter wrote. Other viewers argued that customers should not be responsible for paying a server’s wages.
“Complaining about a $50 tip is so crazy,” one person noted. Another user commented, “The audacity to say: they left only 50.”
Viewers debate tipping expectations
The discussion expanded into comparisons between tipping practices in the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries. Some commenters said tipping is less central to restaurant culture where they live and that they would be satisfied simply rounding up the bill.
Others defended tipping, pointing to the demands of serving jobs, which can include delivering food and drinks while managing multiple tables. Much of the debate centered on whether customers should be expected to contribute directly to a server’s income.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify Bedelia’s earnings, the details of the shift or the claims made in the video. The story is based on information shared by @aserverinreallife on TikTok.
Image Credit: TikTok| @aserverinreallife
