People are Tipping Servers 100% on Bills for Heartwarming Reason
Eating out is more expensive than ever. The cost of food is ever inflating, making a typical hamburger and fry meal no longer the “value” it claims to be.
According to the USDA, the cost of eating out in June of this year was 2.8% more than it was in 2017, which may not seem like much.
But take into consideration the inflation trend, add a few friends to your tab, and before you know it, the cost of dining out at a casual restaurant has increased substantially.
Oh, and that doesn’t include the tip, either. Some generations are better at calculating a tip than others. Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are considered to be particularly poor tippers.
The New York Post reported that a shocking number of 1 in 10 millennials don’t even bother to leave a tip when they eat out.
This is sad considering many millenials are servers and bartenders themselves, and they know what it’s like to depend on a night’s tips.
However, a new trend on social media may be changing the terrible tipping game. The #TipTheBillChallenge is popping up everywhere.
Social media users are snapping photos of their receipts and using the popular hashtag, challenging others to tip 100% of their bill next time they eat out.
To this date, Instagram boasts over 1,500 #TipTheBillChallenge photos. One customer even folded their generous tip into the shape of a heart.
Many are rising to the occasion, often tipping more than the challenge’s 100%. Today reported that the challenge started in March, but posts are picking up speed in recent weeks.
Today also shared the story of a waitress from Napavine, Washington who reportedly received a $3,000 tip when the bill was only $44.
It’s really amazing what can happen when people hop on the “pay it forward” train. Kindness is infectious and a little more goes a long way.
“I love this challenge!” one Instagram user wrote. “I used to be a server for a very long time and know how much tips help!!!”
While smaller tabs may be easier to meet, some restaurant patrons aren’t shying away from tipping their entire bill — well into the hundreds range.
These amounts are something else, and the trend isn’t slowing down. I was a server back in the day and understand how disheartening it is when someone leaves little to no tip — which is why I am totally on board with the #TipTheBillChallenge.
We can’t change what servers get paid hourly, but we can make a difference with a bit of extra cash and a huge “thanks” to those who wait on us every day.
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