In most places in the United States, servers don’t receive much in payment from their employers. The tipped minimum wage in much of the United States is just $2.13 per hour, meaning that a server could work a full 40-hour workweek and receive only $85.20 from their employer, pre-tax.
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Given this, it’s no surprise that servers make the majority of their income from tips—and have employed a variety of methods to increase the amount they receive. For example, one server documented their experience wearing pheromone perfume to get more tips. Another server claimed that she got more tips while wearing her hair in pigtails.
That said, this required focus on tips can have negative consequences for diners, as TikTok user Cathryn (@cathrynakers) recently revealed in a video with over 2 million views.
Why were these diners ignored by their server?
In her video, Cathryn shows herself and a friend eating at a Cheesecake Factory location.
“Just 2 girls getting neglected by their server be we’re obviously under 18 and they think we will tip badly,” she wrote in the text overlaying the video.
Immediately, commenters jumped in to say that they’ve had similar experiences.
“I always tip 20%+ even if the service is bad but ngl I hate being underestimated by a complete stranger,” wrote a user.
“What they don’t realize is, if you neglect us we won’t tip good bc we’re not getting good service. it has nothing to do with age (at least for me and my friends),” added another.
But is there any truth to the idea that younger people are worse tippers than older people?
Which generation tips the best?
Answering the question of which generation tips the best is a little more complicated than one might expect.
For example, a survey from SpotOn claimed that restaurant workers stated that Gen X tipped the best, followed by Millennials, Baby Boomers, Gen Z, and the Silent Generation, with the latter two being regarded as the least generous.
Additionally, people in Gen Z have been found to tip less often than their older counterparts. However, this includes all services, like barbers and home maintenance, and not just restaurant bills.
These points may lead some to believe that Gen Z members tip less; available data shows that this isn’t always the case.
For example, as reported by Newsweek in December 2024, Gen Z members are reportedly more comfortable with tipping for a variety of services than their older counterparts. That said, Gen Z is less likely to view tipping as a necessity, as industry analysts report a widespread belief amongst the generation that paying employees should be the responsibility of the employer, not the customer.
Gen Z is not alone in their distaste for tipping. While requests for tips have become more common in recent years, customers now appear to be getting more choosy regarding who they tip. According to Bankrate, 75% of adults reported always leaving a tip at sit-down restaurants in 2021; by 2023, that number was only 65%.
@cathrynakers @meher ♬ Thirteendegrees DA PROBLEM SOLVA – thirteendegreez
Returning to the comments section, many users voiced their belief that tipping should not be a requirement—and that, if one receives poor service, they should not feel obligated to leave a tip.
“Bad service = 0% tip even on a 300 dollar bill,” declared a user.
“I should not be paying your wage sorry not sorry,” added another. “I only tip if i feel like it.”
“Tip culture has gone too far. bad service = bad/no tip. average service = average tip. great service = great tip,” stated a third. “Youre tipping for SERVICE, it is NOT REQUIRED. good tips are earned!!”
The Daily Dot reached out to Cathryn via email and Cheesecake Factory via email.
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