Server Calls Out Customers for Gaslighting to Avoid Tipping
A server has taken to TikTok to vent her frustration after claiming an elderly couple gaslit her to avoid leaving a tip. The video, shared by TikTok user Kaitlynn Marie (@kadiekaii), has sparked a wave of empathy from fellow service industry workers, amassing over 23,000 views.
What Happened?
In the video, Kaitlynn recounts an interaction with a seemingly sweet elderly couple who dined at her restaurant the night before. According to her, the couple initially seemed polite and eager to enjoy their visit, mentioning they had come specifically for dessert. However, they ordered entrees as well—chicken for him, steak for her, along with a lemonade and water.
“They were really sweet. I loved going over to them,” Kaitlynn says. “I asked them multiple times if they liked their food, how everything was. They all said everything was great multiple times.”
Things took a turn when Kaitlynn brought takeout boxes to their table. At that point, the wife complained about her steak. Kaitlynn apologized, offered to refire the dish, and even suggested taking it off the bill, but the couple declined. Instead, they enjoyed the dessert they’d originally come for.
When Kaitlynn dropped off the check—which included only the chicken and dessert the couple had consumed—the mood soured further.
The Lemonade Complaint
As Kaitlynn was preparing to attend to another table, the husband confronted her. “This was the worst service I’ve ever had in my life,” she recalls him saying. Surprised, she asked what the issue was, to which the man responded that she hadn’t asked him how he liked his lemonade. He claimed it was sour and used this as a justification for not leaving a tip.
Reactions from the TikTok Community
The video quickly drew support from viewers, many of whom shared their own experiences and frustrations with similar customer behavior.
- “‘How is everything?’ kinda covers it,” one commenter wrote. Kaitlynn replied, “Right. Like, do I need to hold your hand?”
- Another user with service experience added, “I always used to say, ‘How’s everything tasting?’ as a blanket statement for food and drink. I’m so confused lol.”
- A long-time server chimed in: “Twenty-six years of serving and I have never asked how a lemonade was.”
Kaitlynn agreed, stating, “RIGHT. I can MAYBE understand asking about a specialty lemonade, but a standard one? Really?”
One viewer summed up the sentiment, writing, “Don’t need to gaslight the service just because you are too cheap to tip.” Kaitlynn replied, “Honestly.”
A Larger Pattern?
This incident isn’t the first time frivolous complaints have surfaced in customer-service interactions. Kaitlynn’s story echoes other viral moments where patrons seemingly used minor grievances to justify poor tipping—or worse, to get their bills discounted.
For many servers, Kaitlynn’s experience highlights an all-too-familiar frustration in the service industry: balancing genuine care for customers with navigating unreasonable demands.
