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‘It’s a self fulfilling prophecy’: Teens get seated at restaurant. Then their server never returns

‘Was gonna give you 1 mil but nvm.’

Photo of Melody Heald

Melody Heald

3 Panel Image, Girl wit yellow shirt and glasses holding yellow drink, and girl drinking a pink drink.

There is a misconception that young people don’t tip due to a lack of money and unawareness of proper tipping etiquette. Two teenagers say they were on the receiving end of this assumption when they went to a restaurant together.

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In an eight-second clip, Nevaeh (@nott.vaeh_) records her friend sitting across from her in a restaurant booth, dipping her straw into her drink, appearing perplexed. The camera shifts to Navaeh doing the same, searching around the restaurant.

“When we get ghosted by the server because of the ‘teens don’t tip’ theory,” she writes in the text overlay of the video.

To lighten the situation, Nevaeh jokes in the caption, “Was gonna give you 1 mil but nvm.”

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The Daily Dot reached out to Nevaeh via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment.

The video has racked up over 915,000 views since April 22.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Many viewers side with Nevah and her friend, calling the outcome a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” A self-fulfilling prophecy is when someone—in this case, the server—makes assumptions about another person—the customers. That assumption is what leads to both individuals acting in a way that confirms the preconceived expectations, and that cycle continues.

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“It’s a self fulfilling prophecy. Waiters give bad service, teens are not gonna tip well for bad service and then it just continues,” one viewer wrote.

“LMAOOO literally I ALWAYS tip good but the second I catch this vibe their tip goes down to whatever evens out my total,” a second commented.

A third added, “Sometimes teens tip me better than adults bc most of the time they’re in the service industry too.. it’s the easiest jobs to get when you’re a teen.”

Which generation tips their server the most?

A survey cited by the New York Post debunks the assumption that young people are poor tippers. According to the survey, millennials (1981-1996) are the best tippers. Second place belongs to Gen Z (1997-2012). And Baby Boomers (1946-1964) reportedly have the worst ranking, according to the server.

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Overall, most people tip depending on the server’s hospitality, regardless of age.

@nott.vaeh_ was gonna give you 1 mil but nvm. #foryou ♬ suara asli – Zhao Zun – thistifnyy-06q

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