A Hooters server went viral on TikTok after calling out customers who are mad about the fact that the restaurant adds an automatic gratuity to its bills.
In the short clip, TikToker Lo (@onthelola) and her coworker, Reja, are standing in the restaurant with a text overlay that reads, “When the strawberry lemonades are mad at automatic gratuity.” The text refers to the customers who come in to order a drink with no food and then get mad about the fact that they have to pay a mandatory tip.
@onthelola Ft. Reja 😂😂 but no fr the gratuity not coming off y’all ran me ragged 🙃 #hootergirl #hooters #serverlife #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – igetbannedsomuch
Sometimes customers at Hooters are known to ask servers to remove automatic tips, but Lo explains that she refused in this case. “But no fr the gratuity not coming off ya’ll ran me ragged,” she wrote in the caption.
Lo received 79,300 views on the video and viewers weren’t shy to sound off in the comments section, letting the TikToker know their thoughts about the fact that she receives mandatory tips.
A number of people were shocked that Lo’s Hooters location required an automatic gratuity from customers.
“Yall got automatic gratuity!? I wish my location did,” one person said.
“We don’t have [automatic gratuity] I’m so jealous,” said another.
One user who allegedly works at Hooters recounted an incident with a customer who was displeased about the automatic gratuity system. “I had someone yesterday say they were going to call their bank and dispute [the] $5 auto grat….like okay,” they wrote.
It seems that customers who order strawberry lemonade have a reputation at Hooters for being demanding customers who don’t automatically leave a gratuity, regardless of what they order.
“Someone orders a strawberry lemonade means you are getting ran around the store for no tip,” said one user.
“The strawberry lemonade drinkers are the first red flag,” warned another.
“They always want the most refills,” added a third.
“I’m so triggered to order strawberry lemonade at restaurants bc I KNOW y’all triggered by it,” said one thoughtful user. Lo responded in agreement, “Bc I be 6 table deep and if they not in front of ppl in 2 minutes they throw a fit. I’m DEF not doing refills it’s literally just a time thing.”
Other workers also claimed that in addition to Hooters customers being annoyed about the automatic gratuity, having to explain that the restaurant also charges for refills was usually an awkward conversation servers were forced to have.
“LOL we have to charge $1 per refill and that is always a fun conversation,” said one user.
One person argued that given the nature of Hooters restaurants and the fact that employees are known to earn as little as $2.13 an hour, it’s only right that customers should be made to pay an automatic gratuity. “Hooters should 100% have auto grat on every bill. Ppl admittedly come there to look at the women like that’s not normal restaurant behavior,” they claimed
The Daily Dot reached out to Lo via Instagram direct message and to Hooters via email.
