A Chili’s server went viral on TikTok after documenting how many tips she made during a “slow” night at work.
Kaitlin LaGoe (@kaitlinlagoe) posted the video, which chronicled how many tips she amassed at each table she served. As of Tuesday morning, her video had more than 9,500 views.
“Come w me to work at Chilis on Sunday!” she wrote via text overlay. Her enthusiastic opening, however, appeared to ebb as she detailed some of the lowball tips that some customers gave.
@kaitlinlagoe Slowwwww night tonight #serverlife #chilis #servertiktok ♬ SUBWAY SURFERS (Main Theme) – Subway Surfers
Her first table, for instance, left a $2 tip on a $24 bill. The table after that, LaGoe said, tipped $5 on a $75 bill.
The night got a little better for LaGoe, though. She said that she served a table that gave her a $6 tip for a $30 meal and another that gave her $12 for a $40 bill. On the whole, however, LaGoe said that she only made about $50 “after tip out.”
“Soo slow today,” LaGoe wrote via text overlay.
Commenters, including a number of fellow servers, empathized with her situation.
“As a chilis server I felt this,” one wrote.
“$3 on $80 would be the end for me,” another quipped.
“Some of these customers need to be ashamed,” a third person said.
Others advised LaGoe to leave Chili’s and work at a nicer restaurant if she wanted to see better tips.
“Work at a more upscale bar/dinner place,” one viewer recommended. “[Doesn’t] have to be too fancy but if ur good they’ll always tip 20-25%.”
“Dude go to a nicer restaurant,” another responded.
According to the Emily Post website, patrons eating at sit-down restaurants, including Chili’s, should tip between 15% and 20%. Still, tipping has become a hot topic of debate on TikTok, as servers continue to emphasize how integral tips are to their livelihood.
The Daily Dot has reached out to LaGoe via TikTok comment and to Chili’s by email.