A California bar thought a group of young customers deserved to be called out for leaving what it considered a “lousy tip.”
But after the establishment aired its complaint on social media over the weekend of October 10 and 11, the backlash quickly turned against the business itself.
Instead of winning sympathy for its staff, the post sparked calls for a boycott, with critics questioning why the bar would publicly shame customers who had just spent hundreds of dollars there.
One person commented, “That’s disgusting! Tip shaming needs to stop. No one knows how good or bad a service people got.”
The Salty Dawg Tavern in Orange, California, mocked four young customers for leaving what it considered a small tip
The controversy began when the Salty Dawg Tavern shared a photo of the receipt on its Instagram Story.
The Salty Dawg Tavern shared a receipt showing a $375.24 bill and a $25 tip, mocking the group for spending nearly $400 but leaving what the bar considered an inadequate gratuity.
The establishment then added a pointed caption aimed at the four young people it had served.
Mart-production/Pexels (not the actual photo)
“To the four young people served for hours. Spent $400 like a baller and tipped like they were splitting a happy meal,” the bar wrote.
A $25 tip in this case is about 6.7%, well below the 15% to 20% often suggested for full-service dining in the United States.
The screenshot then circulated on Reddit, where users criticized the tavern’s decision to publicly shame its customers.
Once the screenshot reached Reddit’s r/EndTipping community, the response was swift.
Social media users slammed the bar for “tip shaming” and urged people to boycott the establishment
“Ridiculous that the business posted this and should be happy people are spending money at their establishment. If you can’t pay your employees enough, you should shut the doors!” one commenter wrote.
Another person commented, “This is a totally new level of entitlement to post it on social media,” before adding that it was “a dumb thing for a business to say.”
“Basically posting to social media that they don’t appreciate their customers. Nice. Boycott this sh**hole,” a third user declared.
Others explained, “I don’t really care when servers complain about their tips if they get a bad one, we all complain about our jobs at some point, but the actual business owner posting this on the official business page is really off-putting.”
“If they think their waitstaff is entitled to more money for their work, then it is on them to make that happen,” one comment read.
Several commenters also argued that employers should take greater responsibility for paying their employees rather than placing the burden on customers.
Some commenters argued that the bar should pay its staff fairly instead of blaming customers for low tips
“That level of entitlement is honestly gross! $400 should be enough to pay your servers,” one person wrote.
Another commenter wrote, “Perhaps the ‘tip’ they begrudgingly gave you is reflective of this position. Do better maybe or accept a likable wage from your employer.”
“Your employer should pay you properly. If they don’t you should find a job that actually takes care of you. Not my job as a person who also works pretty hard for what they have to write your paycheck.”
KoolShooters/Pexels (not the actual photo)
While leaving a gratuity is an established social norm at many full-service establishments in the United States, customers and workers continue to disagree over how much is appropriate and who should ultimately bear responsibility for employees’ earnings.
As the screenshot spread, the controversy became a reputational problem for the Salty Dawg Tavern.
Users on Reddit reported that the establishment deleted the Instagram Story about six hours after posting it.
More and more businesses are taking to social media to shame customers over their tipping habits
As of this writing, the bar has not issued a formal public response to the backlash.
This latest controversy is part of a broader trend in which establishments or servers use social media or direct confrontation to shame customers over low tips.
Earlier this month, a group of diners at Ari and Mia’s Small Town Cafe in Miamitown, Ohio, were allegedly confronted and chased down by the restaurant’s owner after leaving without a tip.
The owner followed them into the street and reportedly told them, “You’re just not welcome back here,” effectively banning them from the establishment.
A video of the confrontation racked up millions of views on TikTok, sparking a widespread debate about tipping culture.
“This is embarrassing. Publicly shaming your customers on your Instagram story over a tip?!” one person fumed online
