Tipping already has a bad rep among many online communities, so it’s easy to understand why plenty were upset when an Oklahoma restaurant seemingly threatened its customers to tip staff. Reddit user Most-Significance910 posted a photo to r/EndTipping, claiming that the picture was a display of “the worst tip sign I’ve ever seen.” On a chalkboard, the sign read that the staff remembers customers who do and don’t tip, quite the telling and bold statement to make.
“This is a place where you line up to order and they bring it to your table. No drink refills or anything,” Most-Significance910 added, seemingly implying that the service at the restaurant wasn’t even worth tipping. For people wondering how much the staff was expecting to be tipped, OP responded, saying that the workers were expecting 18, 20, and 25 percent of the total bill. Needless to say, this plus the disturbing signage didn’t sit too well with people.
Reddit Condemned the Oklahoma Restaurant Sign’s Implied Threat to Customers
“Threatening first-time customers is one heck of a strategy,” remarked a Redditor, thousands upvoting the comment in agreement. “Wow, that’s just a crazy sign!” exclaimed another user. “It’s like a threat they’ll spit in your food? That’s where my mind goes anyway lol.”
“Yeah I am not eating there,” chimed in a third. “Don’t worry, I will not return here for sure, as I have great memory myself as well!” joked a fourth. Countless others shared a similar sentiment: a sign at a restaurant like that would be the reason they would leave, never to come back.
Several people pointed out how passive-aggressively rude the Oklahoma restaurant’s sign was, with some accusing the boss of gaslighting staff into blaming customers for them not receiving a decent-enough paycheck. Others claimed the owner might have made the sign and was allegedly warning customers of bad service if they didn’t pay his low-paid staff with tips.
No one in the comments supported the restaurant, which isn’t surprising, considering the post’s subreddit is r/EndTipping. Still, as one person aptly puts it, “people like this will use any little rational to vilify you,” and someone who tries shamelessly vilifying their own customer base doesn’t deserve good business.
