A man in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, set out to investigate a claim that a local restaurant forced its clients to tip no matter what. To his surprise, he encountered the same behavior other creators and viewers had reported, sparking viral debates online about tipping culture in America.
Jorge Mock shared his visit to Konnichiwa, a sushi, steak, and seafood restaurant. He is a food reviewer who often shares his impressions on a variety of local restaurants and their menus, and this was no exception. Thanks to the tipping controversy, the clip attached above went viral, becoming his biggest hit yet by garnering 7.2 million views, 446,900 likes, and more than 2,900 comments.
The North Carolina man decided to visit the restaurant after he caught wind of Konnichiwa’s reputation through another content creator named Kel. She claimed that a waitress had forced them to tip through a payment terminal, even though they selected no tip and said they planned on tipping in cash. The server even chose a $9 tip for them and took the terminal away when they refused.
Jorge sat down at Konnichiwa and ordered a Bang Bang Chicken, a Mama Rolls, Godzilla Rolls, and a water with lemon. He enjoyed the rolls, but the chicken was particularly dry. It felt, in his own words, “like a desert.” Another employee, who appeared to be one of the cooks, approached his table and told them that was the style of the Bang Bang Chicken. Jorge decided he didn’t want the chicken at all.
The moment of truth came. Jorge selected no tip on the payment terminal. The server immediately took it away and told him, “For dining, select for tips, please.” The North Carolina man refused, saying, “No, for the chicken. We didn’t like it.“
Jorgen told the server he was going to tip in cash. Contrary to what Kel reported, he was allowed to pay without selecting a tip on the machine. He did leave a cash tip on the table and then exited Konnichiwa.
North Carolina Reacts
The video sparked multiple responses, most from viewers who were fed up with how tipping was handled at the restaurant. One said, “That explains why it’s empty.” Another one commented, “Nobody forcing me to do nun.“
Some viewers came in support of the restaurant. One wrote, “If you’re sitting down and being served, tipping is not optional. Make at home.” Another one added, “If you dine in, tipping is not optional.” These comments were met with backlash, with some arguing that tipping was, in fact, optional.
In the end, Jorge confirmed the restaurant’s viral fame. He said, “Yeah, she definitely just tried to force us to tip. Kels, you were right. When you come here, they’re gonna force you to tip.”
