Should I Tip the Owner of a Restaurant? Reddit Users Debate

Some Redditors really get locked in on tipping, like it’s a high-stakes moral math problem. This thread kicked off with an OP who says they always tip 20% as a baseline, because they understand what the service industry is like from the inside.

But the situation gets messy fast. OP and their wife went out, paid partly with a gift card, and tipped based on the pre-discount rate, which they felt was fair. Still, OP has a couple favorite spots where the owner is the one serving, and they claim the tips are not pooled in those locations. Then there’s the personal detail that makes it harder to ignore: when the owner serves, he’s rude, snappy, and sometimes hard to understand, mask and all.

Now OP is wondering if skipping a tip, or cutting it down, would make them the villain in their own story.

Original Post

Ok here me out. I'm American my wife is a chef and has worked in service industry still does.

I tip as a baseline 20% wherever I go. I went out with my wife this last weekend paid partially with.

Gift card and tipped off the pre discount rate I'm not an a*****e in that case But there are a few places I frequent were I know im being served by the owner of the restaurant I know they don't pool tips in the location I am frequenting. So WIBTA if I dotn tip in those situations because they don't need the supplement to their income?

Edit spelling. Note when the owner serves he is rude and snappy unlike when others in this location do.

He speaks real quick and is sometimes hard to understand him, mask doesn't help, and if I ask him to repeat himself because either didn't catch what he asked he gets upset. If an employee did that he'll I'd still tip 10% just cuz I don't know if they had a bad day and they don't get paid enough.

But this is any time he serves anyone I notice he does this with others as well. Note he's not a friend of my wife or someone she knows

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It’s a lot like the AITA fight over parents rejecting a partner’s cultural traditions.

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OP says the owner serving at certain restaurants is the whole reason this went from “always 20%” to “do I even have to?”

The gift card example shows OP is not trying to be cheap, they just want the tipping logic to match the situation.

Then the thread hits the emotional part, the owner gets upset if anyone asks him to repeat himself, even when he’s hard to hear.

The debate boils down to whether “they don’t pool tips here” and “he’s rude” cancels out the usual baseline tip.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Share your perspective in the comments below.

Nobody wants to tip extra for attitude, especially when the owner is the one dropping it on the table.

For another “do I even show up?” blowup, read about skipping a cousin’s wedding after they excluded a same-sex partner.