Why I Dont Tip Over 10% When Dining Solo - Am I the A**hole?

Some diners treat tipping like a moral exam, and one Redditor is not here for it. This story is all about a solo meal, a quiet table, and the weird pressure that shows up when the server simply does their job.

The OP says they show up polite, order what they want, and clean up after themselves. All they feel they should need is the basics: bring the drink, handle the bill, move on. But when the check comes, they feel guilted into tipping more than they think is necessary, even though they hoped to spend just $10 to $20 and keep it simple.

Then they drop the line that really sparks the comments, because apparently they would even get their own drink if they were allowed.

Original Post

One person. Polite, knows what they want, cleans up after themselves.

This requires nothing more of my server than to bring my drink. I'd ideally spend $10 to $20.

I just feel guilted into applying a superfluous charge to my bill. When all I wanted was a sit down meal.

S**t, I'd get my own drink if I was allowed. Circumstances notwithstanding.

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Also, this feels like the sister-versus-parenting drama behind the AITA about skipping her gender reveal.

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Right away, the OP frames it as “one person, one meal,” but the guilt spiral starts the moment the server hands over the bill.

The OP even jokes that if circumstances allowed it, they’d get their own drink, which is exactly where the debate gets spicy.

In the comment section, usernames like u/Speedingpenguin and u/salty_mushroom get pulled into the same question: was the OP being stingy, or just realistic?

By the time the thread hits the wild takes from u/IkilledAbel and u/Callmesassypants, it’s no longer about $10 to $20, it’s about whether “solo dining” changes the rules.

How would you handle this situation? Let us know in the comments.

Now the OP is stuck wondering if they’re the a-hole for tipping less, even though they think they only asked for what they paid for.

For another fight over money and caregiving, read what happened when a sibling demanded an equal split.