Well I always tip but no that’s not normal he forgot it happens
Not acceptable on the waitress’s part to ever confront any customer about a tip directly, but allow your almost adult son to learn conflict resolution, dealing with uncomfortable situations and circumstances level headed and rational. It’s the world. He needs to learn how to navigate in it without mom all the time…
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That was un call for !
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I would of asked to speak to manger
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That’s so fucked up. He’s a kid and it happens. No waitress ever should confront someone about not tipping. No where in the customer service handbook would it say have confrontation with a customer. If it was m kid I’d be contacting the manager because her behavior effects his business and I highly doubt he wants a waitress confronting customers and embarrassing people.
I not only would have not tipped her I would have contacted her manager. That’s unprofessional and gross behavior. I’ve been a server for a long time. You win some you lose some. What nerve that woman has!! I’m sorry your boy went through this. I would be calling and asking for a manager.
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There is nothing that says you have to tip, yes you should but if you forget oh well. Maybe it was bad service…the waitress doesn’t get the right to demand a tip. After confronting him I would have considered it bad service and not have tipped because at that point it kinda seems like begging.
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That’s not right . Call the manager about her
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Maybe her service sucked and she didn’t deserve a tip…
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No you’re not being overprotective. She should’ve let it pass.
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As server, servers make less than minimum wage due to they rely on the tips of customers to make up the rest most servers make well more than minimum wage from their tips. If you can’t afford to tip don’t go out to a sit down restaurant where tips are expected. This kid forgot I get it it happens but the server didn’t know that she simply said something to him I feel like the mom is taking it to an extreme level, if the kid feels how he feels he is more than welcome to write a review or email to the manager so that that server can be talked to. I personally will not ask a customer why they didn’t tip but I will remember you next time and instead of me giving 100% when I take care of you my other tables will come 1st you need another drink great when my tables that tip me are taken care of and caught up on whatever they need I will gladly refill your drink. I know plenty of servers that will say something to someone who doesn’t tip. Alot servers only serve so its their only source of income and they rely on it, fortunately I work it as my second job because I still enjoy it and love meeting new people and love my regulars❤
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Servers aren’t supposed to do that. But then again customers aren’t supposed to bail on tipping. Maybe he’ll remember to tip from now on.
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Tips are earned not demanded
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Wish I knew restaurant, so I would avoid, don’t need a WAITRESS holding me up for ransoms! 
she’s a loser, belongs at mcD
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I believe it’s very rude for a server to call someone out for not tipping there are so many very well to do folks that don’t tip and use the excuse you chose your job I don’t agree with that but some people just like to go out once in awhile and don’t even think about the tip
You tip according to your ability and the amount reflects the quality of service
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No. You. Are. Not. She. Had. No rite.
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No, that is bullshit! I waitressed and wouldn’t get a tip. I said nothing. Especially a young person. I bet she doesn’t make many tips…not a good person
No. She was wrong. No matter how anyone sees it, she had no right to demand anything
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I definitely would not have gone back in to give her a tip if she followed me out and confronted me, but that’s just me. 
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I always tip if decent service but with her approaching like that I don’t know if would have tipped and I won’t tip or decent tip if service is horrible
NOOOO no that is NOT ok! She should be fired for it as well. You absolutely never confront a customer because you didn’t get a tip. I especially after that would not have left her nothing than a dime.
Edit: I was a waitress for a very long time. Times I didn’t get what I deserved but I never followed a customer out to let them know they didn’t tip me. Know a days that will get you shot. Regardless if you make less than min wage, at that time I mad $3.15 a hour plus tips…and I never said a thing. U let it go.
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I’m from Australia where tipping is rare cos our workers are paid decent wages they can live off but if this happened to be my petty ass would tip 5c 
Actually I would call or go by there since they are local and complain to her supervisor about it. That was not ok that she did that.
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I recently had one follow me to the front register. I was planning to shop in the store but she came right up and asked how much I planned to leave. She told me if I had money to shop I had money for a nice tip.
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I wonder if she would’ve did this to someone older, it seems she just picked at him because she felt she could because of his age. You have every right to be upset!
Not in a million years ( or unless I’m quitting z) would I confront someone about a tip. Bad behavior, yes! But not a tip. That’s a firing offence
That has got to be the rudest thing I have ever heard, I would call that restaurant and wouldn’t care if she got fired she don’t deserve to be working in service .Tips are earned not required.
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Unacceptable. I would not tip her because she demands getting tipped, she thinks she’s entitled. Good service or awesome service earns a tip. Everyone is human and can forget, I am sure others forget. Surely she makes enough money in her weekly wages and tips. Some places incorporate a tip in the bill, so tip should not be expected
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I went to a Hooters one time in Atlanta. The food was terrible, we had to ask for stuff almost the whole night because it wasn’t being brought to us (like refills, silverware, the sauce we asked for like 5 times, etc…) we tipped like $1. She chased us out of the restaurant and demanded we tip her more. I wrote an email to her store manager later that night to let him know how awful she was. 
I’ve been a server on and off for 18 years. I tip very well when you deserve it, and honestly still usually 15% when you truly don’t deserve it, but this entire dining experience was awful. And we had been to a Hooters elsewhere before where we had good food and service, this girl was just straight bad at her job.
She should not have confronted him…I’m a waitress and I never do that…sometimes people forget to tip…rude on her part
I worked at a hatted restaurant and people only tipped if they really enjoyed the service or food. At least in NZ, I, nor any of my co-workers would have asked for a tip, it’s up to how much we impressed our customers
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That server is absolutely in the wrong. Regardless of if tips are the only means to live on, who gives a flying flip - they’re not guaranteed to begin with and there are always more tippers and those who over-tip on a regular basis. If your son didn’t leave a tip on purpose or accidental, so be it. In addition, that wouldn’t EVER justify giving lousy service the next time this server sees him, if she does remember him.
As a former restaurant manager, if I ever found out my servers were chasing customers down for tips, they’d be fired. That’s bad service on their part, harassment, and giving the company a bad name. In addition, that’s taking advantage of someone.
If your son doesn’t call and speak with a manager about this, I sure hope you do.
This boy was able to afford a bill for food - that guaranteed the server still had a job to go to. The tip, while many expect it, is not required - that’s why it’s optional on a receipt.
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Thank goodness we don’t have this here in Australia.
You can tip whoever you like but you don’t have to tip at all.
I mean do you guys still tip if the waiter is rude to you ?
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No. I understand your son may not have been able to confront her, but good God I would have gone down there the next day and let them have it. Its not the customers fault that the industry is shit at paying staff wages.
The waitress is in the wrong for confronting your son. A tip is hoped for, by every server, however, it is NOT an entitlement. Not everyone tips, for many different reasons, and should not be expected expected. Sorry you make minimum wage (I made $4.50 an hour waiting tables), but a tip, is left as a Thank you when it’s affordable, or for exceptional service. I depended on my rips as a server, so I do understand the struggle when someone doesn’t leave that little extra gift, but I NEVER would have chased down a customer to DEMAND one… That’s not just bad service, that’s the kind of service that I will walk away from without tipping 
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In my country, tipping is by choice and no one, absolutely no one has the right to call you to tip like that… That would be tantamount to being let off your job if the management finds out. Some companies don’t even allow it even if you want to from your good heart.
Your son forgot, and the fact he’s a young man trying to find his feet, i find that waitress really petty, greedy and mean! She has no right at all demanding for a tip. I wish your son didn’t go back to tip her given her attitude to tips.
Please talk to son to let go… Life is enough to make one forget these things. He has a good heart, and that’s what matters. I hope he stops stressing about it already
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She was WAYYY out of line! There’re not entitled to a tip just because they waitress! 
lol
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That’s absolutely not acceptable. I’m a server and would never do that. Especially to a kid. When I wait on younger kids I don’t go in with high expectations when it comes to a tip because they are kids and either have not been taught or just don’t think about it. I have enough regulars that over tip to make up for the very few times that someone does not tip.
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Move to new Zealand we don’t do that. The waitress should not have confronted your son
Some states it’s ILLEGAL to ask for a tip and an employee can be terminated. Her approach was uncalled for and rude.
While tips are earned not required. Most waitress make less than minimum wage…way less. I have been a server before and I’ve never worked harder in my life to help people that don’t tip well and sometimes didn’t at all. However, that being said, I would never have confronted a customer about not tipping either. You don’t know what people are going through and if they, like this young man, just simply forgot. I can see two sides. I don’t think she needs to lose her job over it, just maybe learn some manners and compassion. We are all so quick to judge and jump to conclusions. Maybe like your son, she has her own issues. I would just talk to your son to make him feel better about going back in to tip-not everyone would do that.
I’m pretty sure that’s illegal!
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Seriously go talk to the manager.
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We tip all the time, at least 20 to 25%, even when the food is not up to par ( server did not cook it), but if the service is bad we usually only tip 10%
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She should be fired in my opinion.
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Having been a server myself, that server was way out of line.
Some people tip and some people don’t, that’s just the way it goes
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We don’t tip in Auz, I’d have told her get a second job if she needs more $$ 
A witness schould never ask to be tipped. If her service showes her work value it will show she schould be tipped
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WAY out of line! Yes, tips are expected to supplement their hourly rate, but it is not a MANDATORY thing as paying for your food is. As someone already commented thigh, he’s young and may not fully understand the concept of tipping yet
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I’m a server & would be fired for confronting a guest.
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In Australia, tipping is entirely optional. Although, minimum wage here is$20
If I had an employee do that I’d fire them on the spot he needs to go speak to the manager immediately that is atrocious behavior on her end!
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I was a server for many years in my teens & 20s. You absolutely DO NOT approach a customer over a tip. If you know them, or someone at the table, you can discuss it later. If you are angry, talk shit on them with coworkers. If you see them again, trade off with someone else and warn them. And if you really can’t let it go, ask the manger to inquire (“I noticed you didn’t leave the server a tip, and I just wanted to make sure the service and food was up to your expectations, because we’d hate for you to leave unsatisfied.”) But you never EVER follow a customer OUT OF THE RESTAURANT to confront them over the tip they didn’t leave you! Totally unprofessional!
Total okay situation. He forgot. She reminded him. Everyone feels better. Your son did the right thing.
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I’m a server. I would never in a million years think about confronting someone who doesn’t tip. That’s not okay.
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No one knows her situation. Waitresses do not make that much money. Tips are needed if she/he does a good job.
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it sucks to not get tipped, but it is NOT okay to chase someone down like that
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Wait staff are NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THIS. no matter what restaurant. Call the restaurant talk to the manager or owner. I would.
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You can’t command someone to tip. She took advantage of children & should be fired!
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Server here as well! Depends on the establishment, I’ve worked at places where we have plenty of tourists who are not familiar with the tipping process and I keep my mouth shut, and I’ve also worked at places where we’re allowed to confront a guest and ask if something is wrong with the service after a low/no tip. Where I live we make $5/hour and mostly all of it is taken out for taxes so I get no paycheck and end up owing a significant amount when taxes are due. Teach your kids how to properly tip. When it comes to tipping out other parts of the restaurant sometimes money comes out of our own pocket for a table that tips low.
That was very rude of the waitress. She was way out of line.
I’m a server. We make $2.13 and hour here. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me when people don’t tip. Especially a single person or a couple. You win some you loose some. And it usually always evens out in the end.
One time however I waited on a party of 15. There bill was almost $200 which is a lot for the restaurant I work in. They paid for the whole thing with a credit card and didn’t leave me a single dime. I had busted my ass for that party. Insane amount of refills and they had zero problems with there food so I may have followed them outside and given them a piece of my mind. Not the most professional thing to do but them people deserved it.
“Minimum wage” for a waitress is (significantly) lower than the generic minimum wage. For better or worse, we live in a society where tipping is a part of a person’s wage. Assuming that they are providing the service needed, it’s not wrong for them to expect a tip. Someone would “have her job” for asking about a tip? That’s the sign of a good employer. Put your employees’ livelihood in the hands of your customers, and fire them if they ask for a tip.
No, that is not ok. Not everyone can afford to tip and people like me, and him apparently, forget everything
I think we should always tip when possible as it is truly their main source of income. One of my loved ones who waits tables only makes a little over $2 while in college so the tips are literally all he depends on for food, bills, etc right now. I do not think she should have went out after him… that was wrong… but tips when rightfully earned are just as important as paying the bill itself. Even if they are optional. In this situation he simply forgot to tip, so perhaps this version of the story (which was the mothers and not the son himself) is incorrect and that they both were cordial about it… Remember the mother states that her son was more upset that he forgot the tip in general… it didn’t sound like he was upset at the waitress at all and was more upset with himself. Again she shouldn’t have chased after him but there is definitely two sides to a story.
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Good waitress’s get good tips
Yes, you are being overprotective. That server depends on tips to pay her bills. I’m sorry that he was upset, but he needs to tip for good service.
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With an attitude like that, I would have said some words to her then left. There’s no way in heck I’d leave a tip for a waiter/waitress that doesn’t have manners.
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That was out of line . He’s just a kid .
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It was an honest mistake.
I’ve been in wait service. Was not tipped many time. Never once did I consider following the person outside. That is pathetic on the part of the server. Absolutely pathetic.
Wait staff earns a agreed upon wage. Tips are just a bonus, nothing more.
If you rely on a $6 tip to define your performance, then as I said, you are pathetic.
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There a chance restaurant where I live. We were told everyone had to leave a tip or we weren’t allowed to leave. I had never had that problem with that place.
waitress needs fired
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She was wayyyy out of line!!! She should be reported maybe that all someone had not all people have enough to tip at times.
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I don’t think she would have done it had he been older.
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It really sucks not getting tips especially as a waitress because most places youre actually getting less than minimum wage as a hourly rate and then plus tips so they rely on those tips but it is NOT acceptable of what she did.
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I am a waitress. Have been for a long time and no we do not make ANYWHERE near min wage. We make 3$ an hour. We work for our tips. Should she of confronted your son? No. Absolutely not. She should’ve just sucked it up. But please teach them that waitresses 100% rely on our tips
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I think it was entirely inappropriate for the waitress to confront your son and I think I would feel exactly like you do if my son who struggled with anxiety came home feeling that way. I think that he can just use it as a lesson learned and a good opportunity to practice confrontation. I struggle myself with that and always feel very uncomfortable and anxious but the more I force myself to practice, the less anxiety it brings on when it comes up again (because unfortunately there’s no avoiding it) you have every right to bring the protective mama bear out but try to find the positive and use it as a lesson learned 
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I dont think its wrong of her being a waitress my self i know we pay taxes on any bill we get so him not tipping means at the end of the night shes paying a percentage of his bill amd gettimg nothing in return even if your son only makes minimum wage he needs to tip if he goes out to eat if he cant afford to then the drive thru is always an option and im sure he knows how to cook so he could do that as well now im not saying he didnt tip because he couldn’t afford to im only saying that because you mentioned how much he makes waitresses are not there to serve you snd not get compensation for it him being in that restaurant taking up a table that someone else could of sat at and I imagine since it was a date he was there for a while is literally taking money out of her wallet on a Sunday evening depending on location and style of food you could turn a table ovee twice in two hours time so yea dont be mad at the waitress be mad at your son or yourself for not knowing the proper way to conduct yourself when going out to eat
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I would like to know if she confront all of her customers that don’t tip/forget to tip?
You are not being over protective! She didn’t and doesn’t deserve tipping after that behaviour! I hated the “compulsory” tipping in USA. We do it here in Australia based on the type of service we receive, and our wait staff are paid appropriately. Your restaurant owners need to step up and get rid of slave labour
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Not OK at all, call the manager and let them know!
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If he could remember the waitresses name I would call and bitch to the manager about it … totally uncalled for on her
If she’s getting minimum wage, She’s blessed. My daughter gets $2.35 an hr and shares tips with the bus boys Who get minimum. She ends up bussing most of her tables anyhow as the busboys are slow. I’m a CNA, I do home care. My other daughter is a hostess for a restaurant and gets $2.50 more than I do! She doesn’t have to cook, clean, feed, bathe and change messy adult pants.
She probably shouldn’t have done it but as a former server if she was polite and asked him if he could leave her a tip that I could support. Servers work hard and do our best and we completely rely on tips to survive. Some restaurants do pay minimum wage but there are some places that don’t pay minimum wage to servers. I only made $2.13 an hour so I NEVER saw a paycheck. I never had the guts to confront a customer about not tipping but if I don’t get tipped I basically just worked my ass off for free. No tip means no money which means I cant pay my bills. That server is lucky she makes minimum wage and personally I wouldn’t have called him out if I was at least making minimum wage but that’s me. On the flip side if you cant afford to tip when you go out then you cant afford to go out. Go to a fast food place and get food where tipping isn’t necessary. Im sorry your son was upset I would have been too if it was my son but i would sit my son down and tell him that yes she was wrong to call him out but he was wrong to not tip. I understand mistakes happen maybe it was just a bad day for her too. That could have been her 4th table in a row that decided not to tip her and it was her breaking point? Who knows. Honestly I would let it go. Its over now and everything is fine.
With an attitude like that she doesnt deserve to be tipped imo
We dont tip in Australia. Our workers get paid
As a former waitress- they make less than minimum wage because they are often taxed on 15-18% of their sales and it’s taken out of each paycheck. Waitresses were hit hard during covid. Due to limited seating at the places they worked. So they might have been working but had half the amount of tables in their sections. During this time many were struggling so eating out become a luxury- this also decreased restaurant flow and the amount of table waitresses were getting. Covid eventually hit so hard they had to stop working all together after struggling for months. I do think the waitress was out of line, but I am also sure that she acted on impulse during a heated moment and probably took out a lot of her own life frustrations on your son. Your son should not beat himself up about the situation, just be empathetic and have him put himself in her shoes. We don’t know if she is a single mom, a struggling college student, maybe going through a divorce or living out of her car. It was an honest mistake of your sons. Pray for that waitress and move on 
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Absolutely not acceptable but she’s probably frustrated because SO many people tip very very little to nothing. Sometimes people can only take so much. No, this is absolutely not an excuse for what she did and it was very inappropriate and unprofessional. But I do see where she’s coming from. I’m a waitress and I had a lady thank me repeatedly and tell me what great service she had and then left me literally $1 on a $54 bill. It is incredibly frustrating and the waitress your son dealt with was probably just having a bad day.
In Australia I’m sure it’s not compulsory to tip. My tip is don’t go back
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Never ok for a server ask for a tip. I’ve been a server for 37 years. I have actually seen someone fired for doing just that. They deserved it. Rude is never acceptable and asking is just plain RUDE.
Oh hell no she might have gotten a tip to go f herself. It is not written you have to tip. She chose her job she has no right to confront customers after they have left the table. And if I were the boss. She’d no longer work there. How sad
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This is just my point of view. I know it’s customary to tip and I generously do but deep down inside I don’t think it should be automatically assumed you tip anyone. It should be a choice by the customer. I know that waitresses don’t get paid well by their employers and that they rely on the tips. Honestly it’s the employers responsibility to pay their employees a fair wage. That’s why I support increasing the minimum wage to $15.00/hour. I have heard the argument that restaurant owners and small businesses can’t afford to pay that to their employees. Then I say something is seriously wrong. I am a registered nurse, I work hard I go beyond my duties to help my patients why don’t I get a tip? Now someone would say well that doesn’t make sense to tip a nurse, and there are other jobs that can make the same comparisons. Employers are responsible to pay their employees. Just because something has been going on for as long as we can remember doesn’t mean it’s right! Everybody should just get paid fair wages so they can live comfortably.Smh!
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Id speak to the manger even if he didn’t forget its not obligated tips are for good service she definitely didn’t deserve one
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Yeah no. I’m a server and I would never chase someone especially a teenager or young adult out the door over a tip. Deff don’t make minimum wage though. But she was wrong
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Yeah I would make a complaint to the manager she took advantage of someone vulnerable
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No and yeah waitresses rely on tips but if someone didn’t tip you live with it and next time they come in maybe you can get double or see why you didn’t tip cause if I get crappy service I won’t tip all depends on service depends on tips and I learned that when I waitressed for a short time and you don’t go tell customers that they forgot to tip its rude and they are just after money and not customer service
I get 8 an hr plus tips but I don’t expect anyone to tip unless they deliver.
Absolutely not acceptable for the server to hunt your child down!
Tipping is not at all a requirement. It’s a choice.
However, as a part time server myself, you definitely live off of the tips you make. But, the tip needs to be earned. It is not a given. And I don’t find it acceptable that she chases him down to demand one. That’s not at all earning one, nor is it professional
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This is all hearsay. You were not there, and don’t know how she spoke to your son, her customer. If I don’t receive a tip, I definitely ask them if everything was okay or if I had done anything to upset them. If you want tipping to be abolished, expect higher food prices.
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If a server approached me like that I would read them their rights! I have forgotten to tip and made it right the next time I Patronized the establishment I tipped the server. This server would get 1 penny.
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