An incident at Applebee's stirred up online anger after a customer shared how a restaurant manager's decision made her upset.
The customer recounted that her actions prompted the manager to request their contact information before they left.
Applebee's Tip Controversy: Customer Upset Over Manager's Response
Dawn Montgomery, a diner at Applebee's in Laurel, MS, recently voiced her dissatisfaction after a visit to the restaurant with a party of 10. In a social media post dated X, she expressed her appreciation to their waitress, who was reportedly new and apprehensive about serving a large group.
According to Dawn's post, she praised the server's efforts despite the initial concerns and ultimately left a generous $150 tip on a bill totaling $278.49.
However, when the check arrived, she was surprised when the manager asked for her contact information, citing a need to confirm the substantial tip with corporate.
Dawn criticized the manager's handling of the situation, expressing, "I've never had to sign & leave my number because my TIP was too high."
She also claimed to have spoken with other waitstaff at the restaurant, who allegedly agreed that confirming the tip amount should have been the manager's only action.
She concluded her post by urging Applebee's not to contact her unless they intended to apologize for the incident.
The total bill for their dining experience amounted to $428.49, as shown in the receipt Dawn shared online.
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Social Media Responds to Applebee's Controversy
Following the viral post, social media users and Applebee's customers have shared their opinions, garnering 13 million views and over 59,000 likes, as The U.S. Sun revealed.
One user, @twice_sifted, suggested that Applebee's should appreciate such gestures, noting that the restaurant chain should be grateful people still want to eat there despite most of their food being heated and served from the corporate warehouse, and then encountering this situation.
Another commenter expressed disappointment, mentioning that it was not the ideal way to conclude a day of fun, laughter, and family enjoyment. This sentiment resonated widely among online users responding to the incident.
Meanwhile, Matthew Gudgeon, an assistant professor of economics specializing in labor economics, explains that people are likely to tip due to the positive emotions it evokes, such as a sense of warmth or altruism.
Tufts Now mentioned that he also suggests that societal expectations play a role, indicating that tipping can stem from a desire to avoid guilt rather than purely altruistic motives. Tipping is often motivated by the desire for positive feelings or to meet social norms.
Moreover, surveys consistently show that people claim they tip based on the quality of service, but economists have discovered only a modest correlation between the two. Matthew Gudgeon notes that while certain server behaviors can influence tips, the impact is less significant than commonly assumed.
Recent research on tipping economics reveals that variations in service quality typically affect tip amounts by only about 2%. Instead, some economists argue that tipping behavior is largely driven by adherence to social norms rather than the direct experience of service quality.
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