Woman tips her Olive Garden server $22. His repeated visits leave her completely confused: ‘ That is what I’ve always done’
Tipping at restaurants has long been a topic that divides diners. A recent TikTok video has added to that conversation after one woman said an unexpected interaction with her Olive Garden server left her questioning whether a 20% tip is still considered standard.
TikTok creator @imjennyfromtheshop says she left a 20% tip after dining with her family at an Olive Garden in North Richland Hills. What happened after she paid the bill, however, surprised her and prompted her to ask viewers what they normally tip at restaurants.
The video has since drawn responses from both customers and restaurant workers. While many diners said they regularly tip 20% or more, numerous servers said receiving that amount has become far less common than many people realize.
Then the server came back
In her TikTok video, the creator says she visited an Olive Garden restaurant in North Richland Hills with her husband and their three children. After ordering an appetizer and dinner, she says the family’s bill came to about $113.
She says she paid using the tabletop payment kiosk while her husband packed leftovers and looked after their five-year-old. She tipped 20% on the total, about $22, explaining that she has always tipped that amount unless the service was exceptionally poor.
The creator says the server first returned to thank her and wish the family a good weekend. Since the family was still finishing drinks and dessert, she says she thought he was simply being polite and did not think much of the interaction.
A few minutes later, he came back again to ask whether they wanted any drinks to go or needed anything else before thanking her once more. The creator says she assured him they had everything they needed and planned to leave shortly.
She says the interaction became more surprising when the server returned a third time. The creator says he crouched beside the table, showed her a photo of his young daughter on his phone, and told her, “I just want to let you know that everything that you just did goes to her.”
The creator says she thanked him for taking care of her family during the meal, but the interaction stayed on her mind after they left the restaurant. While walking to the car, she says she asked her husband whether people still routinely tip 20%, adding that she was “extremely confused” by the server’s repeated expressions of gratitude.
In the video’s caption, the creator asked viewers about their tipping habits. She also asked whether they always tip 20%, tip based on service, or leave tips at coffee shops and for takeout orders.
Many commenters identifying themselves as current or former servers said a 20% tip has become less common than many customers realize. “I’m a server and it’s RARE people tip 20%,” one viewer wrote. “As an Olive Garden server it is very rare that our guests tip 20%,” another commented.
Others said they continue to leave 20% or more whenever they dine out. “We always tip 20% if not more,” one commenter wrote. “I tip like I’m made of money. I’m no baller, but I tip like I am!” another shared.
The video has since sparked discussion about whether rising restaurant prices and changing attitudes toward tipping have altered what customers consider an appropriate gratuity. Many viewers said there is no longer a clear consensus on standard tipping etiquette. The discussion also follows other Olive Garden tipping stories. One involved a server’s dispute over a $700 tip. Another featured a customer who said they were charged a $17.68 gratuity on a to-go order.
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