Server Says Customers Only Left Her a $1 Tip. So She Gets Them Arrested Instead: ‘Would Not Have Cared If They Tipped More’

It’s not a secret that the tipping culture in the United States has gotten a little out of hand in recent years—with some restaurants allegedly increasing prices if a tip is not given. And while tipping is—technically—not legally required, it has become an expected obligation. A server shared her story of how she retaliated when a customer supposedly left her with barely a tip and tried to take-away alcohol.

Content creator @shununuja shared a post on her TikTok, claiming that three ladies came in as customers to her place of work and had only tipped her $1 after serving them. shununuja, seemingly disappointed with the amount, alleges that she reported the customers to her manager when they “asked for a to-go cup with ‘water.’”

According to shununuja, the “water” in question was actually a margarita. The report to her manager allegedly resulted in the three ladies getting arrested by the police. She also claimed that the customers “had suspended [driver’s] licenses”; however, it was not clear whether the suspension happened as a result of this incident.

Customers couldn’t bring home their alcohol

While calling the police over a $1 tip might seem extreme to many, shununuja actually protected herself from being held responsible should an accident occur as a result of the margarita takeout. According to Olson S. and Gerstein DR., “commercial servers of alcoholic beverages can be held liable for damage or injuries caused by their drunken or underage patrons.” As such, these extend to waiters, waitresses, and bartenders.

There are also laws regarding open containers and the consumption of alcohol outside of establishments depending on the state. Per the National Conference of State Legislatures, most states prohibit the possession of open containers and consumption of alcohol—or in this case, taking an alcoholic drink in a to-go cup—while in a vehicle.

In nearly all of the states, the open container and consumption laws apply to both the driver and passenger. While in some states like Connecticut, Delaware, Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia, the law only applies to drivers operating a motor vehicle.

The arrest happened because of the $1 tip

Drunk driving is also a serious issue that has caused many accidents, injuries, and even taken the lives of many—so it’s no wonder that shununuja reported the incident. One commenter also shared a similar incident that resulted in their friend getting jailed: “Coworker got put in handcuffs and spent 2 nights in jail because a table of nurses did this. They got pulled over and they said the server let them do it. Luckily cameras were working but he ended losing his job for not showing up on a holiday.”

shununuja also claimed that she “honestly would not have cared” had the customers left a tip amounting to more than a dollar. However, she did acknowledge that had she allowed them to take away their margaritas, she “could’ve gotten in trouble.”

In the end, commenters agreed that the shununuja made the right decision to report the customers, even if it was as a form of revenge. “Mind y’all, at least in Oregon, if she left and got into a drunk car accident, the SERVER can be held liable. Absolutely the right call,” one user said.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]