‘Everybody around heard that’: Toronto man tips $2 on $158 tab. Then the server gets even
A Canadian server is getting backlash online after sharing a story about a group of diners she says left a very small tip after a demanding meal.
In her video, which has garnered over 88,200 views, TikToker, server, and musician Sandra Burke (@sandraburke_) calls out a table she waited on the day before. Not everyone watching was on her side.
Server Says Low-Tipping Table Was ‘High Maintenance’
“So I had a table yesterday,” she says, holding up the receipt. “This is their bill, $158.70.”
She explains that the group specifically asked to sit in her section.
“They were like, ‘Hey, we wanna sit in your section,’” she recalls. “I was like, yeah, come on in.”
Once they were seated, she says she recognized them.
“As soon as they sit down, I realize, I’m like, this is the table that they are very high maintenance and they tip like [expletive],” she says.
According to Burke, the group grew and began ordering multiple items at once.
“They want three soups to start, they want a big salad to share, they want a specialty appetizer that we have for the weekend, and then they want their mains,” she says.
She says everything went smoothly from her end.
“Everything comes out, it’s perfect. It’s delicious,” she says, adding that she refilled drinks multiple times while handling a full section.
As the meal wrapped up, she says one of the diners made a comment that caught her off guard.
“He goes, ‘Three seniors,’” she recalls. “And I said, ‘What do you mean?’”
She says she struggled to understand the comments as she was carrying multiple dishes.
“I’m carrying like 40 pounds worth of plates,” she remembers thinking, noting she informed them there wouldn’t be a senior discount.
Then Comes Time for the Bill
“The bill is $158.71,” she says. “Grandpa puts $160 on the table.”
She says the group then made an additional complaint about a previous visit.
“She goes, ‘We were here last week for the liver, it was terrible,’” Burke recalls. “And I said, ‘Well, I bet you won’t get that again.’”
After processing the payment, Burke says she returned with the change.
“I said, ‘And I owe you $1.30,’” she says. “And he goes, ‘You can keep that.’”
At that point, she says she walked away.
“I would rather not have the $1.30,” she says. “Like, you are embarrassing.”
She adds that the moment drew attention from nearby tables. “Everybody around heard that,” she says.
According to Burke, another person at the table later added a small amount.
“She pulled out a $5 bill and left it on the table,” she says, adding that by then, it was more about the principle than the money.
Commenters Push Back
In the comments section, many viewers disagreed with her reaction and questioned tipping culture altogether.
“You are paid by your employer are you not? Why should the customer pay your wage?” one person asked.
“It’s called a gratuity. The definition is easily found online. Tip culture needs to go away. It’s your employer’s responsibility to pay you, not the customer,” another said.
Others defended the role of servers.
“A server is taking care of you, it’s all about the interaction, food and experience,” one commenter wrote. “We could appreciate good service, giving proper recognition to all who take pride in what they do.”
“Servers work for tips!!!” another chimed in. “If you won’t tip, go somewhere it isn’t expected.”
What Do Servers Earn In Canada?
Unlike in much of the U.S., where tipped workers can earn a base wage as low as $2.13 per hour, servers in Ontario are required to be paid the standard minimum wage.
As of now, that rate is $17.60 per hour in Toronto, which is also the median base pay for servers in the province, as per official government data.
According to the Ontario Living Wage Network, however, a living wage in the region is estimated to be roughly $10 per hour higher than minimum wage.
That means that while base pay is higher than in the U.S., many servers in Canada still rely on tips to cover everyday expenses.
@sandraburke_ Guess you can’t win them all ? #serverlife #serverproblems #server #waitress #rant ♬ original sound – Timeshare Cancellation Experts
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