Jess Jones is a 20-year-old Rutgers University student who also waitresses at a local bar and grill in Belmar, NJ. The waitress makes $2.50 an hour and relies on tips to compensate for the low wage.
One night she was serving a party of eight people and gave them a bill of $112.03. Instead of leaving her a tip, they wrote the phrase "LOL" and scribbled next to it, "1 hour for food."
Jones was shocked by the note, although she admits it's not uncommon. Servers have no control over how long the food takes, so many believe it's unreasonable to punish her for an issue in the kitchen. Jones shared her encounter on Facebook.
"Last night, I was stunned by this receipt that was left for me by a party of eight people," Jones wrote. "I would have preferred a '$0' tip than a 'LOL' tip, but as a waitress, bad tips and harsh notes are all part of the job. Even though they did wait an hour to eat, they remained satisfied with filled drinks and proper notice that the kitchen was a bit busier than normal. I've worked in the service industry for five years and I take pride in providing great service to my customers."
Many are outraged by the customers, but others are under the impression that tipping is optional — it typically is not. Even the town's mayor, Matt Doherty, sided with Jones.
"If you visit Belmar please treat the hardworking men and women in our service industry with the same respect you would expect at your job. This is ridiculous," Doherty wrote on Facebook.
What do you think? Tipping policies are different in each state. What is customary in yours? Let us know in the comments!
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