Working in the service industry is a thankless profession. Take it from me: I've done it.
Every single day, you have to deal with a lot of exhausting manual labour for relatively little pay, pushy "I want to talk to your manager" types who think they know better than you about everything, and endless interactions with people who believe that - because you work in a shop or a restaurant or a bar - you are not worthy of respect.
And when you're trying your hardest to make a living, all these things really start to hurt after a while.
Taylar Cordova, a Colorado waitress, is a prime example of how mistreatment or inconsideration towards workers who interact with the public can leave so much more damage than the average person might expect.
Back in 2016, she shared an emotional statement on Facebook after receiving a $0 on a $187.43 bill. Now, however, her plea has resurfaced to remind people that those in the service industry (especially wait staff) deserve a little more compassion in the workplace.
"This. This is the reason I work so much," she wrote alongside a picture of a receipt from her day at work. "This is why I cry in the shower. I STRUGGLE to put clothes on my daughter’s back and food in our bellies because of THIS. You, are the lowest of the low."
She continued:
"Whenever you feel like it’s probably fine to not tip your server, that’s one more bill stacking up because they’re short on money. This is food for the week that our families will go without because you didn’t think it was necessary, even after asking for everything under the sun and receiving it free of charge, mind you. This is one less basic necessity my daughter needs because even TWO more dollars is too much for you.
"Every decision has a consequence."
Cordova then went on to say that people in her industry earn very little - and there are actually only seven US states where servers earn minimum wage before tips.
"Servers are paid a base pay of $2-5/hr depending on the employer, so next time you don’t want to tip, regardless of the situation prior to receiving your bill, think about how much you would have to work that week off $2-5/hr to feed your family, not just you," she said.
Then, she urged everyone else to put themselves in her shoes:
"Could you pay your bills based on that pay alone? Could you feed your family AND yourself? Because that’s what happens when you choose to not tip.
"Please, please tip your servers. Even if it was the worst service you’ve ever received. A 10% tip is a big enough slap in the face, this completely tore me apart. Don’t even bother walking into a restaurant if you can't afford to tip. There's a McDonald’s down the street if you're that cheap."
If she had received a tip at the standard rate of 15 per cent, she would have got an extra $28.11 that day. That could have paid for a few days' food, the monthly internet bill, or a week's worth of public transport use. And, to someone who could already afford almost $200 in one sitting, it probably isn't that much to give.
So next time you think of forgoing the tip after a meal out, just think of this post, and how much your spare change might mean to someone who is trying their hardest to make ends meet.
