‘This Is Why No One Wants To Work For You:’ Waitress Shares How She Got $61 In Tips But Had To Redistribute So Much, She Was Left With $0.91

Workers’ advocacy groups have continually warned that Trump-era regulations would make it easier for owners to use their employees and customers to cover payrolls.

Such regulations include “nontraditional” tipping pools that mean servers have to share their tips with employees who don’t normally receive them, like line cooks or dishwashers. But critics claim it’s setting a green line for stealing workers’ wages.

This viral TikTok video from alexservestea has shed some light on what happens when this system is put into practice. The author shared a screenshot of an actual tip distribution breakdown sheet sent by an unnamed server at Chili’s. Turns out, a total of $1001.66 in sales generated $61.01 in credit card tips, but according to the screenshot, the server only got to keep a mere $0.91.

Let’s see this whole incident, which for too many workers is now sadly a grim reality, in full right below. And if you’ve experienced something like this at work, be sure to share it in the comments.

Recently, a TikToker named Alex shared a viral video where she exposed Chili’s unfair tipping distribution policy

@alexservesteaTHIS IS NOT OK!!! PAY YOUR STAFF! #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Personal acct by Alexserves

Image credits: alexservestea

Some more skeptical viewers pointed out that the incident referenced credit card tips in particular. In response, Alex explained that this doesn’t change the point since “This whole tipping out thing is not based on our tips, it’s based on our sales.”

That means that even if servers don’t get tips, they have to pay it out of their own pockets—“hence why some people are in the negative,” she explained.

She also shared screenshots from a chat with a Chili’s server who shed light on how the restaurant’s tipping policy drains the servers

Image credits: alexservestea

Alex soon posted another follow-up video on a similar incident. The video showed a screenshot another Chili’s employee sent her, which showed that of their $37.16 in credit card tips, after tipping out their required 5.5% of sales from that shift, they owed $3.05.

In this case, Alex explained that it didn’t matter if the employees made cash tips or not. The server would either have to pay the $3.05 from either their tips or get it deducted from their paycheck.

Alex has also received messages from people who were in the negative at the end of the shift which meant they had to pay from their own pocket

Image credits: alexservestea

@alexservesteaReply to @missthatchix Our system is so fkd up! #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Personal acct by Alexserves

In a statement to the Daily Dot, Alex said: “It’s not ok for people to work their asses off just to have to PAY to work there! When servers are only walking home with half of their tips and Togo specialists are paying OUT OF POCKET to tip out the cooks, there is a problem!”