Waitress Gets ‘$0’ Tip On ‘$187’ Bill, Turns Heads After Making Facebook Post In Response

A waitress from Colorado ignited a widespread conversation about tipping norms in the restaurant industry after sharing her personal experience on Facebook. Taylar Cordova posted an image of a receipt showing a $0 tip on a bill totaling nearly $190, accompanied by an emotional message highlighting the financial struggles faced by servers who depend on gratuities to survive.

Cordova’s post quickly gained traction online, shedding light on how many restaurant workers rely on tips to supplement their typically low base pay. Under U.S. federal law, restaurants are permitted to use a “tip credit,” which allows them to pay tipped employees less than the standard minimum wage—as long as their tips bring total earnings up to the required threshold. This setup means a server’s take-home pay can vary significantly depending on how generous their customers are.

In her post, Cordova emphasized the real-life impact of customers choosing not to tip. She wrote, “Every time someone decides not to tip their server, that’s another unpaid bill stacking up. That’s food my family might go without because someone didn’t think it mattered—even after receiving everything they asked for. That could be one less thing my daughter needs because a couple of dollars was too much to give.” Her words resonated deeply with others in the service industry, many of whom shared similar stories or expressed empathy after reading her message.

The post reignited discussions around fair pay in hospitality. While some called for increased base wages for servers, others stressed how crucial it is for customers to tip responsibly, given the current wage structure. Overall, the story highlighted the difficult financial realities faced by many restaurant workers and the broader conversation about how tipping affects their livelihood.

Photo credit: Tax Credit/Visual Hunt, Mic