Is there ever a time when it’s appropriate not to tip? After a manicurist was rude to a customer, she decided not to tip and asked TikTok if she was wrong to do so. Many in the comments section agreed that tipping culture in general is getting out of hand, and that if someone is rude or doesn’t appreciate the service, it might not make much sense to tip.
In the video, Krystal Badillo (@krysbadillo) shares footage of her journey from inside her car to the nail salon.
“I just went to a nail salon and for the first time, I didn’t tip,” she began. “When you’re a service provider, and I could be wrong, but it’s your job, apart from the service itself, to create a welcoming atmosphere. It may not be welcoming, but it’s a pleasant atmosphere, right?”
Badillo said the artist initially painted her pinky nail blue as a sample, but it wasn’t the shade of blue she wanted.
“Can I change the color?,” Badillo recalled asking. “You thought I was threatening this guy’s first-born. He was like, ‘Whoa.'”
Badillo said her face turned red with embarrassment, especially after he repeatedly asked, “Change color?”
Badillo said she told her boss she wanted to change the color, and the technician eventually tried to dye her hair the color she wanted, but muttered a “yes” under her breath, which sounded like a frustrated sigh.
“No it’s not! If you’re rude to me I’m not gonna tip you and I’m not gonna feel bad about it,” Badillo concluded.
The video had 784,100 views and nearly 2,000 comments as of Sunday morning.
Chris Badillo I don’t give tips because it’s rude, sorry. #nail #NailSpot #Tip #TippingCulture #for you #fyp ♬ Original Sound – Crystal Badillo
To tip or not to tip?
In the comments section, some people supported Badillo’s decision not to leave a tip.
“Yeah don’t feel bad if you don’t tip. That guy is a piece of shit lol,” one user wrote.
“Overall, customer service has never been worse, and yet tipping is expected more than ever,” another said.
“One time a lady cut my nails really badly so I gave her a little tip and she raised her voice and said ‘why so little?'” another recalled.
Experts say it’s okay to not tip if the service is bad. Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman said in an interview: post Reportedly Interesting ArticlesGetting bad service is a “legitimate reason not to tip,” but Gottman recommends first talking to the manager to remedy the situation or asking if tipping is a collective vote; if it’s not, tipping will affect others in an unfair way.
The Daily Dot has previously reported on tipping culture, reporting that many believe it has gotten out of control, especially now that tipping prompts appear on screens everywhere you go. Overall, many believe that not tipping for bad or rude service can hurt hard-working service employees, but that people shouldn’t be forced to tip if they’re not happy with the service they received.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Badillo for comment through messages and comments on TikTok.
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Marlin Ramos
Marlin Ramos is a museum educator currently employed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. She founded LUMXN Magazine and is currently a graduate student at New York University. She loves long walks in nature, yoga, and baking.