I took my wife and kids out for a nice birthday dinner. Our baby cried a lot, and my 7-year-old twins—who are very hyperactive—ran around and spilled some food.
We ended up staying there for almost two hours. When the bill finally came and the waitress noticed my 10% tip, she bluntly said, “Don’t bring kids next time. We’re not a free daycare!”
But I made her regret it, because I had been broadcasting the whole evening live on social media. Since it was my wife’s birthday, she had started a live stream on her Instagram, and we were recording the dinner. So when the waitress made her comment, the stream was still running, and everyone watching saw how rude she was.
As soon as she noticed the phone and realized she had been recorded, her face went pale. She immediately started apologizing, clearly aware she could get in trouble if her manager found out how she had spoken to us—especially with the restaurant’s reputation at stake.
To smooth things over, she offered complimentary cake for the whole family.
I felt a bit of justice was served. Still, not everyone agreed. Some people defended her, saying I had no right to disturb other diners with loud children, and that I should have tipped 25% considering the extra effort she had put in because of my kids.
So now I’m left wondering—did I under-tip for what she did?
