Like most waitresses, Jessica Morris relies on tips to survive.
But Jessica wasn’t expecting any surprises when she waited on a newly married couple. She knew that they were excited—Jessica was also married recently, and she relayed that information to her customers. They even traded a few stories.
However, when Jessica went to pick up the bill, she was shocked to see that the couple hadn’t written in a tip. The newlywed wife, however, had written something for the server: “He’s my husband, find your own. Good luck :)”
Restaurant server's advice to newlywed goes #viral after bride refuses to leave tip: https://t.co/myNGCq7TBD pic.twitter.com/YjHgEjNCRK
— KTVU (@KTVU) November 12, 2015
Jessica responded to the note on social media, penning an open letter that was shared thousands of times.
“I would like you to know, the server that was in the section across from mine, that I kept talking to and checking on throughout the time of you sitting at my table IS MY HUSBAND,” Jessica wrote. “Which I found on my own, and looks better than yours.”
“Also, I would like you to know that I’m sorry MY HUSBAND treated me to a cruise for my honeymoon and not a restaurant. As well as, MY HUSBAND would never let me feel so insecure that I would feel the need to write such a terrible note to a server and make them feel the way you have.”
The story quickly went viral, and thousands of people responded to Jessica’s post.
Reactions were mixed, however; some people felt that Jessica shouldn’t share a customer’s tipping details, while others saw Jessica’s perspective and found the situation enraging.
But that’s not where the story ended. The woman who left the note in lieu of a tip—whose name is Jenny—found out about the controversy and responded.
“Our server, whose name was Jessica, was rude more so to myself than any of the other 3 at the table, but rude in general to all of us,” Jenny wrote in her own Facebook post. “She cussed at our table, which caught me off guard (very unprofessional) and really seemed to take a liking to my husband.”
Jenny went on to insist that she’s not insecure, but that Jessica’s flirting was over the line. She also apparently reached out to T.G.I. Friday’s, which issued an apology.
“Fridays is focused on delivering a great Guest experience,” the restaurant said in an official release. “The incident in the Centerville restaurant was unfortunate but has since been resolved. We are constantly working to train our employees to be the best in the industry in and out of the restaurant.”
Jessica has since deleted her original post. It seems like this situation could have been handled much more effectively—away from the prying eyes of the public. As it is, however, it’s another reminder of the power of social media (and, in a roundabout way, of the importance of tipping).
