I tipped our server after my date purposely left zero on the receipt.
By @reesehm · Dating
On our third date, my date refused to tip on a $140 dinner bill out of principle against tipping culture. I slipped a twenty on the table on our way out, and he claimed I completely undermined and embarrassed him.
The full story
We were at a decent bistro downtown for our third date. The service was steady, nothing exceptional, but perfectly fine. When the bill came out to $140, I offered to split it evenly. He put down his card, signed the slip, and completely blanked out the tip line, writing total $140. I asked him if everything was okay with the meal, and he shrugged and said he only tips if someone actively blows him away, otherwise the restaurant should pay their staff. It felt deeply awkward sitting there watching our server collect a zero tip on a Friday night, so as we stood up to leave, I quietly left twenty dollars in cash on the table. He noticed on the sidewalk and got genuinely irritated, saying I undermined his principle and basically embarrassed him over corporate responsibility. Now he has not texted me back.
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 31% (17 votes)
- Both Messy — 52% (28 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 17% (9 votes)
Readers say “Both Messy” (52%) — 54 votes and 4 comments so far.
What people are saying
@ren — Zero dawg in him.
@accidentallyhonest — He’s using political grandstanding as a cover for being broke and controlling.
@tesslately — You undermined his stand against the system, so now the restaurant gets your cash and he looks like a jerk.
@kiraactually — Did he actually say he was doing it on principle before you pulled out your cash, or did you call him out first?
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