We have all had those days at work where your patience is tested by a complete lack of common sense. But for servers, those tests often come with an insulting $5 tip and a headache. If you’re a vegetarian, you might not want to claim the three main characters of this story.
TikTok creator and server Gemma Moro (@gemma.moro) is going viral after sharing a rant about a table of three customers. In under an hour, the three women managed to break every unspoken rule of dining out in a single sitting. The video has amassed over 1.9 million views, and proves the industry’s most exhausting stereotypes are real. And frustrating.
Every restaurant knows the late-arriving camper, the menu-illiterate diner, and the low-tipper. And then there were these three diners who were all-in-one. As Gemma put it, the issue wasn’t their dietary choices, but the fact that they were “f—ing dumb as rocks.”
The diners asked if ‘Chicken Ramen’ is vegetarian… really
The evening got off to a rocky start when two of the guests announced they were vegetarian. While Gemma noted that dietary restrictions are “a-okay,” the logic quickly devolved. The guests reportedly asked, in all seriousness, if the “spicy chicken ramen” was a vegetarian option. And just like that, basic literacy and food knowledge left the chat.
As Gemma pointed out, the word “chicken” is usually a dead giveaway for those avoiding meat. The encounter left her wondering if the guests had “learned English five minutes ago” or if they had just decided to become vegetarians mid-conversation.
They had no regard for the restaurant’s closing time
The frustration escalated because the table arrived just 20 minutes before closing time. When Gemma approached them for a “last call” to inform them the kitchen was about to shut down, the customers requested an additional 10 minutes just to look at the menu.
When she denied the request, explaining that “closing now” means now, the table pivot to ordering dessert. But it got worse. The women then delivered another baffling “is this vegetarian” question and asked if the vanilla ice cream was vegetarian.
To be clear, they didn’t ask if it was vegan; they asked if it contained meat. The trio then proceeded to “camp” at their table for 30 minutes past the restaurant’s closing time. They even ignored the staff putting chairs up around them until they were the last people in the building.
Can vanilla ice cream be non-vegetarian?
While “spicy chicken ramen” is obviously a non-starter for vegetarians, the question about vanilla ice cream is slightly more nuanced. Yet, it’s still largely unnecessary in a regular restaurant setting. A standard vanilla ice cream is made of milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla, making it perfectly vegetarian-friendly (though not vegan).
However, some high-end or traditional gelatos and ice creams use bovine gelatin as a stabilizer. Historically, some vanilla flavorings also used castoreum, a secretion from beaver glands. But, it is extremely rare in modern commercial food production. So, for a guest to ask if a standard scoop of vanilla contains meat is a total overreach of caution that left their server stunned.
The trio then left a $5 tip on a $117 bill
The final blow came when the bill arrived. On a $117 tab run up in part by multiple bowls of ramen and desserts, the table left a meager $5 tip.
In the U.S. service industry, a $5 tip on a $117 bill represents roughly a 4% gratuity. Standard etiquette suggests a minimum of 15% to 20% for decent service. This means, the tip on this bill should have been at least $17 to $23.
To leave less than 5% after arriving late, staying past closing, and asking questions that defy common sense is a total side-eye to the server’s labor. So, the customers either didn’t understand the service model or simply didn’t care about the person who stayed late to feed them.
If you’re a vegetarian, take notes
If there’s any takeaway from this video, it’s “do not leave your common sense home when you go out dining.” And don’t forget your wallet either. Because making a server stay late for a 4% tip while asking if chicken contains meat will land you on the next server rant on TikTok.
And vegetarians, if you’re planning on going out to eat, remember: chicken is meat and ice cream is dairy. For everyone in general, the “kitchen is closing” means it’s time to go home. Do not be a b—ch or the server has all rights to call you one.
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