A customer has been left feeling "mortified" after being chased down in a car park because she didn't leave a salon worker a tip. She explained how she gets her nails done every two weeks - and usually has enough spare change in her pocket to thank her technician for their time.
But during her latest visit, she came to realise she didn't have any extra money to give them. Taking to Reddit, the woman said: " I’ve been going to the same place for the past year. They have a sign hanging up saying "cash tips only please". I never carry cash on me so I always stop at my bank across the street from them to get tip money before my appointments.
"The other day, I was running late so I didn’t stop at my bank first. When it came time to pay, I didn’t leave a tip."
She went on to explain how she made it half way to her car when she was stopped in her tracks by the manager running after her.
"I could hear a lady calling out to me. I turn around and the owner/manager is literally running towards me, so I walk back to her," she added.
"She asks me if I like my nails and I said 'Yeah I love them, she did a great job!' To which she replies 'Then why didn’t you tip?'
"I was taken back for a minute and then explained how I didn’t have cash on me."
The manager told her she could pay on card instead - and started ushering her back into the store to leave a tip.
She said: "This is a popular nail salon and always busy so everyone in there saw this encounter.
"To say I was mortified is an understatement. Anyway she prints out a new receipt and I leave the tip and leave.
"I haven’t been back there since and I don’t think I’m going to.
"I’ve left a tip every time I’ve been there for the past year and the one time I don’t I get chased outside and embarrassed?
"I don’t know why they have the sign up if that isn’t the case. I guess I could have explained when I was paying why I wasn’t leaving one but I didn’t think it was a huge deal."
After opening up about her experience on Reddit, users started sharing their views on America's tipping culture, with many saying "it's so weird".
One user said: "Never have I ever, nor will I ever, tip in that situation.
"Actually, my tip would have been, 'Don’t ever do that s*** to a customer. A tip is a courtesy. Why don’t you pay your employee a wage that doesn’t rely on tips to make a liveable wage'."
Another user added: "I’m sure you’re paying plenty for the nails anyway. I’d be mortified and never go back. Tip culture is so weird."
A third user said: "Just because someone provides a service doesn't always mean they are entitled to a tip. These days everyone has tip jars on the counter."
One more user added: "Tips aren’t mandatory and you’ve tipped every other time you’ve been there.
"I’m with you, if there’s a big cash only sign I’m not going to try to tip with my card and it was super unprofessional that they chased you out of the salon. I would find another place to go."
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