‘$300 I made off of this table’: Restaurant server exposes why another table’s server might be extra nice to you

A server recently took to TikTok to share a story about how being kind to her co-worker's table paid off financially.

TikTok user Dev (@dmickyy22) recounted a surprising interaction at work that ended with her walking away a couple hundred dollars richer, despite not even being the original server for the table in question. The video has amassed over 198,900 views.

In the video, Dev says servers should always be polite at work, even to the customers of other servers.

What led to the generous tip?

“If you’re a server, let me tell you why you should always be nice to tables, even if they are not yours,” she began.

She described how a co-worker with a reputation for being rude to other co-workers was serving a family of four—a mom, dad, and two brothers—when things started going south.

“He was just not a good human being,” Dev said. “He’s had a few complaints before.”

The tension at the table grew so noticeable that the manager had to step in, comp items, and eventually take over serving the family entirely. 

Meanwhile, Dev, who was working nearby, decided to step in with small gestures of kindness. “Every time I walked past them, I tried to take stuff off their table, gave them a smile—I was just trying to be kind to them,” she said.

Eventually, the co-worker was sent on break, and the family was about to leave when one of the brothers stopped Dev.

The server gets a surprise

She said, “He introduced me to his entire family and said, ‘You’ve been nothing but so kind.’” The brother then criticized their original server and expressed his gratitude to Dev for her attentiveness.

Then came the surprise. She said, “He said, ‘Instead of him, I want to give you the tip today.’” At first, Dev says she declined, but the brother insisted. “If you don’t give it to me, I will find a way to give it to you,” he told her. He then allegedly sent her $100 through Cash App.

But it didn’t stop there. The other brother, the mom, and the dad each followed suit, sending her additional tips. “$100 from one brother, $100 from the other, $50 from the mom, and $50 from the dad,” Dev shared. “So $300 I made off of this table that I wasn’t even taking care of, just because I was kind to them.”

Dev ended her story with a simple lesson for fellow servers: “Just a little word of advice—take care of tables even though they might not be yours.”

Does this happen often?

It's not uncommon for servers or other restaurant workers to receive tips from their colleagues' tables.

In the restaurant industry, teamwork and assisting fellow servers can lead to unexpected rewards. For example, in establishments that practice tip pooling, tips are combined and distributed among the entire staff, including servers, bussers, and kitchen staff, as per My Tip Calc. 

Additionally, servers can use specific tactics known to increase tips. Studies indicate that servers who personalize their interactions, such as writing "Thank you" on the back of guests' checks, receive larger tips than those who do not. 

'Their customer today can be yours tomorrow'

In the comments, users congratulated Dev and shared similar stories about tipping. 

“I’ve been tipped by other servers tables so many times,” shared one user. “Keep shining, girl. It’s so worth it.”

@dmickyy22 #serverlife #server #servertiktok #serviceindustry #fypシ #foryoupage #storytime #wlw #🏳️‍🌈 #lesbiansoftiktok ♬ original sound - dev

“I work at Waffle House and our thing is ‘Their customer today can be yours tomorrow,’” advised another.

“I love being nice to other tables and talking to them!! It makes people want to come back because it seems like everyone else is nice!” one user wrote.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Dev via TikTok messages and comments for further comment. 

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The post ‘$300 I made off of this table’: Restaurant server exposes why another table’s server might be extra nice to you appeared first on The Daily Dot.