On April Fool’s Day, a Texas restaurant received a guest’s $27 bill back with a $100 tip written on it, along with a note stating “April Fools Dummy, No Tip 4 You!” The incident sparked a debate on social media about whether the bogus tip should be charged to the customer’s credit card. The manager of the restaurant, Isis Gomez, who waited on the prankster, chose not to charge the $100 tip to avoid any potential claims in the future. She consulted with her mother, who owns the restaurant, and they decided not to pursue the extra tip.
The guest who left the fake tip was described as a thirtysomething man eating breakfast alone at the restaurant. The receipt with the bogus tip was not taken as evidence, so it was assumed that the customer himself must have taken a photo of it and shared it on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Despite the negative attention from the incident, the restaurant experienced an increase in customers due to the viral post. Some individuals even offered to set up a GoFundMe campaign to reimburse the waitress for the missing tip, but the offer was declined by the restaurant.
A waiter from New York City, Darron Cardosa, who runs the Instagram handle Bitchy Waiter, shared the story on his page and asked his followers for their opinions on whether the signed receipt should be honored. Many of his followers, who are servers themselves, agreed that the tip should stand if signed and totaled. Some criticized the prank as being disrespectful and called for the money to be accepted by the waitress. Cardosa explained that as a server for 25 years, he would have accepted the tip, as customers sometimes change their minds after leaving a tip and may attempt to reverse the charges.
Ultimately, the restaurant chose not to charge the fake $100 tip left by the guest. Despite the incident, El Cacique Taqueria in Baytown, TX, saw an increase in customers who had heard about the viral post. The waitress who was pranked did not receive the extra tip but appreciated the support from those who offered to set up a fundraiser for her. The debate on social media about whether the bogus tip should be accepted highlighted the challenges faced by servers in dealing with such situations. The incident shed light on the impact that viral posts can have on small businesses and how they can sometimes lead to unexpected positive outcomes, such as increased business for the restaurant.
