If you’ve ever worked in the service industry, you know how much of a thankless and frustrating job it can be at times.

And for one Hooters waitress, a family of customers were so rude to her during one visit to the restaurant chain that she was reduced to tears when they left, Daily Star reports.

Posting on TikTok under the username @keylamxo, the woman said the family managed to rack up a bill of $624 (£454) in food and shots of tequila.

She explained in the video: “This girl I went to high school with came in with her family to celebrate her dad’s birthday.

The woman said the family racked up a large bill in tequila shots and food (
Image:
@keylamxo/TikTok)
The family didn't tip her because she didn't keep track of their spending (
Image:
@keylamxo/TikTok)

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.

“The mum came in and said, ‘Bring us some Don Julio, we’re drinking good today, it’s my husband’s birthday’.

“I bring them the shots, and at the time the shots of Don Julio at my job were $18, and they ended up ordering 25.

“They ordered a bunch of food – it was like, five adults and four kids and they all ate.”

And although it seemed like the family were having a good time, they were left fuming when the hefty bill arrived – as they blamed the waitress for not checking how much they were spending.

The woman added: “When the mum asked for the cheque, she was like, ‘If you would have told me the tab was this high, maybe you would have gotten a tip’.

“Like ma’am, I just work here! I’m not pocket watching, I do not know how much is in your bank account.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go out to eat if you can’t f***ing afford to.”

To make matters worse, the family then chose to completely wreck their table and cause a mess, leaving the waitress to clear it up without a penny in tips.

She said: “So this woman decides to spray ketchup all over the table and knock over all the drinks before she leaves and tipped me nothing. And that’s why I cried.”

In the video, the woman also shared a picture of the family’s receipt, which showed the $624 order alongside a 0 in the tips box.

The family had also written “F*** you” where the signature was supposed to be and drew a picture of a hand with its middle finger up.

The TikTok video sparked a debate on the topic in the comments, with people split over whether tipping should be mandatory.

One person wrote: “I can afford to eat out every day of the week. What I can't afford to do is pay for my server to live. It's the restaurant's job.”

While another disagreed, posting: “I'm literally appalled and have lost faith in the disgusting amount of people saying they don't think they should have to tip. Literally don't go out to eat.”

Someone else said: “Honestly it’s optional not mandatory. It’s for if you do a good job serving me. If you don’t, I don’t have to tip you. It’s your job and you chose that line of work.”

And a fourth commented: “Servers are not paid a liveable wage, not even minimum wage for that matter. So if you can’t afford to tip, stay home at and serve yourself!”