Bartender implements a wild 2-strike policy for cheap customers, and the result next night have the internet cheering

Bartender Rose went viral after implementing a strict two-strike tipping policy that resulted in a repeat non-tipping customer finally opening his wallet the very next night. The policy, which Rose shared in a TikTok video that has amassed over 39,200 views, has kicked off a major conversation about whether service workers have the right to refuse service to customers who refuse to tip.

Rose explained she was working her shift at a club when a customer approached her section of the bar. She served him, cashed him out, and noticed he didn’t leave any gratuity. She didn’t worry about it initially because she understands tipping isn’t mandatory. Rose noted, “In this industry, I understand that not everybody is gonna tip.” She added that unless there’s an automatic gratuity in place, tipping is a choice, not a requirement.

However, she made a mental note and continued her shift. When the same customer came back to her end of the bar for a second drink, she served him again. Once again, there was no tip. That’s when her personal rule kicked in, ending the exchange. Rose explained her firm boundary, saying, “I have a policy in place. You have a good two times to come up to me and not tip before I’m just done serving you for tonight. I don’t even play those type of games.”

No tips, no service is a social contract I can get behind, till the day we implement better pay for workers, of course

Later in the shift, the customer approached her section for a third time. He was specifically waiting for Rose instead of going to another bartender who was free. When she finished serving the customer in front of him, he stepped up to order. That’s when Rose delivered the bad news. She told him to move along. “I told him, ‘Hey, babe. Go ahead to another bartender. I’m not gonna keep serving you because you’re not tipping,” she recounted.

The customer was taken aback and argued, “What? What? I don’t have to tip.” Rose shut the argument down quickly. She said, “Yeah. And you don’t have to keep coming up to me.” She pointed out that he was choosing her section specifically, whether it was for her speed or how she made his drinks. She made her reasoning crystal clear: “If you’re not gonna tip, you need to get on out the way because I’m not gonna take up my time serving you, and I could be missing out on serving somebody who’s tipping.”

The best part of this whole situation is what happened the following night. Rose saw the same customer return, and this time his approach was completely different. Rose happily reported the outcome, saying, “Guess what, guys? He was tipping.” Like the Applebee’s bartender looking out for their customer, this one believes sometimes you just have to tell people about themselves because it might help them mature a little bit.

The internet cheered Rose on, with many comments supporting her decision. One person wrote, “You don’t have to tip, just like I don’t HAVE to serve you.” Another commenter shared that at their bar, the manager hung up a sign that says, “the customer is always right, but the bartender decides who’s a customer.” Someone else summed up the cheapskates perfectly, saying, “If you can’t afford a couple of extra dollars, stay home.” At least this cheapskate wasn’t luring with Instagram followers!