Server waits as a customer stares at his phone at checkout. Then she realizes he wasn’t even using Apple Pay

A waitress recently shared a story that shows how some diners can be careless with the time of service staff. A TikTok user named Gemma, who goes by the handle @gemma.moro, posted about a frustrating experience that left her feeling angry.

Gemma had been serving two men who seemed polite and easygoing throughout their meal. When it was time to pay, she brought over her tablet and told them the total. One of the men took out his phone, and she assumed he was getting ready to pay with Apple Pay.

She stood by patiently, waiting for the payment to go through, but several minutes passed while he stayed completely focused on his phone.

A payment delay turned out to be something else

The wait began to feel unusual, and Gemma started to think there might be a problem with the payment system. Since she had other tables to attend to and needed to keep service moving, she eventually checked in to ask if he needed more time.

The man simply looked up, told her he was finished, put his phone away, and then took out a physical card to pay. It was only at that point that she realized he had been scrolling through Facebook the entire time she had been standing there waiting.

The idea that he had knowingly wasted her time just for his own entertainment bothered her a lot. Gemma explained her frustration, saying, “They flagged me down and told me they were ready to pay. Mind you, this wasn’t me forcing them out of the restaurant.” She questioned his behavior directly, asking, “What’s so important on Facebook, sir, that you’re holding me up from doing my job and providing other people with fast service?”

Many people online said they understood exactly how she felt. One commenter wrote, “I’m getting mad for you oml.” Another asked, “is this my reminder to never be nice to anyone.” A third commenter said, “This is such a valid reason to crash out.” 

Another person, identifying as a fellow server, wrote, “As a waitress. This is valid. I hope she sees this.” Other servers have shared stories of customers making awkward payment demands, like asking for a preferred tip amount.

This is not the only account of difficult customer behavior in the service industry. In a separate TikTok video, an employee described a woman who cut in line at a fast-food restaurant and acted entitled while demanding service for her infant. 

In another instance, a customer tried to humiliate a server by tossing cash onto the floor, before the boss stepped in to address the situation. Those interested in seeing more of Gemma’s posts can follow her on TikTok at @gemma.moro.