AITA for not tipping at a restaurant because I payed for extra food?
Picture this: a cozy date night, the scent of sizzling steaks in the air, and a guy eagerly awaiting his first proper filet mignon—only to bite into… pork? At a new restaurant his fiancée begged to try, our diner’s excitement curdles when the waitress swears it’s beef, then delivers the real deal 10 minutes later with a sheepish “sorry.” Mistakes happen, sure, but the real kicker lands with the check: an extra $45 for the mystery pork, served with a side of condescension.
Bristling at the gall, he draws a line—no tip for this mess! His fiancée gets the frustration but dubs him the bad guy for his move. He snags a $45 credit after a manager chat, but the sting lingers. Was he too harsh? Grab a seat, friends, and let’s chew over this saucy saga of mix-ups, bills, and tipped tempers!
‘AITA for not tipping at a restaurant because I payed for extra food?’
Talk about a dining disaster! This guy’s filet mignon dream turned pork nightmare, with a waitress doubling down on the blunder before fixing it. The apology came, but the $45 charge for an unordered dish—paired with a snarky “you ate it” jab—poured salt in the wound. Skipping the tip felt like a stand, and the manager’s $45 credit cooled some heat, but tension with the fiancée simmers.
Restaurant mishaps aren’t rare. A 2023 National Restaurant Association report notes 15% of diners face order errors yearly, and charging for mistakes risks trust ( source). Dr. Emily Hart, a hospitality expert, says, “Servers should own errors, not bill for them—good service comps the flub, not the guest” (Forbes, 2024).
The waitress’s tone tipped the scales here. Advice? Politely flag the charge, escalate to a manager—done here, thankfully—and tip based on intent, not insult. No tip stung, but the fix came.
Here’s what Redditors had to say:
Reddit dished out sizzling takes, blending outrage and a pinch of spice! Here’s the hot scoop from the crowd—brace for the flavor.
![[Reddit User] - NTA. They f**ked up, you didn't consent to eating pork in the first place. They lied/were mistaken about it being pork. Then they charged you $45? F**k that. Not even about the tipping, I'd be *demanding* my $45 back.](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/275873c-01.png)
![[Reddit User] - NTA - They shouldn't have charged you for the entree since it was their mistake. A tip is optional when the service is good, this was not the case in this scenario.](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/275873c-04.png)
![[Reddit User] - As someone who worked a decade in the restaurant industry, mostly as a server, you are 100% NTA. She gave you bad service AND tried to charge you for HER mistake. Personally, I would've asked for the charge to be removed, kicking it up to Karen status and asking for the manager if necessary. No way would I have paid the extra $45.](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/275873c-07.png)
These are popular opinions on Reddit, but do they cut it? Was this guy a hero for standing firm or a grump for nixing the tip? Maybe he carved out justice, or maybe the credit’s the real win.
What a meal of mayhem! A guy’s filet mignon morphs into pork, a waitress flubs and fights, and a $45 surprise sours the night—prompting a no-tip stand. The manager’s credit saves face, but the fiancée’s frown lingers. Reddit backs his beef, cheering the pushback on a botched bill. Service slipped, tempers flared, and the tip jar stayed empty—was it fair? What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation? Toss your thoughts, stories, or sage advice below—let’s grill this restaurant ruckus!
