A Black woman posted a TikTok about her interaction with the manager of a popular Vietnamese restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri. KayLianie got kicked out by the manager of the Grand Bistro Vietnamese Restaurant after she refused to pay a tip when she received bad service.
The video racked up thousands of comments — some supporting her, others criticizing her. She explained in the caption that she sat down at the restaurant and ordered pho. After that, the waitress got her check despite her wanting to order more food.
A viral TikTok shows a manager of a Vietnamese restaurant banning a Black customer after she refused to tip for terrible service.https://t.co/yB32if7qgP
— Atlanta Black Star (@ATLBlackStar) November 14, 2025
The caption reads, “Also, I wanted to order more food, but it was like she was trying to rush me to leave. I have NEVER been met with such a disgusting attitude.” According to Atlanta Black Star, the manager told her she isn’t welcome at the restaurant again if she doesn’t pay the gratuity.
The waitress told her she earns $2 an hour. The black woman responded that they couldn’t force her to leave a tip. The manager goes on to say, “Don’t come back here anymore. Get out.”
Comments on the TikTok post were supporting KayLianie, “That was no way to speak to you! I believe in tipping, and I work in the service industry; however, harassing someone about a tip is unacceptable. And it for sure doesn’t make anyone want to tip you after that.”
The second one commenced, “If the tip is considered mandatory at their establishment, they need to post signage and add gratuity to the check matching the policy on their signage,” one critic commented. “Props for removing that customer who somehow survived adulthood without learning restaurant basics. If you can’t tip, why are you even dining in? Go stare at your fridge or something.”
I’m a good tipper. Yet I’m tired of seeing tip jars everywhere I go. Basically, we supplement their income because the owners won’t. Honestly, I have no problem paying more for a meal. As long as the owners are paying their employees properly. It shouldn’t have to be in the form… pic.twitter.com/gYeQ3MKaUE
— Willie Ross Jr. Knee Deep (@RossKneeDeep) June 30, 2025
Some users argued that restaurant workers aren’t paid a fair wage and rely on tips to survive under a broken system. One person pointed out, “Tipping is a broken system in the United States. It shifts the employer’s responsibility onto the customer and creates inconsistent income. Replacing it with fair wages would bring dignity, stability, and transparency to service work. Quality should be paid, not begged for.”
Another one commented, “A tip is just a stealth tax because, as you say, restaurants, etc., won’t pay a living wage. If a business has to depend on their customers padding out the wages of their employees, maybe they shouldn’t be in business.” Some people also argue that bad service does not deserve tipping, while others cave in to tipping even when the service is not satisfactory.
