In an effort to commemorate the GOP’s “no tax on tips” deduction earlier this year, MAGA Rep Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa is defending herself in the face of social media controversy after leaving what some users are calling a “ridiculous” tip at a restaurant.
“Made a pit stop in Iowa County for lunch at Sun Down Bar and Grill,” Miller-Meeks wrote Monday on X, formerly Twitter. “I got to celebrate No Tax on Tips with our wonderful server, she’s thrilled about this provision and excited to keep more of what she earns!”
Miller-Meeks ordered a $7 order of corn nuggets and a $10 Philly cheesesteak sandwich, totaling $18.19 after local sales tax, according to the accompanying photo of her receipt. Miller-Meeks left $21 and some spare change on her table, as shown in the picture. Notably, the receipt in the picture verified that a 20% gratuity on the entire purchase would come to $3.40.
A representative for the lawmaker, whose tweet garnered over 2,000 comments and nearly 10 million views, replied to the outcry by criticizing Democrats and pointing out that she paid a reasonable tip.
“You’d think the server would at least get $5 since you’re using her as a political prop on cash she wouldn’t have reported,” one user replied on X, with another person commenting: “I’ve never seen someone brag so hard about being such a cheap a——.”
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks celebrated the GOP’s “no tax on tips” deduction at a restaurant Monday by paying what some are calling a “ridiculous” tip. https://t.co/mX5DDvC2wN
— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) August 20, 2025
In a statement released on Tuesday, Anthony Fakhoury told CBS 2 Iowa, “The Congresswoman left a 20% tip, and unlike Democrats, she did not vote to increase taxes on hardworking Iowans.” “The IRS does not benefit from ‘no tax on tips,’ but servers do.”
Although Miller-Meeks’ “stingy” gift was the sole focus of the criticism, the “no tax on tips” deduction has been attacked for its shortcomings ever since President Donald Trump signed it into law earlier this year as part of the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill.”
Made a pit stop in Iowa County for lunch at Sun Down Bar and Grill.
I got to celebrate No Tax on Tips with our wonderful server, she’s thrilled about this provision and excited to keep more of what she earns! pic.twitter.com/5YdpFfq5jp
— Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (@RepMMM) August 18, 2025
Trump celebrated the bill as a victory that fulfilled his campaign promise to eliminate tip taxes. In actuality, workers still have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on gratuities because it only offers a tax deduction on up to $25,000 of tip income and only applies to federal income tax.
In the end, social media users weren’t bothered by those specifics on Monday. Many expressed outrage that Miller-Meeks attempted to promote her party by tipping her “only” $3 for lunch.
