"When a Customer Catches an Attitude, I Add Drinks to Their Bill" — Another Server Secret

If you’ve ever had the “pleasure” of working in the restaurant industry, then you know dealing with rude customers daily is common. Having worked as a server and hostess myself (many, many years ago), I too know how frustrating it can be to deal with the public, especially the “hangry.”

While most servers are capable of shrugging off the nasty comments and crude behavior, one server found an alternative to handling the situation — beefing up a rude customer’s bill with drinks. Is it a genius move or is she wrong for doing it?

In a TikTok video that has garnered over 600K views and 59K likes so far, Alison Rickert (@alisonrickert) reveals a server secret she relies on when “a customer catches an attitude.”

In the video, which plays along to “Haters Anthem” by Infinity Song, we see Alison’s hand (we’re assuming) adding three 20 oz. drinks to what appears to be a customer’s bill. With each tap, $3.49 is added to the total.

Typically, when you order a meal and drink from a restaurant, free refills are provided. Sauces, dips, and other condiments are also generally included with your purchase (free of charge). But, as a way to get revenge on ill-mannered guests, it appears Alison adds every single drink her customers guzzle down to the bill.

While I certainly don’t condone adding random items to a customer’s tab, I wouldn’t call ringing in each item a customer receives unethical, especially when it’s someone who has no regard for another person’s wellbeing. And plenty of others seem to feel the same way.

Alison’s content is quite reliable, and the comments posted on her viral video make that clear. One user admitted, “I do this,” while another added, “Me charging $0.60 for those ranch and blu cheeses.”

Someone else chimed in, “hahahahahahah I used to do this so much.” It seems like servers definitely have a variety of ways to make sure that rude customers pay for their attitudes. Here’s what a few others had to say.

Aside from divulging a few other creative tactics servers rely on to get back at unpleasant customers, many commenters pointed out how similar Alison’s screen looks to “bdubs.” Based on a quick Google search, “bdubs” could be Buffalo Wild Wings.

While most of the people who took the time to respond to Alison’s video showed support for her choice of retaliation, it left others questioning whether they’ve paid for every drink (or if they were relieved of the charge).

While Alison’s video is certainly an eye-opener, it also serves as a reminder to be kind as there is already enough hatred filtered in the air. In most cases, servers are doing their best and work long hours.

So, the next time you’re out grabbing a bite to eat, perhaps you might want to think twice before getting rude to your server. After all, they are handling your food and drinks, and control your bill.