Not sure if this is the right sub to post in but I wanted to get some opinions on this.
I went to Waffle House the other night for 1 blueberry waffle. I’m broke right now and trying to save but I had $5 on my card and I love their blueberry waffles so I wanted to treat myself.
I walk in and it’s empty, I tell the girl I am ordering to-go for 1 blueberry waffle. I asked her how much they were and she says $4 so I figure I’m good with the $5 on my card. I sit at the bar and begin making conversation with the guy making my waffle and the cashier asks if I want to pay right now. I say yes of course and hand her my card. She calls the other guy over and says “it only went through for $5” and I say “oh, I only had $5 on my card. How much is it?”
She says “$5.40” so I run to my car and grab .40 in change. I sit down again and she hands me the receipt to sign.
Judge me or not but I did not leave a tip. I figure it is to-go, only one item, and I already emptied my card, so I left the tip field blank and put $5.40 in the total amount.
I hand it back to her and she says “Did you want to leave a tip?” which I didn’t fully hear since she had a mask on so I asked her “what?”
She pulls her mask down and says forcefully “Did you want to leave a tip?”
I was a little taken aback so I just said “uh, no.”
Nothing else really happened but I felt really uncomfortable and kind of weird about the situation and wanted to ask what other workers think. I didn’t think a tip was necessary since it was to-go, she wasn’t serving me, and I only had one item. Not to mention it was already almost $6 for one waffle, which I know she isn’t in control of, but still. Isn’t it a little rude to ask outright for a tip?