'Hilarious': Republican ripped for leaving tiny tip while bragging about Trump promise

[turbinetree]

By Ailia Zehra, Alternet
Published August 19, 2025 8:24 AM ET

Rep. Mariannette Miller‑Meeks (R-IW) made a stop at bar in Iowa County, and bragged after celebrating the new “No Tax on Tips” rule in Donald Trump’s budget bill.

The problem is, the tax on the tip she left would have been barely noticeable.

On the social platform X Monday, she posted her picture at the bar and wrote, “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!”

Social media users pounced on the details in the photo, pointing out that she left just a $3 tip.

https://www.rawstory.com/hilarious-ripped-for-tipping-3-in-post-bragging-about-trumps-no-ta/

This wench gets $174,00 a year hurting people and to add further insult gets a tax payer funded health care................does she think that 3 dollars will cover the workers health care, Medicare or the electric bill because of climate change that she just voted to cut from the treasons supporting bill........what a disgrace..............

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. No tax on tips is another fucking Taco Tits LIE.

[Celerity]

35. she should invite Trump there on a Tuesday

https://sundownbarandgrill.com/specials/

[BoRaGard]

2. This is soooo republicon

Suck bigly off the public,
then toss begrudged pennies to the proles.

[dsc]

3. I don't particularly want to defend her

but the bill was $19.10 call it $20. 15% of $20 is $3. 15% isn't a small tip.

[TheRickles]

4. Thanks for clarifying. We don't need to stoop to distorting facts in order to get clicks.

[Hornedfrog2000]

11. It isnt distorting the facts

She sounds like an idiot bragging about how she and trump will be giving this person extra tip money, and then tips the absolute minnimum. Because when you put trump promises in one hand and shit in the other, let me know which one fills up first. .... Tone deaf as fuck.

[ProfessorGAC]

46. The Absolute Minimum Is Zero

Now, anyone leaving nothing for a tip is a tool, but 15% is not an absolute minimum.
I see nothing to criticize about a 15%+ tip. Could she afford 20%. Probably, but I see nothing wrong with 15%.

[IbogaProject]

50. Nope she is top 1 or 2%

This isnt takeout, she was served at a bar or table. And small bills require slightly larger tip as the server lost a better spend on her publicity stunt. I rarely get drinks and never get dessert so I always tip a little more to compensate.

[ProfessorGAC]

59. Silly

You can't say "nope" to a mathematical fact.
15% of something is never the minimum. The minimum is ALWAYS zero percent.
Plus, she's not a 1%er. According to various sites, she is worth about $2 million. My wife & I have more than that, and we're not in the 1%.
Your arguing against math, and you're justifying it based upon misinformation.
Nice going.

[Upjumpdadebil]

6. Missing The Point

..."Discuss amongst yourselves..."

[Orrex]

7. I thought the rule of thumb was $5 minimum for orders over $10

But I’m sure it varies widely per transaction.

[Melon]

28. I've never heard a "rule of thumb" on tipping in my life

It was 15% forever. Bastardized to 20%.

[Orrex]

60. Is that you, Mr. Pink?

[Melon]

61. I don't tip

I don't tip because society says I have to. I'll tip if someone really deserves it, if they really put forth the effort, but this tipping automatically, it's for the birds.

[creeksneakers2]

66. It somebody does work for you you ought to pay them

How would you react if you did a job and they didn't pay you?

[Lucky Luciano]

69. Cough up a dollar you cheap bastard.

[Melon]

71. lol. Simmer down. I tip. It's a line from a movie.

Going back to the Mr. Pink comment.

[Orrex]

72. Wait. What?

[creeksneakers2]

73. OK.

Glad I was wrong.

[Orrex]

68. Toby. Toby. Toby. Toby? Toby.

[Drum]

64. I gotcha...

Reservoir Dogs…

[Beaverhausen]

8. Minimum wage is $7.25 in Iowa

I think 20% is minimum unless minimum wage is above $15/hour

but maybe that's just me.

[hatrack]

25. Minimum cash wage for tipped employees - $4.35/hour in Iowa

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

[SidneyR]

41. Agree.

Twenty percent is what I do, but forgo the percent when it's that minimal. I'd give five dollars instead of a percentage with such a small bill.

[Hornedfrog2000]

9. She left almost exactly a 15% tip

Honestly, she should be leaving more like a 25% tip on $20 bill, but again, shes stingy and a money grubbing republican. I guarantee she makes a lot more than her salary. When you come in and take up a table that could have been used for someone who actually tips a decent amount, it pisses servers off. You know she sat there for an hour too.

[Zambero]

39. Roughly what a 20% tip would look like after having applied the tax

Gee, Thanks!!

[Bob_in_VA]

10. Not really

15% is the minimum recommended tip. If the service is better than expected, a 20 or even 25% tip is more in line. And, No, I'm not well to do, I'm retired and my income puts me at the median for where I live (Memphis, TN).

[sl8]

12. Also, tips are usually calculated on the pre-tax total ($17.00)

I'm not sure exactly how much she left as a tip. From the photo it appears that she left $21 dollars and some silver coins for a $18.19 bill ($17.00, pre-tax). It appears that she left $2.81+ the value of the coins as a tip.

15% of a $17 order would be $2.55
20% of a $17 order would be $3.40.

[Hornedfrog2000]

14. You tip on the pretax total

Omg, whoa brother.

[sl8]

16. Right, that's what I said.

Am I missing something? I don't understand your comment.

[newdeal2]

18. This whole discussion on tipping etiquette misses the point

We need to join the rest of civilized society and give workers adequate pay and benefits and end tipping and service fees. It’s gone overboard.

[Hornedfrog2000]

21. Exactly what i just pointed out

Many times a server is paid more like half of the min wage in iowa. I have 2 sisters who bartend, and serve.

[newdeal2]

24. Tipping system is so opaque

The discussion here shows that everyone has a different idea of how to tip. Even well intentioned people don’t know how much or where it’s going.

[Xavier Breath]

34. That's how I've always calculated restaurant tips as well: the pre-tax amount.

The tax I pay is a transaction between myself and the state of Ohio and the county where I eat the meal. I'm not going to tip on that. So on her ticket, with a competent serving experience, I would have left a tip of 20% or $3.40. If it was outstanding service, I'd give 25%.

I guess that makes me this century's Hitler. Whatever.

[doc03]

13. I leave a 15-20% tip myself, can't criticize her for doing the same.

[haele]

19. Optics. In her situation, I'd have dropped a $5.

If you're really promoting a "tipping" culture (so you can pay employees less), make the point that you can tip your "excellent" server more for "concierge" attention and not have them worrying about the taxes on the tip
Now, worrying about tip theft from the manager or owner is another issue.

[hatrack]

27. Willing to bet there was a calculator or a little plastic tip card involved . . . .

So close to making a de minimis political point, and she still screwed it up.

[sl8]

29. The bottom of the bill has a tipping guide.

It shows the appropriate amounts for 18%, 20%, and 22%.

[haele]

30. Even with a card, or on a receipt, she could have added up.

To really make a point, write (or type) how wonderful the waiter was on the receipt while you up the tip amount., even if they bring you a hand scanner to pay your bill on. There's always a place to add a comment or add/up a tip amount at the point of sale.

[Renew Deal]

42. I wonder if people will get the idea that 15% goes much further than it used to

Which makes lower tips acceptable.

[ok_cpu]

52. People will definitely use that to justify lower tips

which will negate any benefit from the tax break. If I would have tipped 20% but now leave 16% because the server isn't going to be taxed, the worker has gained nothing.

[LisaM]

47. Exactly.

If her service was so fantastic, the way she claimed, she should have made it $5.

[NewLarry]

36. I beg to differ...

The standard tip for most any dine-in restaurant is %20. At least in this part of the mid-west it is. (Rural NE Ohio)

[Lucky Luciano]

48. 15% is a crappy tip. Standard is 20%...it was 15 when I was a kid though.

On top of that, for low priced places like this one, I tend to make a $5 minimum tip for a full restaurant server (as opposed to buffet server) though that is not standard. I think it’s a good practice though in a tipping economy to have a minimum for a full service meal….i would much rather they got paid appropriately from the employer and tips were done away with. I like Europe and Japan where there is very little tipping. The price is the price (they even include the tax!).

[IronLionZion]

55. When it's a small bill, the % amount is still a small tip

[sdfernando]

63. I have to agree with you on this

15% is OK but it is not good in my book...my default is 20% and I'm nowhere near her income level. If service is what I would call normal, then they get 20%, if it is extraordinary I will tip 25 to 30%...If service is very bad then its 10 to 15%. I NEVER do not tip.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. From...

The Ultimate Guide to Tipping Etiquette in Every Situation—and When Not to Tip
https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/money-etiquette/tipping-etiquette-guide

How Much to Tip at a Bar
Hanging at the bar? If you're only ordering drinks, go for flat amounts rather than percentages. Leave $1 for a beer and $2 for a cocktail, advises Salvatore Tafuri, bar director of the Times Square Edition Hotel in New York City. However, if you order a bar snack or the service was especially good, tip 20 percent.

[doc03]

22. Pay a tip of $1 for handing you a beer that cost $4.5 to $7 or more. That is ridiculous $5.50 to

$8 for a beer you can buy at a carryout for $1.25. I do but think about that. People wait in line for a
Starbucks coffee, a shot of expresso, a couple pumps of syrup and some milk for $6+ and round it to
$10. Those people have more dollars than sense.

[tryharder]

15. Who wants coupons?

She was tipping harder, not more generously, so as to emphasize the need for hard work, in pursuit of bootstraps.

[Hornedfrog2000]

17. Also, just to educate some people here

Many servers make more like $4.50 in Iowa, because if the tips bring their wages up to minnimum wage, it is legal to pay that. So your generous 15% while you sit at their table for an hour is really pathetic a lot of the time. Just stay home and eat.

Maybe the server should have brought that tasty little loophole up, because i guarantee democrats wouldnt be cool with that, but what do i know, i have 2 sisters who are servers and bartenders in Iowa.

[patphil]

20. How much did she spend?

Based on the bill, it wasn't a great tip, but wasn't a bad one either.

[Iggo]

26. Anyone who tips less than five bucks is a fucking idiot.

Anyone.

[Omnipresent]

56. On the other hand...

Fucking idiots don’t usually have enough money to leave a decent tip.
You know, because they’re fucking idiots!

[Melon]

65. I tip 15% -20%. A small number is a smaller number

That’s math. Anyone who tops $5 is an idiot. Sane stupid logic.
She may have been expensing the meal. Our company on expense reports will only cover 20% max of the pre tax amount. Go higher and the bill is not approved. In that case she would be following the guidelines and not just handing out taxpayer money.

[Iggo]

67. I don't hide behind math when dealing with service people. I leave at least five bucks because I don't fucking suck.

[iluvtennis]

31. Love that she was trolled with "the wench"...haven't heard that since my granny passed away years ago. n/t

[czarjak]

32. Thanks be to Jodey Arrington!

He wrote the OBBBA which is nothing more than W policies on steroids. More wealth for the wealthy. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!

[Gimpyknee]

33. My daughter has been working in restaurants in D.C. for years.

She says older people generally tip at 15%, others at 20%, about one-in-five, 25%.

[Fil1957]

37. It wasn't a terrible, but it wasn't great either. She could of easily left a much more generous tip, but she's a

Republican, so what do you expect?

[groundloop]

38. "Tipping" is yet another way employers get away with paying thier staff peanuts

Most of the 'civilized' world requires employers to pay a decent wage such that their employees don't need to depend on tips to survive on.

BUT, with that being said, while growing up and even after college before finding my first "real" job I depended on tips and always tip well.

[Renew Deal]

40. She tipped 18%

hardly a scandal

[jonstl08]

43. Have to itemize

It really is not a no tax on tips. The waitress at this place needs to itemize her deductions and tax a deduction from income for her to get the deduction. If she cannot itemize she does not benefit and the tips are tax at her regular rate.

[sl8]

49. No, you don't, it's an "above the line" deduction.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-tax-deductions-for-working-americans-and-seniors

No Tax on Tips

[...]

Taxpayer eligibility: Deduction is available for both itemizing and non-itemizing taxpayers.

[...]

[hibbing]

44. Side note, since when is Iowa IW ?

[emulatorloo]

53. Yeah, that's Raw Story for you.

High quality journalism /s

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

62. "IA" has been re-designated to mean "State of Greenland".

[LudwigPastorius]

45. They are all just following their divine leader.

Stormy said Trump gives a small tip…because that’s all he has.

[Torchlight]

51. Does three dollars purchase any one thing of practical use anymore?

I'm sure servers are thrilled at her tip. At least she's not complaining about the wrong class of people in the clubhouse; so there's that.

[Totally Tunsie]

54. Bet she's going to "expense" it also.

Won't be coming out of her pocket.

[Renew Deal]

57. If that's the case, there is probably a policy cap

Could be 15-20%

[rickford66]

58. I usually leave 25% - 30% tip

I regularly eat at a few Mom and Pop places twice a week and get super service. Usually free soda and sometimes beer. I don't expect the extras and treat the waiters and waitresses decently. My late wife worked as a waitress for a very short time before I met her and she said it was the hardest job she ever had and she was a Kindergarten teacher and child care worker most of the time.

[calimary]

70. Mariannette, 'eh? Sounds like a puppet to me.