Via iStockphoto / @shununuja TikTok
A server says three customers tipped her just $1 before trying to take margaritas to go, so she alerted her manager and got them arrested.
A server says that after three customers left her a $1 tip, she got even after one of them allegedly asked for a to-go cup to take her margarita with her.
In a viral TikTok, creator Shununuja (@shununuja) says she alerted her manager instead, ultimately leading to the women’s arrests. Her admission that she “would not have cared” had they tipped better has since raised questions over server and bartender liability and how much responsibility servers actually have when customers try to leave a restaurant with alcohol.
Why Did The Server Call The Police?
Shununuja added text to a still image of herself flashing the peace sign and pursing her lips. She explains (very briefly) what happened at her job. The text reads, “3 Ladies came in to eat and only tipped me a dollar. So once she asked for a to-go cup with “water” for her margarita, I told my manager and got them all arrested. [Heart emoji]. They also has [sic] suspended licenses.”
That might seem like an extreme reaction to an arguably lousy tip. Shununuja still gets a lot of support in the comments section, despite admitting in the TikTok’s caption that she was motivated by revenge. “Honestly would not have cared if they tipped more than a dollar,” she shared. The viral video has amassed over 610,000 views.
“TBH, I’m jealous you got to experience this,” wrote @tinytea.
And the sentiment that those guests got a satisfying comeuppance runs through most of the comments—at least for those who hate cheap diners. But a few people ask valid follow-up questions.
“If they tipped would you have still called? Just curious,” asked @scarletwitchpet.
The creator responded, “I mean I only went over there after they tipped me a dollar bc I was going to see if they tried asking me for anything else. They did. I was laughing in their face bc [two sobbing emoji] but who knows regardless I could’ve gotten in trouble.”
What trouble? Depending on the state, she could have been liable for anything that happened after the customers exited with containers full of margaritas.
Then @texasbuttwarrior stepped in with an “it happened to my friend” story, sharing, “Coworker got put in handcuffs and spent 2 nights in jail because a table of nurses did this. They got pulled over, and they said the server let them do it. Luckily cameras were working but he ended losing his job for not showing up on a holiday.”
Why Servers Can’t Just Hand Out To-Go Cups
Most individuals of driving age know about open container laws. Those are the laws that spell out exactly how illegal it is to drink and drive. The laws that say everyone in a vehicle gets in trouble if there is even one open alcohol container in a car. But this video raises another concern: responsibility.
What happens when a server gives a guest a to-go container for alcohol at the guest’s request? In most places, that counts as a violation of the law. No exceptions. Not even in the case of COVID-19 to-go drinks, because those were sealed.
But there are states (like Florida) that have open wine bottle exceptions. These laws take into consideration rare vintages and high price tags, and certain criteria must be met: The wine should have accompanied a meal. A restaurant employee should reseal it, with a receipt attached. But most importantly, the bottle should be as far away from the driver as possible: in a trunk or behind a seat.
‘No Intoxicated Person Shall Drive A Motor Vehicle’
George Smith, a British taxi driver, has the dubious distinction of being the first person ever arrested for drunk driving. In 1897, he crashed into a building and was fined 20 shillings.
Meanwhile, in America, the average adult was drinking 13 alcoholic drinks per week between 1900 and 1915. That’s closer to 2.8 alcoholic beverages per week circa 2025. Powerful vehicles piloted by inebriated individuals are a hazard. Arguably, it was an even greater hazard at the beginning of the automotive era as roads were congested with streetcars, pedestrians, and horses.
In 1906, New Jersey took action. The Garden State passed legislation that said, “No intoxicated person shall drive a motor vehicle.” Within four years, both Massachusetts and New York had their own laws on the books. But instead of rigorous enforcement, drunk driving was mostly “just frowned on.”
It wasn’t until 1980 that the toll drunk drivers take on others took on new life. Candy Lightner founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) after her 13-year-old daughter Cari was killed by a three-time drunk-driving offender. Cari’s story humanized the drunk driving crisis and helped shape ensuing legislation.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 32 people in the United States die every day as a result of drunk-driving accidents—upwards of 13,500 a year.
So whether Shununuja was acting out of spite or safety, in the end, she didn’t let her table drive with an open container. That might be worth more than any tip.
BroBible reached out to Shununuja via TikTok direct message. We will update this if she gets back to us.