Via iStockphoto / @quartakey_23 TikTok
A Denny's server took matters into her own hands after a group of teenagers came in and she realized why one of them wasn't eating.
As a teenager, few things are more upsetting than missing out on hanging with friends. It’s so important that many will find a way to make it work, even when it means just tagging along.
TikToker @quartakey_23 is a server at Denny’s, which is a favorite late-night hangout for the under-18 set. Breakfast for dinner always feels cooler and more transgressive when surrounded by friends. But a key part of eating with friends is the shared meal.
‘A Table Of Whack Teenagers’
When the server walked to her table, she says she noticed that it was occupied by teens. Five to be exact. But she says she saw that only four of them were eating.
“Tell me why I have a table of some whack-a— teenagers out there,” she says to her camera. She notes she was tired, but not too tired to notice that the fifth teen had no money.
“The way I know he don’t have money is because when they were getting their drinks, he’s like, ‘How much is water?'” she explains.
“That says he don’t have no money,” she concludes.
In an attempt to make sure everyone was comfortable, she says she checked in with him, asking, “Do you need anything?”
He was fine, he told her.
Can I Get Some Fries With That Shake?
Although the server calls the table “little b———” (only to her internet audience), she’s got a plan. And it has nothing to do with parental situations.
“So guess who just put in a burger [ticket] and is going to act like somebody didn’t want it,” she asks. But that’s not all. She also plans to make an Oreo shake and “act like” another guest didn’t want it.
“And yes, he’s gonna start on that shake with his fries, because Imma make that s—- with love,” she promises.
She ends on the admonishment: “You go out with your friends, feed your friends.”
The video, which has over 305,000 views, has a caption that underscores the point: “If I invite you to eat, that means I’m paying,” she wrote.
Some Of Us Were Raised Different
In a unanimous display of manners and solidarity, the internet has showed up for hungry teenagers. Everyone, it seems, understands that in a group of friends who’re out to eat there’s always enough for everyone.
“You never eat in front any one without offering,” says @stuninlikemydaddy.
“Literally!! I would not feel comfortably eating in front of my friend if they’re not eating! We gon eat together boo!” agreed @latinaxprincesss.
While another viewer notes that the video “… started off rocky lol. But this is what caring looks like.”
Who Pays In A Group Meal Setting?
Though the comments section was adamant that no one should go hungry during a group meal, that doesn’t solve the problem of who pays. The truth is, there are no hard and fast rules beyond an individual group’s dynamics. However, there are some helpful guidelines.
To start, the easy route suggests that you pay for what you order. Other factors come into play like the social status, earning power, and geography of the diners. Also, if one person or a couple invites people out as “their treat” or some variant of that language, they are expected to pay.
Family dynamics are another situation. They’re the type of thing that evolves slowly, with payment responsibilities shifting over time. Often, the notion of who pays and when is a subtle way of marking life’s benchmarks. “It’s a nice milestone once you’ve become financially stable, to finally turn the table and pay for your parents’ dinner,” notes the site Art of Manliness.
Growing up is a part of the teen experience—as is learning how to graciously include everyone at the table.
As organic as it may seem, some experts are saying that these days, because gadgets take up so much “communication” space—that in-person interaction becomes much more difficult.
Logically this extends to the norms and traditions around breaking bread together. A big part of this? The art of small talk and bodily control. That means understanding that engaged listening is paying attention to the other people at the table and trying not to fidget. With the cellphone mostly put down. Because if you’re paying attention, then a friend doesn’t go hungry.
BroBible reached out to @quartakey_23 via TikTok direct message. We’ll update this article if she gets back to us with how the young man reacted to her kind gesture.
@quartakey_23 If I invite you to eat that means I’m paying‼️ If we are in a group and one doesn’t order “may I get two plates”. #wealleat #friendship #fyp