The Aporia · Restaurant worker’s ‘soft creep’ advice to get better tips sparks massive debate

Restaurant worker’s ‘soft creep’ advice to get better tips sparks massive debate

Read the original at New York Post ↗

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Palladino, A. (2026, September 20). Restaurant worker’s ‘soft creep’ advice to get better tips sparks massive debate. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/20/lifestyle/waiters-soft-creep-tip-to-get-better-tips-sparks-debate/

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Quick Summary

Ryan Stannard, a restaurant worker on TikTok, advised servers to use what he calls the "soft creep" technique to improve tips by managing customer perceptions of wait times. He suggested acknowledging each table separately before moving on to the next one to reset their mental clock and make waits feel shorter. The post sparked debate with other servers offering alternative strategies like treating multiple tables as a single large group for more efficient service, while still emphasizing the importance of quick acknowledgment to keep customers satisfied.

Written by AI on 2026-09-21, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Ryan Stannard, a restaurant worker, sparked debate on TikTok by suggesting a technique he calls “soft creep” to improve tips. He advises servers to acknowledge customers at other tables while heading towards their assigned table, saying things like "I'll be right there," which allegedly resets the customer's perception of wait time and reduces frustration over long waits. According to Stannard, this tactic makes longer waits feel shorter because it shows reliability and attentiveness. The method involves checking in on Tables 2 and 3 while heading to Table 1 for drinks and then proceeding with orders accordingly. This advice aims to ensure customers feel attended to despite potential delays, potentially leading to better tipping habits due to perceived good service.

Written for “Restaurant Tip Advice Debate” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

0 of 16 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Entertainment

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Andrea Palladino

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Narrative

Claims (16 extracted, 0 hedged)

The art of “resetting the clock” was preached by Ryan Stannard on TikTok, who said bad tips can be solved with what he called a “soft creep” to reset customers’ mental clock. asserted

he → reset → clock

He described a scenario of having three tables, explaining that if you go in order by table to get each one’s drinks one by one, the third table is bound to get annoyed by their wait time. asserted

table → describe → time

“Do you know how long that third table is sitting there?” he asked, adding that if they wait five to 10 minutes, they are going to think they’re being ignored and “get pissed.” asserted

they → know → minutes

Stannard’s “tip” was this: Servers should stop on the way to Table 1 to check in on Table 2 and touch base, saying, “I’ll be right there,” which will buy the server a few extra minutes just by acknowledging them. asserted

which → stop → them

He then said after grabbing drinks for Table 1, stop by Table 3 and do the same thing. asserted

He → say → thing

Once you bring Table 1 their drinks and get their appetizers started, you can then take the orders for Tables 2 and 3. asserted

you → bring → Tables

“Resetting their mental clock makes a longer wait feel shorter because they know you’re present and they know you’re reliable,” Stannard preached, adding that it’s not about how long the wait is, but how long the wait feels. asserted

wait → reset → clock

Servers in Stannard’s comments section disagreed and shared their own strategies, with many suggesting treating getting triple-sat as one big table. asserted

many → disagree → table

“Greet them all at once one by one, bring all the drinks at once, but drop them off backwards so Table 3 is first, then 2 and then 1. asserted

Table → greet → them

Food all comes out around the same time and you’re chilling,” one user commented. asserted

user → come → time

Another user agreed, saying she drops off each table’s drinks, tells them she’ll be right back, and then circles back to Table 1 to take their order before continuing down the line. “You treat it like a party. asserted

You → agree → party

Nobody’s waiting forever, everybody’s getting everything at the same time, and you’re doing it efficiently for your time.” asserted

you → wait → time

Others echoed Stannard’s approach, agreeing that a simple greeting buys enough time to attend to one table at a time. asserted

greeting → echo → time

“As long as they know someone is coming to take care of them, it will calm people down.” asserted

it → know → people

“An unexplained wait always feels twice as long. asserted

wait → feel → ?

That little check-in can really help,” another added. asserted

another → help → ?

Restaurant worker’s ‘soft creep’ advice to get better tips sparks massive debate

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Claims (16 extracted, 0 hedged)