A Houston man finds himself publicly embarrassed after he walked a restaurant tab and then headed next door to the poker room for some light gambling. Here’s why the scheme didn’t turn out like he hoped.
TikTok user Wynden Tess (@wyndensworld) posted a video about the experience on Oct. 11. “I am the bartender at a high-end restaurant, and this is my story about how this guy tried to walk his tab tonight,” she says to start the video. “He didn’t get very far.”
Wynden explains that she works behind the bar at her restaurant, and serves customers food as well as alcohol. Next to the restaurant is a 24-hour poker place.
That evening, a man entered the bar and ordered food, a $7 bottle of still water, and a double Captain Morgan rum with Diet Coke. After eating all his bread and much of his food, he asks Wynden Tess if it’s OK if he goes to get his laptop and does some work at the bar. She assures him that’s fine.
Houston Man Attempts to Walk Restaurant Bar Tab
“So he sits down his double Captain Morgan,” she says. “He says he’s going to get his laptop. I had a feeling. He was being overly nice.” And sure enough, she says, “He left to go get his laptop and never returned.”
Wynden Tess spoke to another one of the staff, who saw him walk over to the poker room. She gives the man another 10 minutes before heading over to the poker room to see if he’s there. Luckily, she is friends with the security guard there, so she has no problem getting in.
Sure enough, her tab walking customer is inside the poker room playing at a table. The security guard goes up to the guy, who initially denies ever being at the restaurant. His tune changes, though, when Wynden Tess returns with her manager and security camera footage that clearly shows him enjoying his meal.
The customer acts confused and tells them that he thought a friend paid for his tab. Wynden doesn’t believe this excuse for a second, because she didn’t see him with anybody the entire time he was at the restaurant.
“He was trying to cover his [expletive] at the poker room so they didn’t think he was a broke loser,” she says. “We walk back over to the restaurant. He’s in between me and my manager with his little tail between his legs. And he pays and he gave me $5.”
She’s unmoved by the gesture. “First of all, you’re embarrassing and you look like a loser,” she says. “And you just lie after lie. You can’t pay a $48 tab, but you have the audacity to go play poker and gamble your money? That’s embarrassing, boy.”
Viewers React to the Houston Bartender’s Detective Skills
In the comments, viewers overwhelmingly took Wynden Tess’s side in the situation. Many praised her detective skills.
“There’s nothing better than a bartender scorned,” wrote one person.
“Bartenders are smarter than whips,” said a second person.
“You should work for the FBI,” said a third person. “Nice job, girl.”
While it’s not uncommon, leaving without paying a restaurant tab is a misdemeanor offense in Texas. And not only does the practice cost the restaurant money, but servers and bartenders are often asked to pay the tab out of pocket.
All Hip Hop contacted Wynden Tess via TikTok comment and direct message for comment.
@wyndensworld Gottemmm 🤣 #industry #restaurantlife #bartenderstories #fyp #relatable ♬ original sound – Wynden Tess♥️