North Carolina man hears a local restaurant forces customers to tip. He decides to find out for himself: ‘I’d call my bank IMMEDIATELY’

A Winston-Salem, North Carolina, food influencer heard a claim that a local restaurant was forcing customers to tip. He decided to visit the restaurant himself and document what happened when the bill arrived.

TikTok creator Mock (@jorgemock) said he saw another TikTok from a creator who alleged that a server at Konnichiwa in Winston-Salem required her group to leave a tip through the restaurant’s payment system. Mock said he wanted to see whether he would encounter the same situation.

“I think tipping is optional,” Mock said. He then explained that he does tip for good food and service.

Mock reviewed the food, then came the check.

During Mock’s visit, he ordered several dishes, including the Mama roll, Godzilla roll and Bang Bang chicken. In the video, he praised the sushi but criticized the chicken, describing it as unusually dry.

Mock said he raised the issue with a server and asked for the chicken to be removed rather than replaced. The tipping question came when Mock received the bill.

According to his account and the footage included in his TikTok, the payment screen prompted him to select a tip. Mock declined to tip and added that he intended to leave cash instead.

He said the employee again directed him toward the tip selection. Mock then documented the exchange as he tried to complete the transaction without adding a digital tip. He added that he still planned to leave a tip because he enjoyed the sushi. He ultimately said the experience confirmed the claim he had heard before visiting.

The TikTok also drew comments from viewers who discussed their own unrelated experiences with tipping and tipping practices. One commenter wrote, “I’d call my bank immediately,” while several other commenters alleged similar incidents at the restaurant.

One comment from a creator named Kel noted, “This was my server who FORCED US TO TIP!!” Kel shared a similar story on her feed.

Another alleged, “i was forced to tip 20% when it was just me n my bf. we caused a whole scene and after we left, we canceled our payment lmaoo.”

A review of available local coverage, the restaurant’s website and public social media did not identify a response from Konnichiwa regarding Mock’s TikTok or its tipping policy. Comments on Mock’s video include other users describing similar experiences, but those accounts remain unverified.

Mock’s video documents his account of the interaction, but does not independently establish a restaurant-wide policy requiring customers to tip. Public reviews for Konnichiwa include both positive and negative comments about the restaurant’s food and service. Restaurantji lists 229 reviews and a 4.2-star rating.