State Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, is catching flak in social media as just another cold-hearted right-winger for stiffing the waitress at the downtown Hooters.

Littleton scribbled “sorry” on the line on her bill where she was supposed to write her tip amount. Her server went on Facebook to complain and posted a picture of Littleton’s receipt.

“State representatives are supposed to exhibit class and integrity … this one acted like a child,” said the waitress, Amanda Anderson.

“‘Sorry’? What is this poor server supposed to do with your ‘sorry’? Pay her rent or student loans or put food on the table?” the blogger Southern Beale wrote. “Honestly, Republicans should just stop trying to pretend they’re friends to working people.”

We reached out to Littleton for her side of the story, and she replied in an email that she didn’t leave a tip because her service was poor. Maybe this is a good place to point out that, like all out-of-town lawmakers, Littleton gets a daily spending allowance of $204 courtesy of the taxpayers. Here’s her response:



"Everyone has had a bad experience with service at some point when dining out at a restaurant. It is unfortunate that my private note to the server regarding the quality of service in this instance was made public. Due to the overall experience that evening, I decided not to provide a tip. In hindsight, rather than writing a note on the receipt, I should have asked for the manager so that I could register my concerns with the quality and promptness of service. As the mother of someone who has been a server, I know that servers have difficult and demanding jobs and, as such, it is has always been especially important to me that I make sure to tip generously when I receive good service."



Update: Rep. Tilman Goins, R-Morristown, seems to have been with Littleton, and he didn't leave a tip either.