Servers And Bartenders Don’t Know Why Their Refunds Are Bigger This Year

Hospitality workers across the country say they’re seeing bigger tax refunds this year, but many told The Daily Wire they had never heard of President Trump’s “No Tax On Tips” policy.

“Really? No, I did not know that,” one person said. Another reacted with disbelief: “What? Oh my gosh.”

The Daily Wire asked one waitress at Pearl Dive Oyster Bar, “Was your refund better than last year’s?” She said she received a refund this year, whereas last year, she had to pay taxes. When we asked her why she believed her tax situation suddenly changed, the waitress guessed that she must have made more money at her old job. We followed up by asking her if she thought it could be because her tips weren’t taxed this year, and the waitress said she had never heard of the policy.

“Is that a good thing for us?” she asked.

“Well, if you got more money back,” we responded.

“I guess that’s one good thing he did,” she added of President Trump.

Bartenders and servers told me their tax refunds were better than last year but they had no idea why…

Republicans have a messaging problem pic.twitter.com/XgqMzHhcfQ

— Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) April 18, 2026

One bartender said he thought his tax situation changed because he claimed his son as a dependent. “Why do you think you got so much back? Really? Because my son—I claim him—so, you know, it just boosted the profit,” he said, before adding, “Other than that, I wouldn’t have gotten too much at all.”

However, after hearing about “No Tax on Tips,” he laughed and said, “Oh yes, I would definitely say that was it.”

Another worker said, “I’m not sure why it was better, but it was better.” Her coworker answered for her, saying it was because tips weren’t taxed up to $25,000 this year, and neither was overtime.

2025 was a historic high for tax refunds, with the average refund being $3,274 — which is 11% higher than last year.

Trump touted the policy in Las Vegas on Thursday. “Las Vegas is the home of the largest concentration of tipped workers anywhere in the country, and thanks to our tax cuts, this week, thousands of Nevada waiters, casino dealers, bartenders, caddies, and valets received the biggest tax refunds of their entire lives.”

Originating in Las Vegas, the policy—along with “no tax on Social Security” and “no tax on overtime”—was a frontrunner on the campaign trail. Yet, the majority of hospitality workers The Daily Wire interviewed in Washington, D.C., had not heard of the flagship proposal.

The issue is not new. A lack of awareness about current events is a trend The Daily Wire has observed firsthand. When the outlet interviewed Kamala Harris supporters at her book tour in Nashville, Tennessee, many couldn’t name her “best policy.”

A viral spring break video also highlighted how little some teenagers knew about foreign affairs, with several saying they had never heard of Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah—let alone claims that the U.S. had killed him. Daily Wire host Matt Walsh commented, “I actually don’t mind the fact that a bunch of 18- and 19-year-old kids are totally ignorant about world affairs… but the problem is that these kids can vote… raise the voting age to 25.”