Olive Garden Waiter Fired for Pretending to Have Cancer to Get Better Tips

Ask any competent server, and they will tell you that their job is essentially one of seduction: Turn on the charm, sell that bottle of wine, pitch that daily special, flirt a little (or a lot), laugh at lame jokes, and, finally, get that coveted gratuity on which your livelihood depends.

And while there is always a fine line between seduction and deception, lying about having cancer is not an advisable tactic for maximizing tips. Sure; if you don’t have a conscience, you can certainly try it. But odds are that you will be exposed and fired, like former Olive Garden waiter Jason Kisner, who took their “When you’re here, you’re family” slogan a little too far.

According to local news outlet WREG, Kisner was let go when reports emerged of him taking very generous tips after spinning some yarn about how he required cancer treatment, according to diners he served. The problem is that Kinser does not have cancer, which may suggest that he instead has a terminal case of being an asshole.

Olive Garden did not confirm or deny whether Kisner was ill, but they did promptly fire him from the Southaven, Mississippi location. When MUNCHIES reached out for commentary, Olive Garden issued a statement saying that his actions were “inconsistent with our company’s values and he no longer works for us.” Some of those “inconsistent actions” allegedly included taking $125 from clients who truly believed that he needed the money to pay for cancer treatment.

In addition to firing Kisner, Olive Garden promised that they were “working to contact the guests and we will reimburse them for the $125 they gave the server.”

In the weeks and months leading up to his dismissal, witnesses also reported that Kisner had been heard bragging to coworkers about getting $100 tips and sighing loudly while telling clients about his supposed cancer treatment. Kisner also has a rap sheet that includes shoplifting and conspiracy to unlawfully possess a motor vehicle convictions. And while it’s not a criminal act in itself, he can now add preying on the generosity of others to that list.