Although David Beckham’s known for his prowess on the soccer field and his high-profile family, the retired athlete is anything but a star to the people who serve him his food and drink.

The New York Post reported that Beckham stiffed the wait staff at a Madrid restaurant in 2004, according to a new book about the soccer legend and his wife, Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham.

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Author and former BBC journalist Tom Bower revealed in his book, “House of Beckham: Money, Sex and Power,” that a waitress wrote a note to Beckham’s assistant (and alleged mistress) about how she earns her livelihood off tips — and how not getting one from such a wealthy customer is a blow to her income.

“After reading the note, Beckham was alarmed,” Bower wrote in his book, according to the New York Post. Beckham then allegedly took out a wad of Euros and got his assistant to give it to the waitress.

According to The Times, the Beckhams have a combined net worth of ￡455 million (around $575 million). Yet, this isn’t the first time that they’ve reportedly stiffed restaurant staff.

How the Beckham’s became the ‘Takeums’

The Beckhams’ reluctance to tip employees in the service industry has become such a signature of theirs that their close friend Elton John has a nickname for the couple: the “Takeums.” This nickname came after a week-long stint on the Grammy winner’s luxury yacht.

“Elton would later complain that the ‘Takeums’ had forgotten the customary courtesy of tipping the crew,” the New York Post quoted from Bower’s book. “A sum of about $26,733 was expected for [that] one week.”

Since the June publication of “House of Beckham,” the Beckhams have yet to defend themselves against these allegations. However, their reported actions may be part of a widerspread phenomenon: tip fatigue.

An overwhelming 72% of American adults believe that tipping is more expected now than it was five years ago, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center study that surveyed nearly 12,000 people.

Nearly a third (29%) of Americans in the Pew survey also admitted they felt an obligation to tip, rather than seeing it as a personal case-by-case choice based on quality of service.