A woman's complaint about having to add air to her own tires at a Discount Tire location has sparked a critical response, raising issues like customer service expectations and entitlement. The 28-second video has divided viewers, with many questioning whether the woman’s frustration was justified or simply unrealistic.
Atrevino (@atrevino66) posted the TikTok last Thursday. Since then, it's garnered over 39,000 views. The clip, filmed from inside her car, shows an older man outside a Discount Tire shop using the air pump to inflate his own tires while she provides commentary.
"So, now we have to put air in our own tires. Yeah, that’s what it’s come to. It’s too cold outside for Discount Tire," Atrevino says in the video, clearly frustrated with what she seems to perceive as poor customer service.
The video shows her watching the elderly man handle the air pump himself, with Atrevino continuing her critique, "Yep, oh well, guess I have to put my own air in the tire. Hmm."
The implication is that Discount Tire employees should have been providing this service despite the cold weather, rather than leaving customers to do it themselves.
Discount Tire and the Service Expectation Debate
Atrevino’s video has raised a broader question about the level of service customers can reasonably expect from tire retailers, particularly for complimentary services like air pressure checks and adjustments.
Many tire shops, including Discount Tire, traditionally offer free air service as a courtesy. However, the extent to which employees are expected to personally handle every air-related request, especially during busy periods or challenging weather, remains a point of contention.
The video’s timing adds another layer to the discussion, as outdoor work becomes more challenging for employees during winter. Cold weather significantly impacts tire pressure—tires lose approximately 1–2 PSI for every 10-degree drop in temperature, which explains why many drivers notice their tire pressure monitoring system warning lights illuminating more frequently during winter.
This seasonal pressure drop creates increased demand for air service at tire shops during cold snaps.
Complaint Prompts Backlash
The comments section has been overwhelmingly critical of Atrevino’s complaint, with viewers using terms like "entitlement" and "laziness" to describe her expectations.
"How can I be a victim today," wrote user MrCubs, whose comment received 721 likes and captured the sentiment of others who saw the complaint as excessive.
Another simply commented "The ENTITLEMENT," earning 451 likes.
A third added, "They nice as hell to let you use their tools for free."
Industry Employee Perspective
Several commenters who claimed to work in the tire industry provided context on how these situations are typically handled during busy periods.
"Former Discount Tire employee here. Tire pressure checks are free, so we always prioritized the paying customers on busy days," wrote user Jeff. His comment received seven likes.
This insight suggests that during peak times, employees may focus on customers purchasing tires or other paid services, leaving those seeking air refills to use the equipment independently. Tire shops operate on relatively small profit margins and often manage unpredictable customer volumes. During busy periods, tire retailers typically prioritize revenue-generating services while still making free courtesy services available for customer self-service.
User ogjg63 supported this interpretation: "Probably because it was packed with real customers that needed new tires," earning 386 likes from viewers who understood the business priority system.
The Self-Reliance Argument
Many commenters questioned why adding air to tires would be considered difficult or unreasonable for customers to handle themselves.
"What’s wrong with that ?? U can’t do it ?" asked Papinicolas.
"Its free dude lol, just put air," wrote Southtxcountry.
Miguelsandoval5351 emphasized the courtesy aspect: "That’s a [courtesy] n not part of the job it’s free right so they didn’t make a dime so get off ur high horse n doit lol."
Comparing Service Models
Some viewers drew comparisons to other businesses where customers routinely handle similar tasks without employee assistance.
"They have air machines at some gas stations. You don’t see an employee out there putting air & they’re also getting paid. It’s a courtesy they offer to the public regardless if you’re a customer or not ohh and guess what it’s free," explained Junior.
This comparison highlights how different businesses approach customer service for basic automotive maintenance tasks. While Discount Tire advertises complimentary air pressure checks performed by staff, the reality during high-volume periods may differ, with self-service options becoming the practical solution when technicians are occupied with paying customers.
While Atrevino specifically mentioned cold weather as the reason for the lack of employee assistance, commenters generally showed little sympathy for this explanation.
The older man visible in the video appeared to be managing the task without difficulty, potentially undermining the argument that weather conditions made the service unreasonable to expect customers to handle.
What This Means for Customers
The reaction to Atrevino’s video suggests that most consumers view basic tire maintenance tasks, such as air inflation, as reasonable expectations for customer self-service, especially when the equipment is provided free of charge.
For tire retailers, the incident highlights the importance of clearly communicating service policies and managing customer expectations, particularly during busy periods or challenging weather conditions. Recent reports indicate that tire shops have faced significant staffing challenges, with some seeing up to 60 cars daily while struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels, potentially affecting the availability of staff-assisted courtesy services.
Motor1 reached out to Atrevino via TikTok direct message for additional details about her experience. We also contacted Discount Tire corporate headquarters regarding their air service policies during different weather conditions. We’ll update this if they respond.
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