One of my favorite things is to go out for breakfast. I think it is a messy meal to prepare at home and everything has to finish at the exact same time. Bleech!! Too much work, even for a happy cook like me. Today found us at one of our favorite breakfast spots, Ruby's. Generally, Ruby's waitresses are pretty young girls. Ours was not. She was probably in her early 40s. I could tell when she first came up, apologizing for the wait, that she was harried. We ordered and relaxed. Suddenly, I could tell my husband was honing in on the conversation behind us. I kept asking what was going on and he told me to wait as they were about to leave.
Apparently, this man was upset because the menu stated a "3 egg" omelet and he was convinced it was a 4 egg omelet. It was false advertising he told the waitress. We Americans eat too much and are way too fat, he told her. The manager even came over and offered to comp the meal. He said no, he just wanted her to know the menu was wrong. Mind you, he was not cheated out of food, but given MORE than he anticipated and this, somehow, made him angry! Couldn't he just eat part of the omelet and leave the rest? No, he had to make a big stink about it. He later recalled the manager over and told her, yes, he did want her to comp the meal! The poor waitress stood by silently watching her tip shrink for something that was totally beyond her control.
Then, there was a gentleman standing next to our booth. Our same waitress came up to him and apologized as she handed him the check. She said she didn't know what happened and was so sorry. He had been a solo diner, left to go to the bathroom, and when he returned, they had cleared away his remaining food and seated other people in his booth! He had not even paid for his meal! Again, the waitress could feel her tip disappear!
When she brought out our food, I said, "Boy, you are having quite a tough morning!" She stopped, looked at me and almost started to cry. She said some days are just that way. I said dealing with the general public can be rough. People are often rude and demanding (moi included!) but she should hang in there!
After we were finished eating, she came by and said, "Thank you for noticing and saying something to me. It made me feel better." She brought me a "to go" iced tea in the largest cup they had!
I left a BIG tip!!!
Be nice...it matters!!! And sometimes, you don't know just how much it does matter.
Apparently, this man was upset because the menu stated a "3 egg" omelet and he was convinced it was a 4 egg omelet. It was false advertising he told the waitress. We Americans eat too much and are way too fat, he told her. The manager even came over and offered to comp the meal. He said no, he just wanted her to know the menu was wrong. Mind you, he was not cheated out of food, but given MORE than he anticipated and this, somehow, made him angry! Couldn't he just eat part of the omelet and leave the rest? No, he had to make a big stink about it. He later recalled the manager over and told her, yes, he did want her to comp the meal! The poor waitress stood by silently watching her tip shrink for something that was totally beyond her control.
Then, there was a gentleman standing next to our booth. Our same waitress came up to him and apologized as she handed him the check. She said she didn't know what happened and was so sorry. He had been a solo diner, left to go to the bathroom, and when he returned, they had cleared away his remaining food and seated other people in his booth! He had not even paid for his meal! Again, the waitress could feel her tip disappear!
When she brought out our food, I said, "Boy, you are having quite a tough morning!" She stopped, looked at me and almost started to cry. She said some days are just that way. I said dealing with the general public can be rough. People are often rude and demanding (moi included!) but she should hang in there!
After we were finished eating, she came by and said, "Thank you for noticing and saying something to me. It made me feel better." She brought me a "to go" iced tea in the largest cup they had!
I left a BIG tip!!!
Be nice...it matters!!! And sometimes, you don't know just how much it does matter.
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