Be Kind to Wait Staff: A Rant

Steve and I just returned from a local restaurant. I hope we made a difference tonight, because there are a lot of entitled, indulgent, and mean-spirited folks out there. I overheard a staff member member say that she wasn't tipped. When I called the manager to our table to express the good service and cuisine, he was thankful because he had three complaints prior to us. (Aw, did it take too long to refill their cocktails? Those poor, deprived babies. They probably didn't need them anyway.) We asked our server's name, and gave her ours. We asked her how she was doing, and she was shocked. "Thank you for asking," She said. "No one ever asks."

Does it really hurt to act like a human being to another human being? I can speak with conviction and ethos because I worked in food service. I was a biscuit maker, busgirl, dishwasher, hostess, and a server (the latter for one day. Because I couldn't put up with people's nonsense.) If you haven't had the pleasure, try food service for a day. I think most people would be a little more empathic. I'm not saying that I never had a crabby moment in my life (I'm hypoglycemic-I've had many), but at least I try not to be venomous to people who are trying to make a living.

I will no longer dine with people who are obnoxious to wait staff. (It's not the time to try out your cutesy, immature comedy schtick.) Last year at Gen Con, the 4th busiest convention annually in Indianapolis with over 40,000 in attendance, part of our table left early on a Saturday night with a $2.00 tip. What the hell? The rest of the party (including us) had to make up the difference. Well, C., and your tacky entourage, we will never dine with your cheap tacky selves again in Indianapolis. Or anywhere.

Back to our table tonight. Our server is a sweet, young, single mom of two, and we left her a large gratuity and a note. Hopefully it will make up for the jackasses who don't know how to act in a restaurant. If you can't be decent or afford to pay a decent gratutity (that's tip for those of you who don't do it well or at all), stay home and order delivery. Wait, you better order carry-out, because then you won't have to pay a tip. P.S. I was informed by a friend who is a server that you should leave a tip for carryout. Thank you, J., for the information.