Fight For What's Right

What a bummer. My last table tonight left me a six buck tip on an almost three hundred dollar tab.

Are you absolutely kidding me?

Nice enough people, thought everything went okay. When they were leaving noticed one of them had forgotten the food I boxed to go and was still sitting on the table so I tapped on the window as they were all walking back to the parking garage. Another server ran the box of food out to them and they thanked him. I stayed inside and still clearing the table when I noticed the tip.

Here's my thing about such a crappy tip. I have to tip out on my sales. Three hundred bucks... have to tip two percent to the food runner, two percent to the busser and one percent to the bar.

On that table alone had to tip out fifteen bucks; they left me six so was nine in the hole. It cost me nine dollars of my own money to wait on them. They should be ashamed about doing that.

I walked outside, thinking about saying something as they all walked away but didn't.

Then the last member of their party came out of the restroom and headed out the front door after them. Younger dude, probably mid twenties. He smiled and waved good night.

I smiled back...and decided to take up for myself.

I asked if everything had been okay for them? He said it had been great!

I continued...

"Was everything okay with the food and my service? Did I do anything wrong or did something happen during your experience here to upset any of you?"

He said absolutely not and why... was I picking up bad vibes?

I was honest. I was nice. I showed concern for them.

I said in fact I kinda was. I was worried I'd done something wrong or something had happened to lessen the experience for them because of the tip they had left.

He asked, and I told him the amount.

He said would ask them about it as soon as he got back to the car and I immediately asked him not to.

I continued with I was just worried they had less than a great experience while dining with us.

"Oh no, it was probably just an honest mistake."

Well, the dude went to the parking garage and they all left together without coming back.

I don't really feel like they're gonna come back tomorrow and drop off forty five bucks for me, but at this point, after driving away...I don't want or need it.

That's their Karma to live with.

I did my part. Gave great service. I've said it before and will say it again:

I'm a professional gambler for my living.

Tomorrow will be better, and maybe the day after that will be greater than great! As long as it all averages out in my favor, I'm golden.

Trust me...when you cheat someone else, you'll get your due.

I was pretty ticked about it last night (it's now the next night) but just wrote it off as "You can't fix stupid" and moved on.

Bingo!

I opened this morning at work. Had to be there at ten thirty.

Didn't even feel like going in. I stayed up too late blogging after watching a replay of TWD and a couple of episodes of Shameless on Netflix. (priorities)

I dragged my carcass out of bed at the last minute with a clean uniform waiting on a hanger and made it to work, clocking in one minute late. That's early for most servers.

It was slow and I was thrilled, feeling whooped. I folded linen, polished and rolled silverware and had the place set up to go in no time.

My first table, two businessmen had a quick lunch and gave me a fifty percent tip. My next table was also two businessmen (from my stomping grounds of ATL) and left me an eighty percent tip. Waited on two more ladies who topped off my day with a twenty percent tip and was out the door before two o'clock with almost sixty bucks.

Karma...

It's a real thing.

When life constantly throws you curve balls, learn to be an excellent dodge ball player.

You can't keep a good woman down.

Til next time...COTTON