Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Tip that kept on Tipping


Last night my wife and I went for a late dinner to Texas Roadhouse. She recently started a mushroom kick and I'm a big fan of their Fort Worth Rib-eye and a single tall Shiner Bock draft so it sounded like a winner. The only thing different this meal from other meals we have has at Texas Roadhouse was our waiter. A quick talking, hovering, north eastern mannered 20 something who didn't appear to be aware of his top heavy habits. It started with the order of our drinks when he preceded to lean over the top of us and  lean  on his elbows and propping up his head too close within our personal space. At first it was comical until the salad and entrĂ©es came and he continued to pear over the both of us as if the table was a glass bottom boat as if he was fighting for the best view.There were several instances I was tempted to shove my steak in his mouth or offer him a big sloppy kiss! In particular there was an instance where he asked my wife Allyson if she wanted some more to drink while he simultaneously laser beamed through the bottom of the glass while standing over it as if he was kid looking for the prize in the bottom of a cereal box. Now traditionally my wife and I are not confrontational people and we let most things go.But this guy's north eastern charm had worn on me by the time he laid out the check HALF WAY through  my steak and beer combo consumption time.When  finished consuming and feeling both well fed and inspired I paid the bill and wrote at the bottom  "PLEASE do not lean over or hover over the table and the food". Mind you I still tipped 15% which is low for me since I tip 20% almost always( in an effort to chip at the "blacks don't tip" stereotype). After finding out was I was up to my wife pleaded with me to scratch over the "additional" tip I had left but I felt this was a "teachable moment" (so often used now). He could either call me an asshole under his breath, OR take the tip to heart and work on it. I may have made the guy 5% more at every table he touched from here on out! No thank you was necessary. Well... he could have thanked me in person as he basically read it in front of me as he so RUDELY picked up the tab while we were finishing dinner. But ya know what? That jackwaggon deserved to be embarrassed if he was because I wasn't. I wasn't holding up his shift, it was still early and he broke so many waiter rules if that one burned him then well he earned it, bullying me through dinner with his fast paced Philadelphia (most known for being rude) charm. So as I finished my beer clearly aware that he was aware of my critique I really did wonder how he would take the suggestion. I also wondered what we would ever do if we had him as our waiter again...I've seen Clerks II, DAMN!

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