If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you’ve probably got a few stories to tell.
On the r/TalesFromYourServer subreddit, servers past and present share some interesting stories they’ve seen in the industry.
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One story shows how big spenders in restaurants are not always how they appear. As a bonus, it comes with a delicious dose of server justice.
Hey big spender!
The post details a date night, as witnessed by the server.
A guy and girl were clearly on a date, and things started off well. Both were in a good mood, and the guy was apparently sparing no expense.
He was the portrait of chivalry.
The bill came to $298. When the server asked “together or separate?”, the guy responded, “Together, definitely together. You never have to pay when you’re with me babe.”
He got the bill and, no big deal, added a whopping $100 tip.
He then went on to make a show about how wait staff are underappreciated and deserve the occasional big tip.
Then, things took a turn.
The server detailed what happened next:
“About 90 seconds later he’s back in the door, without her, going ‘I think left my—’ then when the door shut and, looking to make sure she was out of ear shot, he goes, without the slightest shade of shame or embarrassment, ‘Mark the tip down to twenty bucks Hun, I was just playing it up for my date. You understand.’ And turns to go.”
Um, what?
The guy went on to say he’d notice any funny business on the bill so it had better be marked down. The server was obviously frustrated, but saw no real choice in the matter.
The big spender/small tipper left, but then the server was hit by a bolt of inspiration.
This guy’s date still thought he was a generous tipper.
The server got an idea. She ran outside to flag down the couple’s car.
The guy’s date rolled down the window, and the server said that he’d need to fill out a new bill if he wanted to amend his tip from $100 down to $20. And oh yes, his date heard loud and clear.
In the end, the guy did fill out a second receipt and only tipped $20. But his date also found out what a cheap guy he is.
Other servers had similar stories.
One commenter wrote :
“I once had a guy short the bill 5 cents on a $200 tab, so I chased him out, to his Bentley mind you, saying, ‘excuse me sir, you need to pay the full bill. You shorted me 5 cents, and I’m not going to pay that for you out of my own pocket.’ The guy hands me a quarter, so I’m like, ‘I’ll go get your change.” He says you can keep it, so in the nicest way possible I say, ‘thank you so much!! I’ll be sure not to spend all 20 cents in one place. Hey nice Bentley too.'”
Could they have just kept the $100 tip?
One of the top comments pointed out that the restaurant could have just stuck to their guns and applied the $100 tip. After all, the guy signed it, so any disputes with the credit card company would fail.
Did it really happen?
The story is almost too amazing to be true, but as a moderator pointed out, the stories in this subreddit don’t need to be verified by a team of fact-checkers. They just need to be good stories.
In any case, let us know your thoughts, and share any amusing restaurant stories you may have, in the comments!
