My stepson Mark works as a waiter in an upscale restaurant. He’s the number 2 waiter there and has busted his ass to get to that position.
He came over tonight and was laughing about something that happened at work last night. He got a party of ten in his section, did his usual job of humping his butt off to do an excellent job. The host of the party pays the bill, then goes to the counter and asks for the manager to complain about Mark’s service.
His complaint? Expressed loudly, I might add…the service was too good. The courses were served on time, the dishes were picked up on time. Mark wasn’t hovering over the table, but he was there when he was needed. The manager asks if the host asked Mark to slow down; host says no.
Party leaves, manager and Mark have a good laugh. Manager says “If that’s the worst complaint we get tonight, it will have been a great night.”
Some people are born assholes, some take lessons at it, I guess.
You sure this wasn’t some sort of joke, or “funny” way of the guy to compliment Mark’s excellent service to the manager? Did Mark get stiffed on the tip? Because this just sounds to me like one guy’s odd sense of humor more than anything else.
The tip was built since the party was 8 or more, but the host didn’t leave anything on top. And Mark didn’t think the guy was fooling around.
Apparently, the host wanted to have a “leisurely” meal with his friends or family or whoever the group was. And apparently, he was used to restaurants with lousy service, so he felt rushed. The hour and a half they were in there wasn’t long enough, apparently.
And the food was hot, to boot! Oh, and don’t get me started on the plentiful parking. And when I ordered my Dewer’s on the rocks, it came with… get ready for it… ice!
Bastards.
I’ll bet the drinks were kept filled and excess empty plates were removed promptly. Probably the leftovers were boxed up neatly with extra plastic utenstils and napkins.
Tsk tsk tsk. Face it. Your stepson is a bastard. It’s a wonder the customer wasn’t in tears!
If I had to bet, I’d put my money on a slightly-maladjusted diner who hadn’t the wit or the means to tip beyond the prescribed amount, trying ineptly to do his waiter a good turn by complimenting him in what he thought was a humorously backhanded way.
It is possible for a restaurant, especially when dealing with a large table (8 or more), to rush the service and make the diners uncomfortable (and even spoil the dinner). But I don’t think, from the OP, that that’s the case. I think the customer was probably shooting for what he eventually got: a laughing manager who thought better of a particular waiter when it was over.
Sure, a bigger tip and a quiet letter would have done the job better, but I can’t see ill intentions here.