Big Man On Campus
I worked as a server for a small, brand new family-owned restaurant. The place was one step below white tablecloth and had a bar on one side with the restaurant on the other. The owners were awesome and provided industry professionals to train us on how best to treat a customer and maximize our tips. As an example of how effective this training was, on opening day I dropped an entire tray of drinks down a woman’s back yet this family returned several more times and would only let me serve them.
The owner brought them a parka the first time they returned. One technique we were taught was to establish who was paying from social cues and make sure they are happy. If a couple comes in and you believe the man is paying, make the woman feel like a queen. When it’s time to pay, she’ll likely encourage a higher tip. Incredibly effective.
As I finish taking an order one day, I notice a family of four being sat in my section and stop by immediately to introduce myself. My assessment is this: husband and wife (very nicely dressed), their beautiful early-20s daughter (my age), and what I gather is her boyfriend wearing a suit and tie. Dad is very clearly paying, but aspiring businessman here interrupts mom when she’s ordering her drink to inform me he’ll be ordering for the table.
If looks could kill, the father would have taken out this young man and probably 10 people in the bar area. Oh, buddy, your night is NOT going to go the way you thought. Every time I returned to the table I would face him, only look at and talk to him, turning my back to the father. Daughter asked for something, I don’t remember what, and without ever acknowledging her, I asked him, “May she have that?”
He barely stammered out a “yes.” When I brought the bill, I set it right in front of him. They hung around for a while and I continued to check in and refill drinks while the bill remained untouched. I think dad was making him sweat. Eventually, dad grabs the bill and puts his card in. I brought back the receipt and thanked the young man for coming in and walked away.
I was returning from another table when they were getting up from the table and the young guy moved to the door at a speed that made lightning look slow. The other three were all smiles and the dad looks across the dining room and mouthed, “Thank you.” I gave him a smile and a nod and continued on my way. The tip amount is a number I don’t remember, but I know it was good. Really good.
It must have been a small wedding because I never received an invite.