Change in Perspective

We all have stories about receiving bad customer service. But this is an embarrassing tale about delivering bad service.

I used to wait tables at a loud, smoky, noisy bar & grill. One night, the mayor and his two sons walked in, and much to my distress, sat at one of my tables.

These guys were infamously high-maintenance, and I knew that I was in for a rough night. Sure enough, I was constantly refilling Cokes, beers, and waters. All three ordered appetizers, entrees, and desserts, along with many other complicated and unusual requests along the way.

But how could I say no? It was the mayor.

They demanded more attention than all my other tables combined, and as the evening went on, their requests increased while my patience plummeted. 

Finally, the mayor asked for his check. As I delivered it, I saw something very shiny glistening in the middle of the table where tips go - CHANGE!?@#?!@!

The nerve!

Leaving change is the utmost insult to servers. I’d rather a customer leave nothing. And did I mention that the mayor’s bill was well over $100?

Minutes later, they gestured for yet more refills. My response? I looked away and walked into the kitchen.

A co-worker pleaded: “Colleen, it’s the mayor. You need to go refill their glasses, even if they already paid. They’re regulars here.”

But I was too exhausted and too insulted, and I refused to provide their refills.

My co-workers picked up my slack and gave friendly farewells to the mayor and his sons. Then a fellow server told me to go look at the table.

Those shiny insults of my efforts? They were dollar coins, totaling in a tip of over 30 percent.

As payment for my stubbornness, I was never allowed to serve the mayor again. 

Takeaways

• Always give your best effort, even with demanding customers
• Be motivated by the quality of your work, not the financial rewards
• Beware of dollar coins; they can cause embarrassment