Wait Staff: We Hate Tea Drinkers

And I hate having to leave a tip. So, in the galactic scheme of things, wait staff and I are even.

We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.

Good to know we still embrace hatred, though.

So we are only to quote those who are sinless? Since all have sinned and therefore fall short of the Glory of God, that excludes a big portion of the New Testament as well.

It was a funny quote. :)

I do understand the sentiments about tipping. It is a cultural idiocy that we practice.

Nonetheless, here's a tip about tipping and getting better service as well as cheerfully served tea (not necessarily better tea), tip before your meal.

There was a salad bar here a couple years ago that, after 10+ years in business, remodeled and switched from pay-after-you-eat to pay-as-you-enter. Same prices, same food, just switched around when you pay.

So you'd wait in line, get to the cashier, and he'd ask you "Would you like to leave a tip?"

"Dunno. How good of a job did the waitress assigned to my section do? Did she refill my drink? Was she pretty?"

Two years later they razed the building. I figured they were going to put up something else but a year after that, it's still just rocky ground.

I usually tip 20%, but not for poor service. And i really can't wrap my head around front loading it. Maybe if i was buying for a large group, but then it's a matter of giving the waiter/waitress $20 up front because you know they're going to have to put up with a lot.

Maybe the waitress also don't get a good tip for serving the tea because it's also lousy?

Actually, that wasn't the point of my sarcasm. I don't have a problem with tipping. Neither should wait staff have a problem with doing their job. If they don't like their job, they should seek another profession.

It's not as if serving tea is an unexpected or hazardous job expectation.

If I have to bribe to get good service rather than reward it, I'm going to eat elsewhere.

Or, maybe they don't get a tip because they practically dump it ungraciously on the table clearly indicating that they don't like doing their jobs.

True. But as we all know, they surgically remove the funny bone to make room for righteous indignation.

That seems strange to me...and grabbing a bottle of ketchup for people is not hated? Is it because they have to prep the hot water in a pot themselves? (or in a cup)...but they have to pour soda too don't they?

Doesn't seem like too many more movements to me....and I've worked in the food industry. ::shrug:: Not as a wait staff though.

My waitress yesterday brought me TWO teabags when I said I didn't care for Lipton (Earl Grey from Stash and a Nestea (?) teabag...I used the Stash) And she was quite nice about it.

Melinda

She asked if there is *one* thing that is universally hated? The answer: people ordering tea. They hate having to grab a cup and saucer and teabag.

Very odd. I thought it was going to go on to say that they hate serving tea because people complain that the tea is lousy. But most of us just suffer in silence when drinking restaurant tea, so that can't be it.

It is not as though they go to any extra pains to prepare tea. How much trouble can it possibly be to serve a cup of tepid water with a slice of lemon, a container of half-and-half and a teabag on the saucer?

That would be exceptionally awkward.. also, once they have your cash, why would they provide good service?

The awkwardness is easily overcome with a smile and a request for exceptional service. All I can tell you is that in my experience it works exceptionally well when I am with a special guest.

That is going to depend on the types of places you take your "special guest."

If I have a "special guest", chances are good that I'm going to be taking them someplace special where the service is going to be good anyway. Tipping early just clinches the deal.

Nah, I don't think if I was in a really special place that I would necessarily pre-tip. This technique has been effective in a range of places from Maccaroni Grill to Maggiano's or PF Chang's. Pretty common places, really, I think.

It is also an effective technique to establish your right to pay the bill with the waiter. No matter how much the guest protests, the waiter still gives me the bill. Maybe it is a psychology thing.

I don't remember who or where I heard this was a good thing to do. I just know I'm happy with the results I've received.

BTW: Loved the quote. Again.

Common places, yes. Common places to eat every day, not so much. I wasn't suggesting that "special place" meant something like Goodfellas, where they give you an 8 course meal.

I'm suggesting that "special place" is someplace better than Ihop.

My parents and aunt & uncle have a system when they visit. One of them manages to pay the first bill, and then they alternate meals while they're out. They can be a little sneaky at getting the bill the first time, but it keeps them from paying too much every time they visit.

Me? I'm in graduate school - I let them pay. ;)

I can imagine it works. But I can also imagine that it only really works well in certain types of establishments (i.e. not Perkins or Ihop).

Thanks. I'm trying to branch out and expand my .sig file.