You may have some. Try to keep perspective.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwZaqZaRe78]
Just the other day, when I politely asked a customer and her friend to move from our largest table — our only large table– to something smaller she slurred to her friend: “I hate this guy. He’s such an asshole. It’s always something, when we came in with a table of eight he–”
I said: “You’re banned.”
You see, I don’t know her from dirt. We’ve had no previous run-ins. I often ask small groups to avoid that table or to move if they have chosen it. No one goes insane or declares me an asshole. People generally understand and move three feet. This woman mentioned a table of eight. That must be about our restaurant’s policy of putting a 20% autograt on table of six and up. Some people really hate that.
But large tables steal from each other. Then they take it out on me. In those boats, not everyone paddles. And people will actually pocket half the tip on the way to the cash. It’s very common. You would be distressed to know how common. Your friends are assholes. If you’re with six of them, I can almost guarantee you that one of them is planning to rob you via me.
Try to spot them next time. He’ll likely be the fellow who offers to put everything on his card. Check his slip after he’s done. You may be in for a surprise.
This autograt allows you to maintain your illusions about your friends. Surely, that’s worth a couple bucks. But a sensible policy, combined with a reasonable request made a drunken hag hate me. It’s not the first time. It won’t be the last. At least I didn’t have to throw this one out of bed.
