Hey Dev,
Is it rude for a server to ask a guest if they need change, or should they just assume that change is required everytime?
- Jessica
Dear Jessica,
Many diners take offense when asked if they’d like change back. They assume that the server is asking for a tip, and consequently might leave less of a gratuity than they would have otherwise. A server’s best response is, “I’ll be right back with your change.”
[Note: Dev the Dining Devil is frequently in parts unknown and is therefore often unavailable to answer questions about restaurant dining. Questions may still be submitted to him (askdev@dinnersfromhell.com), but there's no guarantee if or when he'll respond.]
Tagged as:
tipping
Many years ago (1980s) I was working for a Mexican restaurant in West Palm Beach, Florida. I had a young lady come in and order a steak burrito. She ordered a pitcher of margaritas with extra shots. Unfortunately she received a chicken burrito. She started screaming and yelling at me and demanding that I bring her the correct burrito. I apologized and immediately set out to get her the correct burrito. However, in the interim she called over my manager/owner and complained to him about my error in her order – she started crying and begging the manager/owner to fire me immediately. He calmed her down and immediately sent her over a complimentary pitcher of margaritas. The manager/owner called me aside and assured me I would not be fired, but explained he had taken care of the cost of the food PLUS sent her a pitcher of margaritas on the house. To which I replied, for Gosh Sakes, if the site of the wrong burrito arriving at your table makes you irate and sends you to tears, do you think a pitcher of margaritas was appropriate? I would think that if the mere sight of a chicken burrito sends you into mass hysteria, then probably alcohol was a factor to begin with… needless to say, she never thanked me for the pitcher… nor for getting the correct STEAK burrito. In fact, she never even ate the food – she drank the margaritas and ordered the food to go……..
Tagged as:
alcohol,
owner/manager,
server
