Bartender Chats With Her Chums

August 9, 2009

in Server Stories

This was a good ten years ago, but I remember it well.

Up front, I want to say that I tip based on service. Give me great service, you get more than 20%. Lesser service, and the percentage goes down. Only one time have I left no tip – and this is why.

Me and two friends go to this Sports Bar/Nightclub that is really popular. We’re not into the Nightclub thing (which gets hopping at 11). We arrive around 6 for dinner, while they are not busy.

We sit at the bar. Order. Eat. Have a couple beers. Good service at this point. Then ask for our check.

Here’s where the service went downhill. The bartender had a few friends drop by – they are not eating or drinking… just standing there talking to her. We ask for our check. “Kimmie” says “I’ll get to you in a few minutes, I’m talking to my friends.” Mistake #1.

We wait. No check. She’s still talking to her friends.

Our third party has met some guy. The other two of us go and start playing Foosball. We are in view of the bar, and Kimmie is STILL talking to her friends.

We play a game… then another… then another… you get the idea…

More than 30 MINUTES after we asked for our check, our third party comes up to us: “Kimmie wants to know when you are going to pay her.”

I approach Kimmie and politely ask for the check… she gives me an attitude “I thought you’d never pay!” Mistake #2.

I pay. No tip.

She then has the gall to ask where her tip is!!!!! What?

I smile and tell her: “We asked for our check more than 30 minutes ago, you said you were too busy talking to your friends. Your tip went into the Foosball table we have been playing since then…”

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

Hugh August 10, 2009 at 5:08 am

Good for you. I am the same way. If you are an excellent server, I tip VERY well. If I get poor service you get a poor tip. I would have flipped out if she told me to wait for my check until she was done with her friends. When you work for tips, you should learn how to treat the customers. When I worked as a waiter in college, I consistently earned more in tips then my peers. Rather than hanging out in the kitchen chatting or smoking, I was VERY attentive, and even got tips from some of the other wait staffs tables, because I would help them as well if their server was "unavailable". I wasn't stealing their tables, but if they asked for a drink or something I would always get it…"that's not my job" just isn't in my vocabulary. So, many times those servers who spent the whole night hanging in the kitchen would bitch about their poor tips, while I who worked my ass off had a ton of cash. Good for you with this one. I love how you explained it to her as well.

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Jodi August 12, 2009 at 1:05 pm

WOOT!

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Stuck Serving October 30, 2009 at 5:27 pm

It is so simple, treat your tables with respect and take care of them and they will take care of you….unless they are assholes!

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hellya November 20, 2009 at 10:00 am

Nicely Done!

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Slotper December 3, 2009 at 4:21 am

Tipping in the US is an absolute joke.

Not only do you need the metric system, you need to pay people for what they do, not rely on others to throw change at them in arbitrary amounts.

It is a complete waste of time and effort to work out if the "waitress is going to get enough to support her newborn".

OMG.

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Kad December 17, 2009 at 1:43 am

Yeah, voluntary appreciation is a joke, isn't it, versus places where they add the 'tip' involuntarily, and expect it to be paid, regardless of service.

Any place that demands a tip, deserves no business. A tip is for GOOD SERVICE, even in the face of other problems.

Some waiters in NY make over $100,000 per year……

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Kad December 17, 2009 at 1:39 am

Nice story! My little bro generally averages $30/hour as a bartender in SLOW hours because if a buddy shows up, he shoves them off the cliff, and fast. Money is money.

Good job.

I have a story about being chased down the street in NY because of a 1 cent tip, which is actually more insulting than no tip. Wonder if I should post it.

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Gregg - admin December 18, 2009 at 8:43 am

Please do!

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julius falconi January 8, 2013 at 1:06 am

You had a great opportunity for a dine and dash.

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theloathingserver July 18, 2016 at 1:54 am

I am a server and I gotta say, GOOD FOR YOU. Her behavior was totally unacceptable. Tips are earned and she earned nothing.

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