detlef Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 (edited) Let me begin by making it clear. This is not intended to be a rant, just something that I thought was really freaking funny. Thursday is my dining room managers day off, so I run the floor. We were having an adequately busy night and among our reservations we only had two parties of larger than 4 (two 6 tops one for 6:30, one for 7:00). Both larger tables were set and ready to go and obviously I used the two spots most desirable for those tables. Just a hair before 6:30 a group walks in. "Party of 6." "Do you have a reservation?" "Nope, but that shouldn't matter." BTW, I love it when people not only assume that, but go so far as to say it. Especially with a larger party. "Well, it looks like we can fit you in. Let me just get a table set up for you." I instruct the busser to set up another table for 6 in the dining room and as he's doing it, the guy, seeing which table it is tells me. "Hold up. You don't understand, this is a really, really important occasion. We've been planning this get together for months. We're going to need a better table than that. What about that table over there." He says pointing to one of the more desirable large tables. Honestly, I was sort of hoping he'd say that. I needed an invitation to explain to him that perhaps if this was such an important occasion that he'd been planning for months, he might have thought about making a reservation. "Well sir, unfortunately I can't give you that table as I'm holding it for a reservation. It was specifically requested by the party. It appears that, they too are celebrating a special occasion." This is the best part. Dude says, "You're going to need to try harder than that." and palms me a $5 bill. A FIVE FREAKING DOLLAR BILL!!! Now, just to make it clear, I neither expect or really ever receive tips when I host. I actually think it's a pretty tacky and if I ever found out that my host was putting their best interests before that of my restaurant and the customer base at large by giving someone preferential treatment because they slipped them some cash, I'd be pissed off. The waiter works for you the customer, because you basically pay them. The host works for me and their job is to make sure those with reservations get sat and the rest in the order they arrive. The host at my restaurant is not for sale to the highest bidder. At any rate, I really didn't know what to do and I was more sure than anything else that dude was playing a prank on me. It was all I could do not to call him on it and embarrass him in front of his party. I just politely handed him the money back and said, "Thanks, but this is my restaurant, so I sort of make a rule of not accepting tips. As I said before, those other tables have been requested and reserved, so that is the best we can do tonight. I understand if you don't think it will work for you, but at this point, that's really our only option." At this point, someone else in the party butted in and said, "Really, that table looks just fine. We'll take it." Essentially the rest of the party sort of rolled their eyes to me and off they went. As I think of it, it couldn't have been H8 because he was basically pretty cool from that point on. They had a nice time and all was good. The end. Edited November 16, 2007 by detlef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Cracker Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some people just like to show off in front of others. Sounds like this isn't the first time he's been called on it based on the others reactions. I could never be in the restaurant business because I would have told him to haul a$$. Sounds like you handled it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I fricking hate my customers and everything they do. I wish they would all just die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I fricking hate my customers and everything they do. I wish they would all just die. I believe I've been to your restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 What if it would have been 2 $20's or a 50? Not that I've ever done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I fricking hate my customers and everything they do. I wish they would all just die. Would that be Chateau Abu Gharib? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I fricking hate my customers and everything they do. I wish they would all just die. A little anti-freeze in the sweet tea never hurt anyone, I always say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 What if it would have been 2 $20's or a 50? Not that I've ever done that. Well, it wouldn't have been nearly as funny that's for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Cracker Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I'm guessing a different approach may have changed the outcome here... "I'm terribly sorry to spring this on you with no notice but we have a very special occasion that we are celebrating and decided last minute that this restaurant would be the perfect place to do it. I know it's an inconvenience so here's $100 for your trouble. Would you please give us the best table you possibly could? Thanks." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some dude hit my car in a parking lot, just a little ding, but the car was new and undented up until that point. He tried to slip me a $5 bill to not call his insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some dude hit my car in a parking lot, just a little ding, but the car was new and undented up until that point. He tried to slip me a $5 bill to not call his insurance. OK, that officially trumps my story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chester Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some dude hit my car in a parking lot, just a little ding, but the car was new and undented up until that point. He tried to slip me a $5 bill to not call his insurance. :waitingimpatientlytofindoutifyoutookit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some guy tapped his foot in the bathroom stall and slipped a $5 bill underneath the stall... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 (edited) The host at my restaurant is not for sale to the highest bidder. . EVERYONE has a price Edited November 16, 2007 by keggerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 :waitingimpatientlytofindoutifyoutookit: Hell no! He actually tried to pull away and I had to pound on his driver side window while he was pulling away. After he stopped was when he tried to give me the 5 bucks. My exact words were "Are you f*ckin kiddin me?" When I called his insurance company to report the incident they were very interested in the fact he tried to slip me money. I guess thats an admission of guilt of sorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some guy tapped his foot in the bathroom stall and slipped a $5 bill underneath the stall... EVERYONE has a price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 SO, did the parties with reservations show up, or were they no shows, thus leaving those tables free and making you look bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheShiznit Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Hell no! He actually tried to pull away and I had to pound on his driver side window while he was pulling away. After he stopped was when he tried to give me the 5 bucks. My exact words were "Are you f*ckin kiddin me?" When I called his insurance company to report the incident they were very interested in the fact he tried to slip me money. I guess thats an admission of guilt of sorts. Actually, I had a guy dent my bumper in a parking lot. He asked if he could take care of it himself. Now, I didn't have to bang on his window, he stopped. I told him that I needed to get his insurance info, but if he was willing to pay the bill with his credit card, I see no issue. I brought it where I wanted and he paid the 1350 to fix the ding. This saved him more than that as he had three youthful operators on his policy and his premium increase for the next three years would have easily exceeded that amount. The way the guy worked with you seemed kinda dirty and suspect though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 EVERYONE has a price This is true, but I hope for their sake that the tip was good. If I've got to deal with a pissed off customer because they figured out that somebody got sat ahead because they tipped the host... Well that tip is going to have to last them a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I always make a reservation, or arrive around 8-9 and let them know I'll be awhile. I try to avoid Fri and Sat night. I drink very heavily, beer/booze/wine, love appetizers, love to eat steak and lobster, and never tip less than 20% regardless of ticket total. So you tell me, was that me in your donut shop or just some other fat mullet cousin of yours who chose your part of the backwards world to live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Some dude hit my car in a parking lot, just a little ding, but the car was new and undented up until that point. He tried to slip me a $5 bill to not call his insurance. I said I was sorry. The $5 was because you saw me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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