Detlef, hang up faster than Dannyboy Snyder if LeBron James calls.

[TimC]

http://www.clevescene.com/2008-05-07/news/...-scrooge-mcduck

 

We are all witnesses. But not everything about the LeBron is worth witnessing. Sure, he has the $400,000 car, Jay-Z in his corner, and Phil Knight wrapped around his diamond pinkie ring. But witness how His Greatness treats the little people, and you may begin to see the virtue of Brendan Haywood's hard fouls.

 

One of LeBron's favorite places to dine is XO Prime Steaks on West Sixth. Its mix of swank drinks and delicately massaged beef allows the Chosen One to consume calories worthy of his royal digestive system. All of which is swell — except that LeBron is among Cleveland's stingiest tippers.

 

According to a Punch source, a peer recently quit after tiring of LeBron going Scrooge McDuck on his ass.

 

It went down like this: LeBron pulls up in his Mercedes outside XO. People stop and try not to stare, but c'mon, it's LeBron James. He enters the restaurant with a group of friends. On this special occasion, the King decides to dine late. He keeps his group there until around 3:45 a.m. During this time the waiter obsequiously pours drinks and fetches anything else His Greatness needs.

 

The final bill comes to $800. By the feudal laws of decorum, which stipulate that the affluent should administer a 20 percent gratuity, staffers figured they'd be pocketing an extra $160. But when they fetched the autographed bill after His Heinousness bolted back to Akron, their expectation turned to disbelief, then anger.

 

LeBron stiffed them with a meager $10 tip. This is what French nobles like to call your requisite Bourgeois Bitch-Slap. The waiter wouldn't even take it, tired of being shat on by guys like LeBron.

 

Still, at least the self-proclaimed King of Ohio didn't pull a Bernie Kosar — who gets sloshed at the bar and then has to remind the waiters of who he is before he stiffs them.

[Big John]

Did LeBron order Kobe steak in honor of another NBA diva?

[KevinL]

Detlef is the owner. He gets his on the $800.

[detlef]

If that's true, it is verrry unfortunate and downright stupid of him. I mean, rounding off to a cool grand is easy enough, dude can certainly afford it, and he doesn't get crapped on in the press. That's a pretty good way for him to spend $200. However, if dude's gonna keep you there till 4am? You might want to make that $300.

 

LOL at the Bernie Kosar comment tho.

 

If there's anything more pathetic than a has-been having to bust out the "Do you know who I am" card, I don't know what is.

Edited May 9, 2008 by detlef

[detlef]

Detlef is the owner. He gets his on the $800.

Damn straight. Since four people can't make it to $800 without some top shelf drinks, I'd say it's $800 the easy way at that.

[dmarc117]

sounds like the owner is stiffing someone with those prices!!!

[moneymakers]

Most places I go have the tip already included in the bill.

 

give waiter the card /sign and leave.

 

owners fault for not having it in there.

[chiefjay]

Most places I go have the tip already included in the bill.

 

give waiter the card /sign and leave.

 

owners fault for not having it in there.

 

yeah, I'm sure someone who is a tight tipper wouldn't bitch about that and get his way.

[detlef]

Most places I go have the tip already included in the bill.

 

give waiter the card /sign and leave.

 

owners fault for not having it in there.

That extra amount on the bottom of your McDonalds tab is not a tip. That's tax.

Edited May 9, 2008 by detlef

[SheikYerbuti]

That extra amount on the bottom of your McDonalds tab is not a tip. That's tax.

 

 

[wildcat2334]

not a hugh shock- alot of these rich NBA athletes are the tightest, cheapest MF on the planet -

 

 

these dudes get sick per diem, and they will pocket the cash and hit up Mickey D's or Red Robin for a burger on the road.

[Hugh 0ne]

That extra amount on the bottom of your McDonalds tab is not a tip. That's tax.

 

:chuckle:

[DemonKnight]

Bourgeois Bitch-Slap

 

[godtomsatan]

What's the difference between a canoe and (insert cheap identity group stereotype here)?

 

A canoe will tip once in awhile.

 

That said, if James is a regular at the joint, and the waiter "quit" and then whined to the "press" about the whole thing after he got stiffed on a tip, I'd be suspicious of what kind of quality of service was provided. Just because he's got cash and appears to be freely spending it doesn't mean he doesn't need to have his El Guapo licked while at the establishment.

[AtomicCEO]

Whats the difference between jelly and jam?

 

 

I wouldn't tell LeBron to jelly that ten dollars right up his ass.

[detlef]

What's the difference between a canoe and (insert cheap identity group stereotype here)?

 

A canoe will tip once in awhile.

 

That said, if James is a regular at the joint, and the waiter "quit" and then whined to the "press" about the whole thing after he got stiffed on a tip, I'd be suspicious of what kind of quality of service was provided. Just because he's got cash and appears to be freely spending it doesn't mean he doesn't need to have his El Guapo licked while at the establishment.

You shouldn't have to have your ass-kissed to leave a decent tip. If dude kept the crew there until 4am and they did nothing more than simply bring him what he asked without being a dick about it, that's at least 15%. In fact, out of courtesy to high profile people I've served, I make a point of not kissing their ass. I make sure they have what they need and leave them the hell alone. I make damned sure my waiter does the same. Obviously if somebody, anybody is spending, you make sure you're there often enough to facilitate that. It's just good business. If the waiter wants to respectfully say they're a fan, once, that's fine as well. But that's where it ends.

 

None the less, I hear you on the "unnamed source" bit. Who the hell knows what went down. Mind you, the only element that clears LeBron in my eyes is if the $10 part is a lie. Even if he thought the service sucked, he should take the high road, leave a decent tip (hell, 10% if he wants to make a statement about it) and then have his assistant tell the management that the service sucked and why.

Edited May 9, 2008 by detlef

[godtomsatan]

You shouldn't have to have your ass-kissed to leave a decent tip.

 

Nor should you expect to give one under all circumstances when you run up an $800 tab, even if you're worth $200 million.

Edited May 9, 2008 by godtomsatan

[Piles]

Nor should you expect to give one under all circumstances when you run up an $800 tab, even if you're worth $200 million.

 

Hey Lebron, can I have your autograph?

[detlef]

Nor should you expect to give one under all circumstances when you run up an $800 tab, even if you're worth $200 million.

Yo Mr. Pink, could you elaborate on that? We all understand that there's no written contract that you have to tip but pretty much everyone understands the deal. Am I missing something here? Are you implying that if your anal flower is not licked, you're not obliged to leave a "decent tip". Great, so he doesn't need to leave $200 on $800. That's fine. So maybe he wants to play the "don't tip the tax and leave 10% on the drinks". Whatever, most guys would agree that's pretty lame but at least you can make an argument for it... Sort of.

 

However, am I to understand that, provided 1) he did leave $10 on $800 and 2) the service wasn't completely horrid, that you're saying this is cool?

 

Oh, and BTW, I call bull crap if you play the fishing card here now.

[godtomsatan]

Yo Mr. Pink, could you elaborate on that? We all understand that there's no written contract that you have to tip but pretty much everyone understands the deal. Am I missing something here? Are you implying that if your anal flower is not licked, you're not obliged to leave a "decent tip". Great, so he doesn't need to leave $200 on $800. That's fine. So maybe he wants to play the "don't tip the tax and leave 10% on the drinks". Whatever, most guys would agree that's pretty lame but at least you can make an argument for it... Sort of.

 

However, am I to understand that, provided 1) he did leave $10 on $800 and 2) the service wasn't completely horrid, that you're saying this is cool?

 

Oh, and BTW, I call bull crap if you play the fishing card here now.

 

I'm not fishing, nor am I Mr.Pink. I used an exaggerated term on the anal licking procedure for effect more than an expectation. Forgive me, but I totally don't think that a tip is a guarantee on a bill. In my experience in the service industry with all sorts of people, famous or unfamous, rich or not rich, NBA player or not an NBA player, you treat people adequately and they reciprocate in kind. You treat people very well, and many times they reciprocate in kind. You treat people like crap and they will almost always reciprocate in kind.

 

And for the record, I am a generous tipper. It takes a lot for me to tip less than 25% and I would complain to someone about the quality of product before stiffing the variety of staff that gets a piece of the gratuity unless circumstances were such where it's just plain easier to walk away.

 

For instance, it's 4AM, the GM of the steakhouse I'm at isn't around, and the staff is being slow, disruptive, my food is cold, and they give me attitude about how gracious they have been for allowing me and my party to stick around when I tried to get something else from them, even though I'm spending a lot of dough at their establishment and they had the option of allowing me and my party to sit or not.

 

So, in this circumstance, what we know here is that disgruntled server feels slighted that rich as balls 23 yr old left $10 on an $800 tab. We heard all about the great lengths the staff went to accommodate said RAB23yo, but we obviously heard nothing from the customer about their experience, except the poopyty tip they left behind.

 

Could he have left more? Sure. Should he have handled things in a different manner if he had complaints about the service or quality of his experience? Quite possibly, yes. The only point I'm making is that he opted to leave a 1.25% tip instead of following up on it. FWIW, I'm not defending LeBron James. And it wouldn't shock me for a second to find out he does this kind of thing everywhere he goes. I'm speaking from the standpoint that a gratuity can many times be a reflection of the personality and quality of individual leaving the tip, but more often than not it's a reflection of the service and overall experience of the customer.

[detlef]

I'm not fishing, nor am I Mr.Pink. I used an exaggerated term on the anal licking procedure for effect more than an expectation. Forgive me, but I totally don't think that a tip is a guarantee on a bill. In my experience in the service industry with all sorts of people, famous or unfamous, rich or not rich, NBA player or not an NBA player, you treat people adequately and they reciprocate in kind. You treat people very well, and many times they reciprocate in kind. You treat people like crap and they will almost always reciprocate in kind.

 

And for the record, I am a generous tipper. It takes a lot for me to tip less than 25% and I would complain to someone about the quality of product before stiffing the variety of staff that gets a piece of the gratuity unless circumstances were such where it's just plain easier to walk away.

 

For instance, it's 4AM, the GM of the steakhouse I'm at isn't around, and the staff is being slow, disruptive, my food is cold, and they give me attitude about how gracious they have been for allowing me and my party to stick around when I tried to get something else from them, even though I'm spending a lot of dough at their establishment and they had the option of allowing me and my party to sit or not.

 

So, in this circumstance, what we know here is that disgruntled server feels slighted that rich as balls 23 yr old left $10 on an $800 tab. We heard all about the great lengths the staff went to accommodate said RAB23yo, but we obviously heard nothing from the customer about their experience, except the poopyty tip they left behind.

 

Could he have left more? Sure. Should he have handled things in a different manner if he had complaints about the service or quality of his experience? Quite possibly, yes. The only point I'm making is that he opted to leave a 1.25% tip instead of following up on it. FWIW, I'm not defending LeBron James. And it wouldn't shock me for a second to find out he does this kind of thing everywhere he goes. I'm speaking from the standpoint that a gratuity can many times be a reflection of the personality and quality of individual leaving the tip, but more often than not it's a reflection of the service and overall experience of the customer.

Certainly plenty of details unknown. Not the least of which is how late the place is typically open. However, considering even many clubs shut down at 2am, I'm guessing they stuck around much longer than any server should be expected to. That in and of itself is basically going above and beyond even if the service was curt. Thus, unless they were totally surly and rude to his face the entire time, dude needs to pay. Besides, how bad could the service have been if he decided to hang out until 4am? If I'm getting crappy service, I'm not hanging out and ordering more stuff for 5 hours, I'm wrapping it up and moving on to some place else.

 

None the less, I am saying that he, or any stand up person doesn't handle such a situation like that. Gazillionaire or not. You rise above. You leave an adequate tip and tell somebody in charge that the service was horrible. I can assure you that if he handled it this way, the crappy server would be out on his ass. Tip is only "optional" by the strictest letter of the law. Sure, anyone can do what they want, if they don't mind being known as vinegary fresh. You'd think I was calling for criminal charges or something. I'm simply saying that, assuming this story is even half true, dude acted like a punk.

 

Oh, and another thing, I know that if I'm running that steakhouse, I'm putting one of my better waiters on the table. Any waiter good enough to qualify is not going to give crap service. Even a marginal waiter isn't going to unless the guy is known for pulling this crap all the time. I mean, if he's known as $10 LeBron who keeps you there til 4am and hoses you, well, guys aren't going to put their best foot forward. So, assuming the GM has any idea what he's doing and does make sure to put a good waiter on the table, I have a really hard time believing that dude anything nearly bad enough over the course of 5 hours to deserve getting stiffed.

Edited May 11, 2008 by detlef