odd things happen

[Robin Garr]

had a couple get up and leave the restaurant because we were playing contemporary music (91.9)
and have heard that one group of diners won't frequent our establishment because there is a picture on the wall of Air Devils Inn (taylorsville is only 2 lanes at the time and the cars look like 1940's or 50s models) - apparently the devil reference is too much for them

This is why I probably wouldn't be a good restaurant operator, Shawn ... I'd tell people like that to leave and take their money with 'em ...

i've seen a few of the religious pieces left in my check book
also
avon sales folk and real estate folks always leave their cards and pamphlets

I would have no problem with them leaving the literature as long as it was accompanied by a suitable tip. Instead of a tip is just wrong.

I have been told by some servers that the one group they don't want to serve is after church patrons. Tend to tip little or nothing.

i've seen a few of the religious pieces left in my check book
also
avon sales folk and real estate folks always leave their cards and pamphlets

I would have no problem with them leaving the literature as long as it was accompanied by a suitable tip. Instead of a tip is just wrong.

I have been told by some servers that the one group they don't want to serve is after church patrons. Tend to tip little or nothing.

Kinda gives new meaning to the phrase "The Lord takes care of those who take care of themselves"...Speaking of lousy/thrifty tippers...George Costanza has been known to hand out cards in lieu of his standard 15% tip...

In appreciation of your excellent service, a donation has been made in your name to The Human Fund...

I waited tables in Eastern KY around age 17. Sunday buffet. There was a particular couple (sister of the owner's wife) that would leave those religious cards in place of an actual tip. And as previously stated, no one wanted to wait on them. Hiding your cheapness behind the church is simply small-minded crap.

I'm kinda hoping that someone whose left those stupid things as a tip will step forward and explain the logic. Anybody? Anybody? Bueler?

Waiter: The two headed potted plant wants the special, hold the dancing shrimp heads. The shimmering red blob will have the pork chops with extra flying gravy.

Haha, thanks for the laugh!

I put in my time at a chain that did a Sunday brunch. Our theory on the church crowd was, "They only give 10% to God. They certainly aren't going to give us any more than that!" Sadly, it was all too often true.

on the odd note
had a couple get up and leave the restaurant because we were playing contemporary music (91.9)
and have heard that one group of diners won't frequent our establishment because there is a picture on the wall of Air Devils Inn (taylorsville is only 2 lanes at the time and the cars look like 1940's or 50s models) - apparently the devil reference is too much for them

You're not that far out, but you're far enough out for the Bible Belt to do it's thing.

I've got everyone beat. A "special" guest came in and ate/drank a bottle of ketchup/catsup. "Sir please don't do that, it's a condiment not an entree". He orders the most costly lunch item. My boss says "serve him he'll have the money." He breaks out a plastic bag w/some change and heads out covered in pasta primavera head to toe. "hey Mr."I say," you still owe about $11."He rears back like to swing at me (bar conflicts don't bother me) but he is very "special", nice as can be but easily agitaed. I wasn't sure how to handle it so I go get the owner and give him the rundown. He calls the police, they try to contact his uncle from the ph # on his I.D. badge he wears to keep all cool, no answer. The poor guy is so flushed n confused at this time he shi*ts his his sweats and the cops won't let him the squad car so they follow him home at ~3 miles per hour. He came back regularly and I got him a soda and a snack on us and sent him happily down theroad.

Another not good one.
Ring,Ring: "Hello?"
Matt: "Can I close early?"
Bill:"It's Tuesday, 7:30 what's up?"
Matt:"The rats in the dining room are scaring away the customers."

The place has been gone for years and the new owner gutted the place and made it spotless and rodent free.

One more.
"Hey Billy(b.o.h.), why are you covered in so much dried human blood ?"
"Got stabbed in the chest and gut."
"By who?"
""Susan."(f.o.h).
"everything cool?"
"as long as she doesn't come in today"
We are living the DREAM

I once saw a brawl break out between two waitresses at the Skyline chili next to Mid City Mall.

At same Skyline, I saw a waitress outside unsucessfully trying stop a man from demolishing another man's SUV w/ a baseball bat....

I was a first-time, right-out-of-college, would-rather-not-be-a-server type when this occurred. I was working here in Louisville for a regional chain that is based out of Louisville (I all but gave the name away) on a weeknight. Had a small section by the bar in the smoking section.

My most active table that night was a table of 4 females. The 4, though, trickled in over a long period of time, so the first-to-arrive gal was significantly ahead on the drinking as the night wore on. Although I'd never seen any employee at this place cut anyone off (the bar area would have been a nicer place if such action were taken), I decided to follow company policy and notify the customer that the drink I was serving her was going to be the last one I would serve her. She said, "Don't matter - I'll just go to the bar." I also notified the manager who notified the bartender, so, for once, someone was actually cut off.

As you can guess, things only went bad from there. When the three other guests continued to drink, the cut-off guest grew angry. I was suspicious that the party would walk out on their tab, but was not overly worried as they had paid the dinner tab only to start a new tab for more drinks (so, my butt was mostly covered). As this lady grew more angry, I went to get a manager to have him ask them to leave the establishment. Instead, the manager brokered a peace agreement and allowed the ladies to stay. Little did he know that they only wanted to stay to finish their half-empty drinks. Once the drinks were finished, they jumped the tab and went right out the door.

I reported the events to my boss and, because he understood the situation, he wasn't very mad. Things grew interesting when the drank lady called the establishment, asked for the boss, and screamed and yelled about what I had done. The boss offered her the opportunity to return to the restaurant to file a complaint. When she arrived, the police were waiting, and she was arrested/cited for theft, or whatever crime she had committed, along with her driver. I gave a statement, but I was never called again on the case, so I do not know what transpired. In fact, I don't even know if she was arrested, as I gave my statement and hit the road for the night. As exciting as all that was, getting some food and hitting the couch was my agenda.

I hated working at that place, but I stayed longer than I should because I really respected this particular manager (while despising all the others). My staying too long was not very long at all, so that's the best story I have. Luckily, I never had to cut off another customer.

[Robin Garr]

I was a first-time, right-out-of-college, would-rather-not-be-a-server type when this occurred. ...

Excellent story! Thanks for posting ...

So my 2 cents as a minister: The tract story is pathetic. Anyone who does that is indeed hiding their cheapness behind the church as another poster said. I guess its fine to leave one with a nice tip, but with no tip is inexcusable. Then there is the whole "church crowd" thing. I cannot tell you how embarrassed I have been to see people leave church and then treat wait staff like they were nothing. It really does sadden me. Unfortunately for some, but by no means all, their Christian life begins when they walk through the church doors and ends when they leave. Thankfully there are many more people who worship on Sunday and the attempt to live out what they profess to believe throughout the rest of the week. We just aren't as loud as the ones who don't

I've got a couple:

YEARS ago, I started at Sizzler. There was one guy that would come in once of twice a week and order a rare steak. When I say rare..... we took it out, put it on the grill for 10 seconds, then served it. I'll never forget it.

More recently, I worked in a place and it was closing time. For people that know rest. grade fryers, we were in the middle of empyting them out. Clean them. Etc....you know the drill. For some strange reason, our fry guy ( while the fryer was still 400 + degrees decided to pour hot water into the fryer. It was still full of greese. This guy was not the brightest person on the planet. When I say hot water, I mean a huge bucket of it.