You are here

OT: My weird restaurant experience

Elizabeth's picture

OK, I went to lunch with a group of co-workers to a place with an "All you can eat" lunch special. All but one of us ordered that, the other was trying to explain how she wanted what we were having but didn't want all you can eat. So she ended up ordering the same thing we had, many of us did not get seconds.

Bills come and waiter actually didn't even charge the one co-worker who wanted what we were having but not all you can eat. At first he said she owed us because we covered it, but what he meant was that he billed her food against ours so she was able to eat with out a charge. She said she owed us each $1, but we figured out he didn't charge her at all. So, her meal, eating the same thing as the rest of us, was free. I hope this makes sense.

One of my other co-workers discovered she'd been charged for a drink she didn't order. I suggested (guess next time I'll keep my big mouth shut) that the co-worker who had eaten for free simply cover the drink, because in my mind the waiter had already gone out of his way to do something nice for us, and it was only a $2 drink, right?

Wrong, I guess. Co-worker who'd eaten for free was like, "But I didn't order a drink." And I was like, "No, but you got your meal for free." Anyway, co-worker who was paying ended up tracking down the waiter and getting him to take the drink off her bill. I was embarrassed they would make a big deal over a $2 drink when he gave them a $9 meal for free.

Is this weird, or is it just me?

Comments

yoursandmine's picture

No, thats pretty weird. Why would he have bothered? Did he get the drink for free to?

Elizabeth's picture

The co-worker who paid and the co-worker who ate for free both had water, some of the other people at the table had pop and the waiter accidentally charged for one too many drinks. But he just gave you a $9 meal for free, pay the damn $2 for the pop. Because of course the nonpaying co-worker also didn't tip him. It was embarrassing.

StarStuff's picture

OMG, that is so RUDE! My DH is a server, and it is simply astounding how rude/inconsiderate people can be when it comes to tipping. Servers make $2.13/hr, and pretty much all of that goes to taxes. Most servers' paychecks are $0, or damn close to it, so in reality they are living off what tips they make. Try living off a server's salary with a family and see how far you get (Not far, in case you were wondering. We're currently having to live with my mom).

Man, if I was you I would have schooled that bitch on how to tip, loudly and in front of everyone. Wow. Just wow.

Fullofresentment's picture

Awkward and very embarrassing. I think I would actually have died of shame had I have been sitting at the table!!

furkidsforme's picture

WOW that co-worker takes cheap to a whole new level. Talk about ungrateful. If she got her meal for free, she should have offered to cover everyones tip and been generous.

As for the drink... had I been the waiter, I'd have taken the drink off and put her meal right back on.

I'd refuse to eat with her, and I would tell her why.

oneoffour's picture

OK so I am a math-moron. But surely she used a plate and cutlery and her meal was cooked out the back etc. So she should have been charged for 'services and ingredients'. Not to mention a glass of pop equals a glass of water when washing said glass. It still goes through the dishwasher, right?

She should have told the waiter "Sorry, I will pay for what I ate. It is the right thing to do." BIG brownie points from her co-workers. So give her a 12 pack of water for her birthday.

StubbornEnough's picture

ughhhhhh i DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME AT WORK!

I know what it's like on both ends, being a server and all. This is why I always ask for separate checks unless I plan on paying for everyone. That way I know my bill gets paid properly, and that I have left a decent tip.

DPW's picture

I can't believe this woman. I would never go on a group bill with her again.

This is why I hate one bill for a group. I can even count how many times I've had to cover the "missing" money from cheap friends who haven't paid their due because I didn't want to be embarrassed, especially at places that know my name. I have one friend who counts to the penny the lowest level tip possible, counting out small change from her wallet. I never go out to eat with her anymore.

Elizabeth's picture

It was an all you could eat thing and my co-worker only wanted the first plate and not more, so he just ended up not charging her at all and putting her food against one of us as a second plate. Does that make more sense? Waiter was just trying to be nice, I guess she taught him not to be.

misSTEP's picture

I am one of the most frugal people you would ever meet. But when it comes to tipping, I tend to over-tip. I think most people who ever worked those types of jobs would do the same.

Even when I use a 2-4-1 coupon, I tip based on the amount it WOULD have been. Not the discounted amount. That's common courtesy, as far as I am concerned.