Fun Waiter Stories shared by our Son, JP, and his buddies ... one particular note about some not so pleasant patrons ... but Shaq is a great tipper!
Pic: Public Domain, Shaquille O'Neal
John Paul ("JP"), our youngest, has 3 roommates - Chase, Isaiah and Michael - whom like JP have worked as waiters in the past, and a few are still working in that capacity at Outback's and Mike Anderson's; the latter is where JP worked and we celebrated his graduation from LSU in December 2020 - right before COVID-19.
At a recent safe Sunday Shrimp Fettucine luncheon provided by my better-half, Maria, JP and his buddies shared with us some fun memories they've had while working as waiters.
But they also noted about some not so pleasant patrons, whom appear to do some "extended taste-testing" to get more than their fair share of cuisine.
Some use this ploy: "Excuse me, but we were not satisfied with '______ '... what other options do you have?"
JP and his buddies wondered to themselves, "How come you ate 3/4 of that "'terribly unpleasant meal' before telling us???"
Usually these folks also leave bad tips, and they noted that some folks actually have snuck out the restaurant without paying for the meal!
To leave on the positive side: JP and his buddies have also noted some great patrons whom have generously tipped them above and beyond the 15% norm to help them get more than the ~ $ 2.20/hour wages!
And a real treat for them has been occasionally serving celebrity patrons ... imagine what kind of BIG tip one would get from SHAQ (Shaquille O'Neal - the Big Aristotle)????
(Shaquille O'Neal Once Tipped $4,000 Because a Restaurant Server Asked - https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2699963-shaquille-oneal-once-tipped-4000-because-a-restaurant-server-asked)
I checked the link. I do recall Shaq on the Jimmy Kimmel show that night but didn't get the conversation. He was telegraphing his generosity and making him a target for waiters, regardless of their waiter skills. I always tipped 15% and resented it when restaurants automatically added a tip. But I understand why because so many come up with so many excuses not to tip that all.
Back about 1982 my stepson was graduating from the University of Wisconsin. His buddies had two options to make it with their college degree: become a commodity trader in the Chicago Commodity Market or a waiter in an exclusive Boston or Manhattan restaurant where they would dress as monks and make a good living on the tips. Since we divorced, I'm not sure what he ended up going into. But I was concerned that the focus of his friends was much money they could make rather than putting their college education to good use.
My niece paid for part of her college education in zoology at the University of Wisconsin as a waitress in a Big Boy where she waited on me passing through and as a cocktail waitress where she made more money with her beauty and charm.
A naïve councilman and a down-on-her-luck single mom try to save their county’s last stand of forest from greedy developers and a dysfunctional government.
Deputy Dave Jenkins sets out to find the murderer of the local high school principal, aided by a voice from the grave that is sometimes helpful and sometimes misleading.
"Murder isn't usually this funny."
Amazon reviewer
Pic: Public Domain, Shaquille O'Neal
