Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Table Tales 1
One evening a couple in their late thirties or early fourties came to eat with their daughter who was about eight years old. The man had a bottled bear with his meal and when he was about finished with the first he asked for another. When I brought his second beer he poured it into his glass and immediately asked for a third.
I told him, "Sir, I'll be happy to bring you a third beer, but I will have to wait a few minutes because I can't serve two drinks to the same guest. It's against company policy."
He said, "Why's that?"
"Well, sir we want to be able to judge how people are being affected by the alcohol." I replied.
"Why?" He questioned.
"We want to make sure that nobody gets drunk."
His tone immediately changed and he fumed, "You shouldn't have said that in front of my daughter."
I replied, "Sir, I was not implying that you were drunk, I was only saying that we don't want anybody to get drunk."
Continuing to fume he replied, "You shouldn't have said that in front of my daughter."
I gave up and just smiled and replied, "Sir, I'm sorry."
For the rest of the night whenever I walked past his table he would glare at me until I passed from his view. The next time I returned to the table I brought their entrees. The man still had about 3/4 of his beer left. After I gave them their food, I asked, "Is there any sauces or anything else that I could get for you?"
He seethed, "Another beer."
I said ok, but I waited until he was almost finished with the beer that he was drinking and then politely brought him the beer. When I return with the beer his wife and daughter had gone to the bathroom so I took the opportunity to try to apologize without his daughter present.
I implored him, "Sir, I never meant to imply that you were drunk. I was just explaining that I could not serve you another beer, yet."
He continued to rage, "You shouldn't have said that in front of my daughter."
I conceded, "I'm sorry, sir."
I never mentioned the incident again, and of course at the end of the end night he stiffed me. He also went to a manager and ranted, "Some stupid, little prick wouldn't give me another beer." The manager spoke with him and then came to me and asked if I had cut a customer off. I explained the situation to him and he told me that I had done the right thing and that he would back me in that situation any time.
While the husband was complaining to management his wife apoligized to me, and after they had all left a nearby guest told me that if things had gotten out of hand he would have had my back. Other customers told me that they were sorry and didn't think that I had done anything wrong, and when I bussed the table I found that his wife had hidden a five dollar bill under the bread basket.
I told him, "Sir, I'll be happy to bring you a third beer, but I will have to wait a few minutes because I can't serve two drinks to the same guest. It's against company policy."
He said, "Why's that?"
"Well, sir we want to be able to judge how people are being affected by the alcohol." I replied.
"Why?" He questioned.
"We want to make sure that nobody gets drunk."
His tone immediately changed and he fumed, "You shouldn't have said that in front of my daughter."
I replied, "Sir, I was not implying that you were drunk, I was only saying that we don't want anybody to get drunk."
Continuing to fume he replied, "You shouldn't have said that in front of my daughter."
I gave up and just smiled and replied, "Sir, I'm sorry."
For the rest of the night whenever I walked past his table he would glare at me until I passed from his view. The next time I returned to the table I brought their entrees. The man still had about 3/4 of his beer left. After I gave them their food, I asked, "Is there any sauces or anything else that I could get for you?"
He seethed, "Another beer."
I said ok, but I waited until he was almost finished with the beer that he was drinking and then politely brought him the beer. When I return with the beer his wife and daughter had gone to the bathroom so I took the opportunity to try to apologize without his daughter present.
I implored him, "Sir, I never meant to imply that you were drunk. I was just explaining that I could not serve you another beer, yet."
He continued to rage, "You shouldn't have said that in front of my daughter."
I conceded, "I'm sorry, sir."
I never mentioned the incident again, and of course at the end of the end night he stiffed me. He also went to a manager and ranted, "Some stupid, little prick wouldn't give me another beer." The manager spoke with him and then came to me and asked if I had cut a customer off. I explained the situation to him and he told me that I had done the right thing and that he would back me in that situation any time.
While the husband was complaining to management his wife apoligized to me, and after they had all left a nearby guest told me that if things had gotten out of hand he would have had my back. Other customers told me that they were sorry and didn't think that I had done anything wrong, and when I bussed the table I found that his wife had hidden a five dollar bill under the bread basket.
