I’m a chef at a seafood restaurant that’s always running out of cocktail forks. We bought some nice forks to start with, which is probably why everyone keeps stealing them. We’re known for oysters and shellfish platters, and we’re always so low on the forks that the experienced servers have actually started to hide them in places where they can get them when we’re completely out in the dish room.
It sucks, but the general manager is a cheapskate d****ebag and won’t order any more.
One of the servers comes over to me at the back one night.
Server: “There’s a whole bunch of cocktail forks missing on my table, the large one. I saw a woman put them in her purse.”
Me: “Hey, [General Manager], did you hear that? What shall we do about it?”
General Manager: “Nothing. Just give them the check.”
Me: “If you won’t do anything, then I will.”
General Manager: “There’s nothing to be done! Just give them their check.”
Fine. I add an “OPEN MERCHANDISE” item to their check for $25, which is about my cost for a dozen forks. I head out myself and hand over the check to one of the gentlemen at the table.
Customer: “What’s this $25 charge for?”
Time to explain it to him, in front of everyone, loudly enough that even the tables next to theirs know what’s happening.
Me: “They’re for the expensive cocktail forks that someone at your table has in their purse.”
He stares at me for a second, and I stare right back. After a few tense seconds, the man looks at the older woman.
Customer: “Mom. Put the forks back. Now.”
The following Monday morning, I get an angry call from the Vice President of Operations at the corporate office asking me to explain myself, as the old woman has complained.
Me: “I am looking out for the best interests of the restaurant, and stealing is stealing.”
We went back and forth for a little while, and the conversation ended with me being allowed to order more cocktail forks, ramekins, and teaspoons whenever I needed to, within a maximum amount every month. The general manager was looped in shortly after.
I found out a couple of years later how very close I came to getting fired that day.