Eating That Was A Mis-Steak
I work at an upscale steakhouse that has an all-you-can-eat dinner package. It’s pretty spendy, but it’s all you can eat steak. Our salad bar has enough charcuterie, composed salads, and soup to be a meal in itself, so we offer just that. Understandably, it’s a lot cheaper. (It’s popular with vegetarians and little old ladies who can’t eat their weight in ribeye.)
I had a table of four. One lady ordered just the salad bar. I take away her table marker for steak (so the chefs know she’s not getting meat) and go about my business. When I bring drinks, I notice she’s gotten an extra plate from another server. When the steak comes by, her husband gets a huge portion and gives half to his wife.
I check back and try to be casual.
Me: “Are you enjoying your meal, ma’am?”
Customer: “There’s so much to choose from; it all looks delicious!”
Me: “Ma’am, would you like to switch to our dinner?”
Customer: “No, I only want salad.”
Over an hour, the table burns through four plates of our most expensive cuts. It’s screwing up the chefs because half of what they think they need is going to the “only salad” lady, who is plowing through filet mignon and sides. I give my manager a heads up, and he says to charge her for dinner.
I drop the check, and she is irate.
Customer: “I was just trying one bite of my husband’s steak! You’re going to charge me dinner for one bite?!”
My managers are excellent, so he steps in and lets her know:
Manager: “Ma’am, I saw you eating multiple plates of steak.”
Luckily, she doesn’t put up a fight, just sulks and says:
Customer: “I’m never coming back to somewhere that doesn’t even let me share with my husband!”
I feel bad for the other couple; they were total peaches and looked visibly embarrassed. She stiffed; they left 30% on their check.
But seriously, why be cheap at an expensive restaurant? There are hundreds of other places in this city. It’s my a** that gets chewed out if everyone notices and I don’t say anything. And you’re doing it in front of everyone. Please don’t make my night more difficult because you think you can outsmart the menu.
