If You Need A Tip That The Relationship Is Not Off To A Good Start…

I’m on the closing shift at my restaurant. A couple is sitting at the last table in the entire building. I’m not upset because I’m just cleaning around them, and we’d had such a good rapport all night.

Lights are up, chairs are on tables, they finally leave, and I’m sweeping when I hear knocking on the locked door. Now, I’m not allowed to open that front door, so I go over and let them know I’m not allowed to, but what do they need?

They didn’t pay. We have these table-side screens, so watching your table leave without tabbing them out personally is the norm. 

I go print their check, take it out through the patio, and run her card. He says:

Man: “I’ve got cash for the tip!”

He hands me a $20 and four $1s. I’m grateful because it’s above the 20% mark, and I’m thinking they appreciated all my suggestions they raved about, as well as the service they received.

The woman he’s with looks up from signing the check, snatches the $4 out of my hand, and says:

Woman: “No, just give her the $20.”

And then she walks off with my pen.

The tip was still over 20%. I’m still grateful. But my god, the ovaries on that woman to straight up take HIS MONEY out of my hand just to make some point I still don’t fully get. 

It seemed like a very new relationship. I hope he was as put off by that behavior as I was.