The Domino Of Nice

I work the morning shift in a small restaurant. Two of the wait staff call in sick and, of course, we have an unusually large breakfast rush.

The manager steps forward to help serve tables, but we are still slow at getting to everyone. One particular family — a husband, wife, and two teenage children — is very understanding. When I apologize for the delay in simply bringing them the orange juices and coffees and taking their orders, they wave this off.

Customer: “You are obviously busy today. You’re doing great.”

This started a domino effect. The people at the table next to them heard and, when I brought out their order a few minutes later, they made a point of thanking me and sympathizing over how busy we were.

The table next to THEM also spoke up in my support and in support of my manager, who was working just as hard. It literally went like this in a near-perfect circle around the room, with everyone chiming in.

I don’t know if we were blessed with an unusually kind group of people or if it was some sort of bizarre example of peer pressure, but it was wonderful. Everyone left a good tip. That family that started the Dominoes of Niceness falling? They left nearly a 50% tip.