Will Not Be Influenced By The Influencer, Part 10

Bosses/Owners/Managers, Crazy Requests, Money, Perfect Comebacks, Restaurant, USA | Right | May 25, 2025

I’m serving at a restaurant on a quiet weekday lunch when a woman sits at a table and immediately sets up her phone on a mini tripod. She snaps photos of the menu, the water glass, and the server before she even orders.

Eventually, she orders a brunch and a few sides, but then, when I check on her after the meal, she says:

Customer: *Sweetly.* “Hi! So, I’m a content creator. I’d love to collaborate with your brand today.”

Me: “…This is a restaurant.”

Customer: *Laughs.* “Right, right, but if I post your food to my story and tag you, that’s really valuable exposure. My followers love aesthetic brunch content. So… I was thinking maybe the meal could be on the house?”

Me: “I’m just your server, but I can ask the manager if they’re accepting exposure as legal tender this week.”

Customer: *Missing the sarcasm.* “Yes, please do!”

I walk away, tell my manager mostly just to laugh, but he decides to come back over with me:

Manager: *Holding out the card reader.* “Tell your followers it was the best $32 you ever spent.”