I’m a bartender in a quiet hotel lounge.  Most of our customers are businesspeople in for nightcaps or groups from one of our banquet facilities.  There’s this one customer though who comes in about 3 or 4 times a month, always at really slow times.  He proceeds to sit at the bar and drink and chat with me.

Since it’s impossible not to talk to someone at the bar without being extremely rude I make the best of it, but after a few drinks he invariably asks me “Would you like a kiss?”.  No, no I would not.  Not ever.

The first couple of months that he came in I kind of deflected the question by either pretending not to hear it or walking away.  Finally he caught me when there was no one else in the lounge and I absolutely had to have heard the question.  I was kind of fed up so I just look at him and say “No.” I don’t explain it to him and I just look at him steadily until he looks away.

What I really feel like saying is “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?  Hitting on a bartender 20 years younger than yourself you drunken fool?”, but I didn’t.  He still comes in but that’s the last time he’s asked me if I “want a kiss.”

Submitted by: Samantha

I was waiting on a table of two that was sandwiched in between two other two-top tables, both of which were seated as well.  The table in the center ordered their meals, and opted to have salads instead of pasta or soup, so I put the order in.  Minutes later, I bring their salads out.  A few minutes into eating them, I inform the cook to begin preparing their meal as the timing seemed perfect.

I’ve been timing food perfectly for the three months I’ve worked at this restaurant and never had an issue.  The food comes out about 10 minutes later, and as I’m setting up a tray stand, I see both the man and woman still have about 1/4 of their salads left.  Oh well, slow eaters right?  Dinner rush, busy kitchen, etc.

I inform the customers their meal has arrived, and the woman slams her fork down, practically throws her salad plate off to the side of the table, and just gives me a look.  While placing the plates in front of each customer, I apologize for the timing being a little off.  The woman snubs me and makes snide remarks.

My others tables are now staring, and I felt the need to defend myself.  In a calm, polite way, I responded “madam, again, i am very sorry for the off timing on your entree.  I unfortunately have no control over how fast the food is cooked, but only when it begins preparation and how fast it gets to you”

She then snaps her head in my direction, and practically screams “EXCUSE ME?  DON’T TELL ME WHAT YOUR JOB IS, I KNOW WHAT IT IS.  YOUR JOB AS A WAITER IS TO MAKE SURE MY FOOD COMES OUT ON TIME, AND YOU HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER HOW FAST ALL THAT HAPPENS, ITS YOUR JOB.  SO DON’T TRY TO TELL ME”

Now standing there dumbfounded like a jackass, i realized my surrounding tables are all staring at me like I suck.  I didn’t say anything else, and walked away.  Needless to say, I received some poor tips shortly thereafter from her table, as well as the adjacent ones who I believe were acquaintances that happened to be seated nearby.

Submitted by: Jesse

So today I was working my second shift ever in the dining room, and I was doing my best work. My manager quickly comes up to me and whispers “You think you can handle the rush alone?” and with a cool “of course.” I get to work.

It is 1 hour into my 6 hour shift and I am keeping track of 8 tables, offering them refills, giving them mints, and cleaning up their sloppy messes. Suddenly an attractive family of 4 walks in, with 2 adults, a son in his early twenties (Older than I am) and a little girl.

They order their food and make their way to one of the nicest tables (freshly cleaned of course). They dig into they food, and suddenly I get called over by the father who nicely says “What is the situation with refills here?’ and hands me his cup, I take it out of his hand with a smile and reply “I am on it.”

After refilling his drink and giving the family their fair share of mints, I ask mid-meal “Is everything alright with your meal? Any problems?” and they ALL reply no, even the eldest son, it ahs been all smiles, and they seem to be very impressed with my service.

As I am helping another table, the father pulls me over again and asks for a pen, and he even remembered my name. I am screaming with excitement inside, the ONLY reason you would need a pen is to write on one of the little suggestion cards on the table. I hand him the pen and he then gives it to his son, who starts scribbling away on one the little cards. I am so excited, they pack up and leave, leaving a significant mess, but whatever… before they are out the door he calls over one of the managers an hands her the card, once again, I was excited.

The next 4 hours I was thinking about what could be on the card, customers almost never write on them, so this is a big deal because the managers always put them on the corkboard for everyone to see, so it there is a big “Clayton was Amazing…” it would be amazing, I am proud to say that dining room was spotless the entire night.

My shift is finally over, and I am checking my hours when I spot the card sitting on her desk, we are NOT supposed to go in there, so I press my face against the window to read…

“I was not very happy with the temperature of the food, it was cold and soggy and I was disappointed that no one was available to assist me…”

Now she is re-thinking me being ready for the dining room, back to garbage runs and restocking bathrooms for me…