A Tip of Accomplishment.

The night started off in average fashion. Only one booking had been placed, a table of 8, so it wasn't a big deal. It seemed it was going to be an easy night. Then there was few things that happened that changed the situation really fast. The thing is that you never really see a busy night come at you, it just happens. It happens before you can blink and then before you know it you are in the thick of it.

Two consecutive phone calls were picked up, both to make a booking. A table of 5 and a table of 6. Which seemed pretty reasonable on a Saturday night.

Then a table of 8 walked in without a booking, so in speedy waitress fashion, we put some tables together for them. Worked out fine and soon enough they were all settled into their meal.

Few more walk-ins came in at around the same time. Then Take Away got swamped. Phone orders and walk in orders would not stop coming in. It was hard to find time to pack the meals let alone get them out in time.

At that moment in time I think it dawned onto all the waitresses that this was no ordinary easy going Saturday night. This was the BIG one. The one that comes every so often, the one where everyone decides that they want to have Chinese that night and definitely the one that you know as a waitress tests every inch of your skill whilst still balancing great customer service.

Then just as we thought that we had everything in control. The last table had their mains coming out and Take Away finally slowed down. The thing that I will also never understand, happened.

A table of 12 walked in, with NO booking, and asked if we had room for them. Lucky for them, unfortunate for us, one of the earlier bookings for the table of 5 had just left.

So once again in speedy waitress fashion a table of 12 was made. Then they inform me that in fact they have two more additions. I grit my teeth and say that's fine, I can work something out. And so an extra table was added and two extra seats were set up.


The night was insane. Everyone barely had time to stop and think about what had to be done next. Instead it was go, go, GO! And hoping that you didn't miss a thing. It was a night where the only way to keep sane was the banter off each other and work well with everyone around you, because everyone was just trying to keep their heads above water. Its nights like these that I know that we are not always at our usual customer service level, we barely have time to acknowledge our customers let alone chat with them and some times it feels bad. But you try and get through it by making sure that you are covering all bases and they are comfortable.

The table of 8, with no booking, had just left and told us to keep the change for their bill. We don't get tipped all the time, that's just the way it is. We get a few dollars and usually that's pretty good. That table left us with a $54 tip. That was 40% of their bill. That left us all flabbergasted. That is the biggest sized tip that I have ever received in the whole time I have been working.


At the time it feels impossible, but at the end of it you accomplished everything with minimal damage, especially to yourself and the other staff members.We must of done something right, despite the insane way we must of looked. Especially on a night like that it was nice to feel so appreciated.

A Rare & Simple Kind of Generosity

Waitressing isn’t really ALL negative. On occasions it does actually pay to be a waitress.

The percentage of negative and positive customer are about 20% to 80%, respectively. Although, of course, the negative ones are always more entertaining and are less likely to be forgettable.

So therefore, I figured it was about time I wrote something a little more positive that might actually show how much I do like being a waitress. After all, it’s been five years, so there must be something positive out of it.

One particular night we had a booking of 20 people. It was an early, extended family, Christmas get-together. There were in total about five separate families and a few children under the age of 10.

Everything was easy and pleasant. The hosts had booked ahead in advance and even pre-booked their meals and they had jugs of soft drinks. There was no hassles at all and the family were extraordinarily nice. It wasn’t a particularly slow night either, but they didn’t arrive and start their mains until almost all the other tables had left.

Towards the end of the meal the children were getting fidgety. We only had one other table left in the restaurant besides the big booking, a lovely couple (around their 50-60s) who come in quite regularly. We never have a problem with them and they always tip generously.

Some of the children had started to wander around the restaurant a bit. Usually for the really bratty children I’ll have a word with the parents so that we don’t get the blame for when they do hurt themselves on our premises from the lack of attention the parents give their children. In this case the children weren’t running around like they had just had red cordial so I just let them be. Plus the parents were actually paying attention and keeping an eye on them.

On of the younger girls (about 7 years old) started talking to our Lovely-Regular-Couple. The Lovely-Regular-Couple didn’t seem to mind and it seem like they were enjoying the added company. In fact the little girl sat down at their table and neither the couple nor her parents seemed to mind at all.

A little while after that, the Lovely-Regular-Couple came up to pay.


Me: [Giving them my lovely ultimate waitress smile]. How was everything tonight?
Lovely-Regular-Man: Oh! It was lovely, as usual.
Me: That’s wonderful. [Showing them the bill].
Lovely-Regular-Man: Can I have the bill for that table as well please? [Referring to the booking of 20 people].

I was a little caught off my guard, as this is not a normal request. After recovering quickly from this I figured that they had always been a nice couple, so I let him see the bill.

Me: Umm… Sure [Looking probably quite confused].
Lovely-Regular-Man: [After browsing the bill]. Is that the complete total? With drinks?
Me: Yes… [Still looking rather unsure of myself].
Lovely-Regular-Man: Put that on top of my bill as well.

If he hadn’t sounded so confident I would of thought he was having a joke on me! I was completely flabbergasted.

Me: [Taking both bills with caution]. Are you sure?

I looked over to his wife for confirmation. I did not find it there, she was just as shocked as I was.

Lovely-Regular-Lady: Are you sure?
Lovely-Regular-Man: [Grinning with pride]. Yes, I’m sure.


As I take both bills and his credit card to the EFTPOS terminal, I’m still unsure if I heard it right. I add both bills together and put it through. Before I ask for a signature for verification I ask him again, just to make sure, and without trying to sound completely incompetent.


Me: This is the TOTAL amount. [Pointing at the price].
Lovely-Regular-Man: That’s fine. [Without blinking, signed the receipt].

After signing it, I finally believe that he had just paid for the entire Table-of-20’s bill, and he did not even know them.

Lovely-Regular-Man: [Winking at me with a grin]. They’ll get a wonderful Christmas surprise.
Me: I’m sure it will be a surprise. [As the Lovely-Regular-Couple walk out of the restaurant]. Have a good evening.

Now, I’m pretty sure that Lovely-Regular-Man did not want me to actually tell the Table-of-20 until they were ready to pay the bill. So I made a quick decision and went over the the Table-of-20.

Me: [Looking at 20 faces]. I just wanted to let you guys know that the man that just left has just paid for your bill.

Table-of-20 sat there kind of looking stunned. Pretty much with the same expression that I had when I was asked for both bills. I could see that they weren’t sure what to make of it.

Me: You guys might want to run after him and say ‘Thank You’ or something because I don’t think you’ll see him again…

That was when three of them walked out the door in time to catch up with him.


It wasn’t until later on that I found out the reason why Lovely-Regular-Man paid for Table-of-20’s bill. It was simply because he thought that it was rare and lovely to see such a wonderful extended family get together for dinner. And that was it. No attachments, nothing.

Lovely-Regular-Couple’s bill totaled to $38 while Table-of-20’s bill was almost $200.

That is just pure generosity.

I was not tipped by either table that night but to be quite honest it was probably much more fulfilling being somewhat a part of such generosity and to witness it.

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Just so you don’t think that I'’ve gone completely soft.

I will be back to my negativity in the next entry.