Servers don’t make a livable wage unless their customers leave a tip. While many argue that the responsibility should lie with the restaurant to pay their waitstaff fair wages, that’s not the current reality in the American restaurant industry. And it’s just not fair. Even if a waiter goes above and beyond for their customers, they can still be left with an inadequate tip. This means that the waiter might struggle to afford a meal later in the week.
Let’s talk about what happened in Los Angeles. A waiter served a group of teenagers who were on their way to their homecoming dance. The waiter remembered how excited he was for his own homecoming dance when he was their age. So, he made it a point to ensure the teens had a pleasant experience at the restaurant. He went out of his way to take care of them.
However, when it was time for the bill, the teens left him a despicable tip – just $3.28. That’s barely enough to buy a drink at Starbucks, let alone cover the bills that were piling up for the waiter. As he went home that night, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of hatred towards these teenagers who didn’t understand the value of hard work. He assumed they were entitled and looked down upon people like him.
But then, ten days later, something unexpected happened. The waiter received a letter from the group of teens.
The letter began, “About a week and a half ago, on October 7, my three friends and I came to eat at this restaurant to celebrate our homecoming. It was an exciting experience for us to be here alone, and everything was new. You were the best waiter we could ask for. You treated us with kindness, helped us with our allergies, and didn’t treat us like babies. You made our ‘grown-up’ experience amazing and fun.”
The teens continued, “We want to apologize on behalf of our group. We were new to this whole dining experience, and our young minds didn’t really know how to handle the bill. You were so helpful in splitting the check and accepting our not-so-preferable cash. The bill seemed reasonable, but we completely forgot (and honestly, we didn’t even know) what a tip was, let alone how much to leave. So, we emptied our pockets, and all we had was $3.28.”
They went on to say, “We didn’t realize how small that amount was and left clueless about what we had given you for all your hard work. It wasn’t until later that we realized our mistake and felt horrible. We knew we had to make it right. So, in this envelope, you will find the correct 18% tip, plus a little extra for being amazing. We truly appreciate your help, patience, and thank you for making our night so much fun.”
Not only did these teens acknowledge their mistake, but they also took the initiative to correct it. They genuinely wanted to make amends for their oversight.
What are your thoughts on this apology?
