Well, maybe not quite that deep. But close! My pens are one of the most crucial implements in my arsenal of necessary tools for my job as a restaurant server. Translation: I need my pens!
At work, I write. All day long. As a result I get nice pens, so as to facilitate a more comfortable experience for myself. I get the comfort grip, smooth writing kind. I do spend a little money on them, because the cheap kind run out of ink after 20 words or so.
Writing down your order so I do not forget to inform the cooks that you will faint at the sight of a pickle is not the only important function my pens serve. I am also required to include a pen in the check presenter whenever the RC pays by credit card, so that s/he can sign the receipt. However, I am loaning my pen for the length of time it takes for you to give us your John Hancock, and that’s it! Frequently the RC keeps the pen, apparently under the false impression that it is a gift. That adds up to a lot of pens a week.
I wouldn’t mind so much if it were the big spenders helping themselves to a complementary pen, but its not. In fact, the big tippers are more likely to pull out their own expensive pen to sign with and accidentally leave it along with my pen- and a 25% gratuity. Nice.
I had this extremely difficult, nitpicky table of three whiny men recently. Now, I hate the sound of anyone whining; women, children, it doesn’t matter, its like fingernails on a chalk board. But men whining is the absolute worst, because a man, by definition, is not supposed to whine. Ever. So these men ran me ragged for an hour. They needed more ranch, another side of mayo, “light ice, take this back, I asked for light ice!” Whining the entire time.
At the end of the meal I brought the check, which came to about $60. One of the men paid with a credit card. I gave him the check presenter with his receipt and one of my pens. I thanked them for their patronage, bid them a very good day, smiled warmly and turned to go. As I started to walk away the guy who paid calls out to me “Oh, this is a real nice pen, I’m gonna have to keep this, hope you don’t mind!” He laughed and I laughed, assuming he was joking. I walked away to attend to other tables.
When I collected the receipt upon their departure, I discovered that he left me $5 on a $60 tab, which is less than 10%, and he wasn’t joking, he kept my pen. That’s just rude, and its stealing! I’ve got to say, putting up with three whiny men entitled me to at least 15%. And I require a minimum of an 18% tip if you plan to take my pen. As previously stated, I buy nice pens and besides, its the principle of the thing! I’m just saying.
Ohh, I hate that! I love my pens too, and I WILL NOT share them.
I keep junky pens to give to customers. They don't get the ones I don't want stolen.
I got so irritated at that I started segregating my pens. I have nice purple ones in my right-hand pocket for my own use, and crappy ones in my middle pocket for customers. It's not the most convenient, but nobody's using my purple pens!
OMG, you waited on my former father-in-law, ex husband and former brother-in-law. FFIL is a marathon complainer, ex-H is a PA SOB and FBIL is the king of nickel-and-dime,can-I-have-one-more-thing-on-the-side. Oh, did I mention that FFIL is a cheap bastard, too, who would totally feel entitled to your pen for a crappy tip. Because, in his words, "A quarter is a good tip!" Yeah, in 1933 when you were young, bucko.
I really enjoyed this post, especially the “examples in this post” portion which made it really easy for me to SEE what you were talking about without even having to leave the article. Thanks