*Being in the restaurant business is hard enough if you’re a waiter or a waitress. Customers can sometimes act disrespectfully, be demanding and thankless. Imagine being a server for a table of teens out celebrating homecoming…without supervision.
Sounds like a disaster in the making, right?
Read on.
This was the scenario for a waiter named Seminole, who was told to wait on a table of four 13-year-old teens one night. He was apprehensive but then saw how polite and kind they were and was even amused (without showing it) at the efforts they put into navigating the whole dining out experience, he showed them the same respect he gave adults.
The teens explained to him that this was the first time they had been allowed out without supervision, and they were very excited.
One of them had serious allergies, and Seminole even spent time helping her decide which foods would be best for her. She was so thankful for his help, and really enjoyed the choices he had helped her make.
When dinner was over, they paid the bill in cash, thanked the waiter kindly, and left. But when Seminole saw the tip, his mood changed entirely.
Seminole felt he had bent over backward to give the teens great service. But the tired waiter saw they’d only left a $3.28 tip. There was nothing he could do now so he went home, hoping for a better day tomorrow.
Several days later Seminole was met with an envelope at the front desk of the restaurant. Inside was a handwritten letter, $18 and some change. It was from the teens he had served days before.
The letter (see below) began with, “Dear Waiter,” and went on to identify who it was from. It went on to say, ??You were the best waiter we could ask for. You were kind, helpful, accommodating, didn?t treat us like babies.?
Seminole was tearing up by now but continued to read the letter.
The letter went on to explain the teens’ embarrassment at the tip they’d left, and how they had no idea how tips worked since the experience was so new to them.
They said that after researching they realized their error and wanted to make it right.
Please look at the letter these teens wrote and came back in to deliver. You have got to admit, some folks raise their kids right! This is proof.
Page 1 of the teens’ letter…
Page 2 of the teens’ letter
Seminole was so moved by the actions of “the 4 teenagers from that night” (as they signed the letter) he posted his thank you online.
The post about the teens received great attention! Positive comments followed.
