This story is about a harsh lesson learned for one Toronto waitress.
A long time ago, maybe back in the early or mid-nineties, some members of my family were visiting Toronto (they don’t live here) to see a Blue Jays ball game. They stayed at the Skydome Hotel. That’s right – this story happened before the name change to the Rogers Centre. Anyway I was not there at the time, and I don’t recall why. Perhaps I was at University, or overseas, or busy in some other way. Nevertheless this is a classic story which is still shocking to me today.
Essentially the story goes that after spending an exciting but expensive weekend in the big city, the family (probably 4 people) went down for breakfast at the Skydome Restaurant. My uncle joined them for breakfast as he lives in the city. Anyway, what I heard was that my uncle ordered the breakfast buffet special, and others ordered straight breakfast dishes. Uncle got up and collected some items from the buffet to put on his plate, and returned to the table. He maybe returned once more to the buffet table. So everyone is laughing, enjoying a big breakfast and reminiscing about the good times had in Toronto. My uncle, who has never been a big eater, had not touched his danish on his plate, and didn’t want to waste it since he was full, and offered it to my brother. So my brother accepted it and put it on his side plate.
Apparently, from out of nowhere, the waitress dashed over to the table and aggressively commanded that he (my bro) could not have that danish as he did not order the breakfast buffet! Even as my uncle was attempting to explain to her that he was full and didn’t want to waste it, the waitress picked up the danish (with or without the side-plate I just don’t know) and runs off with it!
My family sat, amazed at the extent the waitress would go to in the enforcement of the buffet rules. It was a 10 cent danish! It’s not like my uncle was grabbing things up and feeding the whole table! It’s not like it was roast beef! It was a danish!!!
So my brother, who generally has a really good disposition and is a happy guy, was not amused.
When the group had finished eating and requested the bill, the same waitress brought it over to the table, and asked “Who gets this?”
My brother looked at her and said “Me.”
As fate would have it, it was indeed his turn to pay (as the ‘rents had paid for dinner the night before) and he was more than happy to pay the bill. He added a 1-cent tip to the bill for the waitress.
It’s a sad story to some, a funny story to others, but a good learning lesson I think to all waitstaff: think carefully before you steal food from a paying customer! Is the reason in your head really worth it? Maybe discuss your idea with a manager beforehand if possible.
I’m glad I wasn’t there.