Gratuity
LM and I don’t go out to dinner often. Maybe once every three or four months. He goes out to dinner with his dad for nearly every meal when he is with him, so it’s really my own sacrifice, not something he’s missing out on. $30 on dinner out is a chunk of our grocery money, so it’s rare for us to splurge in that manner.
That said, when I got my new job and the raise that came with it, LM asked if this meant we would eat out more often. I agreed that we might eat out once a month or once every couple of months now that we had more “padding” in the budget.
Last night was our night out.
We drove to the BIG mall, which is about 40 miles away. We really went for two very specific stores that are unfortunately not located much much closer to home. One: The New Balance store to find the sneakers my physician recommended for me (which, as a side, I haven’t tried out yet on the elliptical but they are absolutely 100% the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn in my life!) and Two: LM’s favorite comic book store. We agreed that while we were there we would stop at Crate and Barrel to get a few more of our drinking glasses (I cannot explain what happens to them, but glasses vanish in our house) and we would enjoy a nice dinner out.
After our successful and quick shopping, we headed off to the Steakhouse in the mall only to find the menu posted outside declaring appetizers cost $20. We saw a Houlihan’s and while I’m not big on chain restaurants, LM remarked at what great goat-cheese bruschetta they have and so off we went. (He has eaten at a more local Houlihan’s many times with his dad, it would seem.)
Let me say this about eating out as a way of preface: Not going out to eat very often and being the person in charge of shopping, cooking and putting away breakfast, lunch and dinner EVERY DAY, eating out is an event worth savoring in my opinion. We usually prefer to try places we’ve never been to. I encourage LM to order something we cannot fix at home. We usually enjoy an appetizer with our meal and sometimes even dessert. Eating out, in short, is not to be taken lightly with us.
The problem is, most times, the server doesn’t get this memo and we are but a thorn in his/her side as s/he eagerly awaits to be dismissed for the night. Certainly the caliber of restaurants we normally dine at all offer about the same menu and about the same quality of food. Three steps up from a Pizza Hut but not quite $20 appetizers, either. It’s the atmosphere, the service, the quality of the experience that makes or breaks the night for me.
Last night, our server was Andre. He was SPECTACULAR!! Do you remember that scene in Ocean’s 11, when they are giving advice to Matt Damon’s character when he has to fill in? “Be funny without being memorable. Be personable but forgettable.” These are the keys to a great server in my book. Be attentive but don’t hover. Be cordial but don’t act like you’ll be joining us for the evening. Cater without indulging. Simply put, serve me and make me feel great about my night without me ever having to pinpoint exactly what it was that made the night so great. “It was just so many things…the food, the restaurant atmosphere, the laughter with LM….”
Andre seemed to just inherently know this. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. Packed up half of LM’s to bring home for tonight and left with a feeling of success instead of the usual frustration and me proclaiming to never dine out again.
This morning the first thing I did when I arrived at work was to pull out my receipt from last night and write a letter of praise and gratitude to the manager of Houlihan’s in King of Prussia, complimenting Andre all the while.
So often we find ourselves upset by the bad things that happen around us that we forget to give recognition to all the good. It’s easy to leave a bad tip when service is miserable, and even though I left a generous tip last night, I wanted to really spell it out to Andre AND his boss why we enjoyed ourselves so much.
In LM’s words, “I have two High’s for today. One: That we got to watch ‘Shiloh’ in class today. And Two: this evening out together!”
Thanks, Andre.
That said, when I got my new job and the raise that came with it, LM asked if this meant we would eat out more often. I agreed that we might eat out once a month or once every couple of months now that we had more “padding” in the budget.
Last night was our night out.
We drove to the BIG mall, which is about 40 miles away. We really went for two very specific stores that are unfortunately not located much much closer to home. One: The New Balance store to find the sneakers my physician recommended for me (which, as a side, I haven’t tried out yet on the elliptical but they are absolutely 100% the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn in my life!) and Two: LM’s favorite comic book store. We agreed that while we were there we would stop at Crate and Barrel to get a few more of our drinking glasses (I cannot explain what happens to them, but glasses vanish in our house) and we would enjoy a nice dinner out.
After our successful and quick shopping, we headed off to the Steakhouse in the mall only to find the menu posted outside declaring appetizers cost $20. We saw a Houlihan’s and while I’m not big on chain restaurants, LM remarked at what great goat-cheese bruschetta they have and so off we went. (He has eaten at a more local Houlihan’s many times with his dad, it would seem.)
Let me say this about eating out as a way of preface: Not going out to eat very often and being the person in charge of shopping, cooking and putting away breakfast, lunch and dinner EVERY DAY, eating out is an event worth savoring in my opinion. We usually prefer to try places we’ve never been to. I encourage LM to order something we cannot fix at home. We usually enjoy an appetizer with our meal and sometimes even dessert. Eating out, in short, is not to be taken lightly with us.
The problem is, most times, the server doesn’t get this memo and we are but a thorn in his/her side as s/he eagerly awaits to be dismissed for the night. Certainly the caliber of restaurants we normally dine at all offer about the same menu and about the same quality of food. Three steps up from a Pizza Hut but not quite $20 appetizers, either. It’s the atmosphere, the service, the quality of the experience that makes or breaks the night for me.
Last night, our server was Andre. He was SPECTACULAR!! Do you remember that scene in Ocean’s 11, when they are giving advice to Matt Damon’s character when he has to fill in? “Be funny without being memorable. Be personable but forgettable.” These are the keys to a great server in my book. Be attentive but don’t hover. Be cordial but don’t act like you’ll be joining us for the evening. Cater without indulging. Simply put, serve me and make me feel great about my night without me ever having to pinpoint exactly what it was that made the night so great. “It was just so many things…the food, the restaurant atmosphere, the laughter with LM….”
Andre seemed to just inherently know this. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. Packed up half of LM’s to bring home for tonight and left with a feeling of success instead of the usual frustration and me proclaiming to never dine out again.
This morning the first thing I did when I arrived at work was to pull out my receipt from last night and write a letter of praise and gratitude to the manager of Houlihan’s in King of Prussia, complimenting Andre all the while.
So often we find ourselves upset by the bad things that happen around us that we forget to give recognition to all the good. It’s easy to leave a bad tip when service is miserable, and even though I left a generous tip last night, I wanted to really spell it out to Andre AND his boss why we enjoyed ourselves so much.
In LM’s words, “I have two High’s for today. One: That we got to watch ‘Shiloh’ in class today. And Two: this evening out together!”
Thanks, Andre.
Comments
Anywho, I will stop by and tell Andre you said hello!