Being a Nice Person in a Restaurant

The Split Second-In Consideration of Others in These Trying Times

I am still working on the publicity of my book, The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others, and blogging is new for me, not easy, and not something I have held much stock in up to this point in time. I tend to be quite verbose. I shall work on that one.

Yet again, I want to touch upon the subject of consideration of others yet again which is the main subject of my work. I have a chapter in the book about going out to a restaurant and how I feel the reader might benefit with thinking about how he/she treats the staff members of a restaurant.  First, they are people like the rest of us. I have been with friends or relatives who come close to snapping their fingers (my father actually did this) or at least being quite demanding or somewhat cold to waiters/waitresses (for the record, I have never liked the term “server”).  Secondly, tipping is important as these people depend on tips for a good part in not a majority of their take home pay.  Denying an adequate tip is not a nice thing to do. If the service is not to one’s liking, he/she needs to inform the manager and see if someone else can serve his/her party.

I am immensely proud to say that I have “friends” who are waiters and waitresses at various restaurants I frequent.  No, these were not friends of mine before I began the habit of dining in these restaurants, but they have become dear friends. I missed these wonderful folks during the dreaded pandemic.  It is wonderful to see them again at the different restaurants where I dine.  In one case, the restaurant did not reopen, and I am genuinely concerned about what happened to three dear friends I had at that restaurant.  Still, I like to think that I have fun with these wonderful folks and can laugh and joke around when the situation deems it appropriate.  I am bothered when I see fellow patrons mistreat them.  As The Split Second suggests, it is nice to remember that they are people with families and trying to get through the day like the rest of us. I get accused of over-tipping, but I am glad I do so.  I love walking out of a given restaurant knowing that I have had fun with the waiter/waitress: usually, my friend.