Some people just don’t have the manners to go out to eat, especially during a pandemic when everyone’s behavior affects everyone else.
But a waitress at a Morristown, New Jersey brewery got exactly what she deserved after dealing with some uncivilized customers – a big, fat tip.
The rules shouldn’t apply to me
For some reason, a group visiting the Glenbrook Brewery decided that regulations simply shouldn’t inconvenience them at all.
For its part, the restaurant was doing everything it could to keep customers safe – operating at 50% capacity, using QR codes to avoid handing out menus (and germs), and limiting seating to 90 minutes or less so they could turn over enough tables to stay in business. After all, they had only been open a few months, holding their ribbon-cutting ceremony in March.
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All of these rules would have been clear to anyone choosing to dine at the brewery. There’s even a placard on the tables reminding people of the 90-minute rule.
Entitlement to the max
The table of 4 decided that despite posted signs and sitting in a room full of paying customers, that they were somehow special. And the real kicker? The rule is only enforced when other people are waiting to be seated. There was a line – so it’s not like the restaurant was empty.
Head brewer Heath Traver told FOX News: “If there’s no line, then you can hang out as long as you want.”
A server named Beth approached them at the 80-minute mark to let them know their time was almost up so they could settle the bill and get ready. But apparently, that made one of them so upset that he decided to punish someone who bore no fault in the matter.
On the bill for his $86 meal, he scrawled “I’m sorry the server gets screwed on this. Don’t kick paying customers out after 90 mins.” He added no tip at all, despite being served by a frontline worker putting their safety on the line to make ends meet.
Unbelievable, right? Apparently he needs to be told that all customers are paying customers.
The continued pout
Of course, the entitlement didn’t stop there. He decided to pout his way out the door.
Glenbrook’s creative director Darren Cregan told TODAY Food that one of the customers was “really irritated” – but it seems he was too cowardly to actually say anything.
“Our (taproom manager) said, ‘Did you enjoy yourself?’ and (the customer) said, ‘Yes,’ the manager asked ‘Was the beer good?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Was the service good?’ ‘Yes.’ But he still chose to leave zero tip,” Cregan said.
Going public
The restaurant had no intention of making the incident public, but a copy of their receipt (with no identifying information) ended up on a Facebook group called the Morristown Stimulus Plan, which encourages residents to support local restaurants.
The server, Beth, garnered even more sympathy because she works as a nurse and waitresses on the side to put herself through a graduate program.
Traver said she was the last person to deserve to get stiffed:
“She’s working towards that, she’s really hard worker and a sweet girl,” he told TODAY. “It hurt a little extra because she’s outstanding.”
Getting people to understand
Restaurant workers never have it easy, but the pandemic has put extra pressure on them. So when a woman posted the receipt to the Facebook group, she tried to explain to those who felt they should be having the exact experience they want despite the world being turned upside down that it just couldn’t be that way. She also implored people to have some sympathy for their servers.
“We have gone from bartenders and waiters to social distance police, sanitizing experts, all while wearing masks for 8 plus hours and doing our best to serve our customers…We have adapted the best we can to serve our community. We would all love to be back to ‘normal’ where we don’t have to follow so many rules but sadly this is life during the pandemic.”
They’re words that shouldn’t have to be said, but when the community read them, they were appalled by the man’s behavior.
A happy ending
Most people were appalled by the rude group’s behavior and people in the Facebook group began donating to Beth. Now, the donations total around $2,000!
“It’s very heartwarming to see so many people come out in support of her and her efforts,” Traver told TODAY.
He said Beth plans to take only some of the money for herself and split the remaining funds with other servers. And Beth herself told FOX News:
“It’s really lovely what these people did and I just want to do some good with it. It’s just really important to do some good with that money because it’s – I didn’t earn it, so if I can somehow try to reinvest it back into this amazing place, then yeah, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
Now that’s class.
Watch below how the community responded to the customer’s rudeness.
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