My wife and I have been eating at the same Thai restaurant for about 2-3 years. The food is the best in town (we've tried all the thai places) and the service has always been outstanding.

I consider myself a good tipper as I always tip a little extra for good service. Since eating at this restaurant I usually tip 15-20%.

On my last visit when I received the check I realized I only had $5-$6 in cash. I stood up with the bill and told my wife to please leave the tip. I walked over to the register while my wife proceeded outside to the car and paid the bill with a CC. When I signed the slip I put $0 on the tip portion of the sales slip and signed only for the total of the meal knowing that my wife was tipping cash.

I handed the sales slip back to the waitress that always serves us (she's native Thai and has an cute accent) and motion to the door. As I was about to leave I saw a perplexed look on her face after she looked at the sales slip. She frantically scanned the table we were sitting at which was only a few feet away...and as I looked at her one more time before leaving she says in her cute Thai accent...."Excuse me sir........You forgot your tip...." I was stunned!... My wife apparently didn't hear me when I asked her to leave a tip. My immediate reaction was that I was embarassed and quickly explained what happened and gave her my remaining cash for her tip. She was happy....and I went on my way.

The more I discussed what happened with my wife....the more I got irritated about the whole incident. Even if I accidently forgot to tip.....why would the kind Thai waitress feel the need to basically confront me by reminding me I forgot my tip?

I have since let the incident go....and I still plan to eat there when my next craving for Thai food comes around. (The food is THAT good). But I have to admit....I entertained the idea of NEVER eating there again.

What are your thoughts?

Tim

 

That is pretty up-front and rude, but if this was your first bad experience there I'd say keep going if it really is the best around.

 

The ONLY thing I could think of was that she KNOWS I always tip her and tip her well. She may have seen us come in....looked forward to basically a "sure tip" because she knows we are generous.

Come time for payment when she looked at the sales slip and see's no tip....before confronting me....she looks at the table....then confronts me because either she was dissappointed since she was expecting a good tip.

I'm still in amazement..... actually now that I think of it..... I know I'll be uncomfortable if she is our waitress again.

 

well if you have been going there for a long time and a regular customer, I dont think she meant to be rude, althought it may seem like that to us.

I say dont worry about it.

 

The waitress certainly could have handled it more diplomatically. But I would have definitely said something to you had I been your server no tip was left too. Maybe something along the lines of "How was everything tonight? Any problems with the food or your stay?" - in order to slightly more subtly drop the hint... Especially with you being a regular customer.

Andrew

 

I would have said, "I got your tip right here!"

 

She could have handled the situation more diplomatically but her command of the English language probably wasn't very good, so she spoke exactly what was on her mind. Afterall, the major portion of her income probably depends on the tips left by her customers. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

In her defense....this was the other possibility that I was thinking of....

 

She works for tips, and you probably make more money than she does, so just get over it and enjoy the food next time you're there. Just make sure you have enough cash next time.

 

Pretty ballsy if you ask me. To expect the tip is what would drive me crazy in this situation.