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Diner Defies Tablemates, Tips Twenty Percent

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Contributed by: Tom Saunders on 1/2/2007

There must have been something in the air last Wednesday evening at the Kee Grill in Juno Beach that, according to her friends present, made Marge Goldberg lose her head. Despite all objections, which witnesses stated were voiced loudly and passionately, Mrs. Goldberg did the unthinkable in the rulebook of early bird diners. No, she didn't forget to order lemon and Nutra-Sweet to make her own lemonade. No, she didn't order something other than a "house" brand libation. And no, she didn't order off the early bird menu without first making sure everything was well done and dry, with all sauces on the side. So what could this octogenarian have done to warrant such scorn from her tablemates, her supposed friends?
She tipped well. Not just well, but exactly twenty percent of her quarter of the $67.95 bill. This, according to Lillian Cohen, was unacceptable.
"I've never been so outraged!," Mrs. Cohen chimed when asked of the incident. "Twenty percent? Why? It's not like our waiter was performing brain surgery! Take the order, bring us our food. Is that so hard? It's ridiculous! I can see, maybe, and I mean on a good day, maybe fifteen percent. But twenty? What's the world coming to, twenty percent!"
Mrs. Cohen wasn't the only one in disbelief that fateful Wednesday at the eatery. Esther Halpern, another of Mrs. Goldberg's dining companions, was, in her words, shocked.
"I was shocked," the eighty-something Halpern was quoted as saying. "I've known Marge for nearly twenty- three years and have never seen her act so irresponsibly." When asked if the service was good, Mrs. Halpern confirmed it was excellent, quickly adding, "but twenty percent? My husband didn't work hard all his life so I could leave some waiter a large gratuity. That's my retirement money. He should be happy with the fifteen percent. You'd never catch me doing what Marge did, NEVER! I don't know if I can still be friends with someone that would do that! What's next, Grey Goose Martinis? The whole world is crazy."
But according to Marge, she felt she did the right thing. And it was a long time coming.
"I don't even know what got into me. One minute I'm ordering my salmon, and the next I'm leaving a twenty percent tip. I've never left a twenty percent tip, and to be quite honest, it felt good. I felt I was for once showing my appreciation for someone that made my dining experience pleasurable. Everything was really, really nice and the waiter deserved it. I've changed my ways, what can I say?"
Bob Horton, a diner that was seated next to Mrs. Goldberg's early bird table, remembers Wednesday evening at Kee Grill vividly.
"All was fine during the course of their meal I guess. I mean, nothing of particular interest happened. The usual stuff you know. But when the bill came that all changed. Well, when the waiter came back with the credit card slips I should say. All I heard was three women yelling at this one old lady, screaming, 'twenty percent, are you crazy! He's not your gastroenterologist! He's your waiter. Mark that out. Fifteen percent is what we leave! Fifteen percent!' I thought those ladies were going to have heart attacks. I mean REALLY have heart attacks."
"I don't think I've ever seen a group of elderly women so irate," said Beth Withers, who was only feet away during the whole incident. "I was waiting for the cops to come, either that or the coroner. If I were in charge there, the three that were making all the fuss wouldn't be allowed to step foot back in the restaurant. It was awful."
What does the waiter think of it all?
"I'm used to the early bird diners being, well, how should I say, cheap," says Joe D., the waiter that took care of Marge's table. "But I didn't realize that such a small amount could lead to such a big deal. I still don't know why those ladies were making all those comments to Mrs. Goldberg. She didn't deserve that. I thought she was a sweet lady and she's welcome back anytime in my section. But hopefully not with those same three ladies."
In the end, Marge thinks she did the right thing.
"I hope all early bird diners follow my lead and do the right thing. Take care of those that take care of you, " she says with a smile. "And even if others at the table object, do what you feel is right. I guess it's just as in life, if you can do the right thing, you do it. No matter what."
Amen to that, Marge, amen to that!

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Submitted By: Julie Rodriguez

posted on 1/4/2007 @ 2:02:37 PM

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People who wait tables only make $2.13 an hour so remember that the next time you tip someone!! Take a min. to think about the math. If you sat at there table for 1 hour they only make $2.13 an hour but if you leave them a tip of 10% on a $67.95 bill they only get $6.80 for the hour of serving you! 15% is $10.19 and 20% is $13.59. The $2.13 they make pays for their taxes on the money the servers get tipped.

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