Waiterrant.net

I came across waiterrant.net while surfing today. We all talk about restaurants and waiters. This blog tells the story from the other side of the menu. The blogger is a 38 year old waiter/manager at a classy restaurant in New York.

It's pretty good reading. I liked the story about the time he was given a $50 tip on a $100 check and tracked the guy down to tell him he overpaid. His logic was that he'd rather be honest and have the guy come back again than take the oversized tip.

Sometimes he's pretty bitchy. There's an article back in 2004 when he gives us peons rules for going out to eat. It's interesting seeing his perspective, understanding what could happen from the restaurant's point-of-view. As I said, though, he can be bitchy. Telling me to tip 15%, preferably 20%, is all fine and good, but you'd better be damn good for 20%.

(Aside: when did it become 20%, anyway? I grew up understanding that tips were 15%, pre-tax. Suddenly it's become 20%. A restaurant association is trying to get 20% added to the bill automatically. Geez, yeah, that will go over well.)

Sometimes there's... something more. The April 27, 2004 entry about Carl was particularly eerie. Mostly he is a mixture of funny and poignant. Check it out.