Lions, and Tigers, and Blacks and Teachers, Oh my!

This week, Tony Dine http www.tonydine.blogspot.com ) has posted about teachers being the worst tippers. Moreover, anyone who reads Ribeye’s Blog ( http://www.ragingserver.com/ ) knows he follows the poor tipping habits of blacks.

As  I sit at home watching the Cowboys and the Giants, I have decided to add my two cents…

Teachers

School teachers, as Tony mentions, are bad tippers. Maybe it is their low income, or their lack of respect for people in businesses that do not require a Ph.D. The first time I served teachers, I had a 9 top of high school social studies women come in for lunch. Although the total check for all of the women was $183 (something I would later find out is rare - teachers do not spend much money), they left me a lack-luster $24.00.

I figured I should hope for algebra teachers next time - they could figure out 15 - 20% with far more accuracy.

At a different restaurant, I ran into another large table of teachers. Each ate either soup or salad, and drank only water. The highest tab was $11, the lowest, $5. Each of them tipped in the $0.75 - $1.00 range. They camped at my table for two hours, discussing God knows what - maybe how small and unsatisfying their side salad was - and spent $48. For me - $5.38. Recently, at my current (upscale) job, I had four teachers come in for lunch on one of those staff development holidays. They spent a mere $38.00 (incredibly low in my restaurant, even for lunch. Two of them only ate soup, one only ate soup and salad - How is it that teachers can live on soup, salad, and water with a lemon alone?). Tip: $5.10.

Another thing I have noticed: teachers will always leave you coins. I suppose teaching all of those kids how to add two dimes, a quarter and nine pennies makes them think everyone, not only 7 year olds, appreciate pennies, nickels and dimes.

Teachers spend most of their days bossing around the youth of America. When out at a restaurant, they boss around the working men and women of America, too. I have never seen any group of people spend and eat so little, yet order people around so much. More salt, more lemons, my soup isn’t hot enough, my soup is too hot (all real complaints from teachers)… and so on…

Halfrican - Americans

I like using the name Halfrican-American. I feel if you use a hyphenated name, like Mexican-American, African-American, Italian-American, and so on, you are saying you are only 50% American. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to hear me say “Halfrican-American.”

In my current job, I rarely serve blacks. Because of the neighborhood and price of the food items, let alone the continental - European cuisine and lack of Buffalo wings, or “wangs” as Ribeye calls ‘em, we tend to see a more, well, white clientèle.

Last week, I had a black two top for lunch. The man was ghetto, while the woman was not. Of course, the man paid. Bill: $46.00, Tip: $5.00.

A few nights ago, ghetto man took his ultra-non-ghetto (and very very hot) girlfriend/baby’s mamma to a romantic dinner. Bill $89.00. Tip: $5.36. Gee, thanks.

I have worked with black servers who hate waiting on black tables, and can understand why. I treat everyone the same at the tables and tend to use the three strike rule before you are SOL for good service. The best tip I have ever gotten from a black family (that ran me around like a dog, but I responded quickly and with a smile) is 16%. That’s the best. The other night, the bar tender was stiffed on a $37.00 tab by a black couple. They decided tipping was optional on their four drinks and did not take that option.

I will expand more later, but right now, I have to get back to football.