I was driving the wife and meatbally pre-K daughter around my old neighborhood the other day, stopping at my favorite Astoria destinations: Sweet Afton, Brooklyn Bagels, Pita Pan, The Bohemian Beer Garden, blaa blaa blaa. The munchies hit me like a ton of bricks and I was right across the street from Studio Square Beer Garden. I happen to wander into Five Napkin Burger (formerly Cup Restaurant) as the Slider Happy Hour sign struck my inner caveman with a bad case of the shakes and drools.
I sidled up to the bar, engage the bartender a bit and order a pint. After perusing the menu for a couple of minutes, I ordered what my tummy was screaming out for – a few sliders. They weren’t terrible; not the best I’ve ever had either but they did the job. The sliders were washed down with another perfectly chilled pint-o-suds.
I dropped a little cash, thanked my barkeep, told her “no change,” and scurried out the door to my appointed rounds. And no, there was no mentioning that I was “in the business.” It’s beyond tacky to offer up that info without being asked. I cringe when the odd server does that.
Moral: leave a decent tip for your server or bartender folks. Twenty percent of $15 is $3. Few servers would/should be upset at that gratuity. $15 for a couple of beers and a snack is extremely inexpensive. Leaving an extra buck or two for your server won’t kill you. But, times a few customers throughout the day, it can make a significant, positive, difference for waiter or bartender.
