I worked first weekend bar-tending shift with Roger Friday night. So far, I've only been by myself behind the bar, so Friday night is kind of the big time, requiring two of us. I expected we'd be busy, but we have been inexplicably dead for the last week, this week being one of the worst I've had in a while.
Roger made the drinks for the most part, while I took care of the few guests at the rail. One man was very interesting. He orders a tall draft Bud light. There seemed to be a bit of a language barrier as he asked for the "steak dinner." Dude, we have like 7 different steaks of various sized and prices. He settled on the rib eye, well done with a side of mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. He ate the steak and the taters and left the mac (most people don't eat it, it gets too dry if it sits for more than a few minutes). He orders a couple more beers and then orders another rib eye with no sides. He eats most of that, I can tell he's going to be here for the night.
He was on his phone almost the entire time. He sees that Roger is putting his coat on and calls him over, I assume to give him a tip since his shift is over. He then just keeps ordering beer after beer. It gets to be closing time, and I serve him one more beer, but I'm thinking he's got to be pretty drunk by now. In fact, he is looking sleepy and slowing waaaay down on his last beer, so I hope I didn't over-serve him. Finally, he's ready to cash out and hands me 2 20's for a tip saying that I'm "a good person." I tell him to be careful and he motions that he is just across the street, probably at the hotel or in one of the sleeper trucks that get parked overnight in the nearby Lowe's parking lot. He staggers out the door, and I hope he's okay. I so did appreciate the $40, it was a very slow night.
At 12:30 pm the next day, I go back into work and Roger is bar-tending as he does every Saturday morning. I see Martin walk in the front door and enthusiastically waves at me. He sits down at the spot he was last night and as Roger is busy, I take his order, (same as the night before) even though I'm in the dining room this day.
Later, he stops me and says, "Roger says you were worried about me last night."
"I was"
"Why?"
"You had a lot to drink."
"Hey the first and last ones are the only ones that count."
He then tells me that he's a truck driver and was staying in his truck for the weekend which was literally only a few hundred feet away at the nearby parking lot. He's waiting to pick something up Monday morning. As we are the only restaurant on our drive that serves alcohol, I know he'll be here all day. I do feel relieved knowing that he won't be driving.
He later orders another steak again.
At about 5 p.m. I ask Roger how he is doing with Martin. Roger says,
"He's drunk as shit."
Martin leaves about 8:00 and tipped Roger $20. I guess he like me better :P
Roger made the drinks for the most part, while I took care of the few guests at the rail. One man was very interesting. He orders a tall draft Bud light. There seemed to be a bit of a language barrier as he asked for the "steak dinner." Dude, we have like 7 different steaks of various sized and prices. He settled on the rib eye, well done with a side of mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. He ate the steak and the taters and left the mac (most people don't eat it, it gets too dry if it sits for more than a few minutes). He orders a couple more beers and then orders another rib eye with no sides. He eats most of that, I can tell he's going to be here for the night.
He was on his phone almost the entire time. He sees that Roger is putting his coat on and calls him over, I assume to give him a tip since his shift is over. He then just keeps ordering beer after beer. It gets to be closing time, and I serve him one more beer, but I'm thinking he's got to be pretty drunk by now. In fact, he is looking sleepy and slowing waaaay down on his last beer, so I hope I didn't over-serve him. Finally, he's ready to cash out and hands me 2 20's for a tip saying that I'm "a good person." I tell him to be careful and he motions that he is just across the street, probably at the hotel or in one of the sleeper trucks that get parked overnight in the nearby Lowe's parking lot. He staggers out the door, and I hope he's okay. I so did appreciate the $40, it was a very slow night.
At 12:30 pm the next day, I go back into work and Roger is bar-tending as he does every Saturday morning. I see Martin walk in the front door and enthusiastically waves at me. He sits down at the spot he was last night and as Roger is busy, I take his order, (same as the night before) even though I'm in the dining room this day.
Later, he stops me and says, "Roger says you were worried about me last night."
"I was"
"Why?"
"You had a lot to drink."
"Hey the first and last ones are the only ones that count."
He then tells me that he's a truck driver and was staying in his truck for the weekend which was literally only a few hundred feet away at the nearby parking lot. He's waiting to pick something up Monday morning. As we are the only restaurant on our drive that serves alcohol, I know he'll be here all day. I do feel relieved knowing that he won't be driving.
He later orders another steak again.
At about 5 p.m. I ask Roger how he is doing with Martin. Roger says,
"He's drunk as shit."
Martin leaves about 8:00 and tipped Roger $20. I guess he like me better :P
Smile. Twenty for serving. Twenty for caring. ;)
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteGreat thinking, Zoe!
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