Anybody do anything like this?

[AustinBoston]

When at most sit-down restaurants (think Perkins, Applebees, Green Mill, etc.), after meeting the waitsperson, I will put a dollar bill on the table.

I will then anounce "the question" to everyone sitting at the table, and my guess as to how the waiter/waitress will answer that question.

When the waiter/waitress returns (or, if seated by a host/hostess, when they first introduce themselves), I will point out the dollar, and tell them it is not a part of their tip, that I have a question, and that if I have guessed their answer correctly, they get the dollar.

If I guess wrong, then I try a second question.  If I go to a third question (which I have only done once), I make sure I am right.

I try to make the questions quasi-personal (but nothing the person could be upset about, such as age).  I asked an age question once, but never again.  :eyecrazy:

Some examples:

"Do you drink a national-brand (Bud, Coors, Miller, etc.) beer?"
"How long have you been on staff here?"
"Do you drive an American car?"
"Have you ever been to California (or New York or Duluth)?"

The way I work the "third question" (if it gets that far) is to pay attention and use something he/she gave me.  For example:
"See this dollar? It's not part of your tip.  But it's yours if I have correctly guessed your answer to a question."
"OK."
"Have you ever been to New York?"
"No.  But I was born in Philly."
"I guessed Yes.  I'll have another question later."


"Have you ever worked on a political campaign?"
"I helped get my cousin elected to city council. Does that count?"
"Unfortunately, yes.  I guessed No."
most people>
"Were you born in Philly?"
"Yes."
"Here you go..."

I've never had anybody hesitate to take the dollar, and I've had it lead to some interesting conversations.

I'm thinking of upping the amount to a crisp new $2 bill.

Waitstaff are often overworked, underpaid, and subject to occasional abuse.  I thought it would be a way to brighten someone's day, and give them something to talk about.

What got me started was thinking about PJay's late uncle.  Here's a part of his story:

He would carefully write out the waiter's name in some fancy fonts on a 3x5 card, and then give it to them.  Most of the time, this got a courteous "Thank you," but once in a while it would cause something really dramatic to happen.

For example, when he and PJay's aunt got married, they came home from their honeymoon with five bottles of wine - every one given to them by a different waitress who deeply appreciated the gesture.

Shortly before he died (about 5 years ago), they left a restaurant where he had left one of his cards, then they heard a shriek.  The waitress came running out and kept hollering "Wait! Wait!"

Thinking he had possibly underpaid the bill, they headed back towards the waitress.  She was clutching the card.

"Please come back in, there is something I must show you!"  

They were led to the back of the restaurant, and there on a bulletin board was one of his cards.  There was a note with it saying "If you ever find the man who left this for me, please call me.  He gave this to me at a terrible time in my life, and I want to thank him."

It had been there for over 25 years, waiting for the day that he returned.

Austin

[Kelly]

Shortly before he died (about 5 years ago), they left a restaurant where he had left one of his cards, then they heard a shriek.  The waitress came running out and kept hollering "Wait! Wait!"

Thinking he had possibly underpaid the bill, they headed back towards the waitress.  She was clutching the card.

"Please come back in, there is something I must show you!"  

They were led to the back of the restaurant, and there on a bulletin board was one of his cards.  There was a note with it saying "If you ever find the man who left this for me, please call me.  He gave this to me at a terrible time in my life, and I want to thank him."

It had been there for over 25 years, waiting for the day that he returned.

Austin

Awesome story, AB.  You never know what kind of an impact you are going to have on someone else's life.

I don't do anything like that ~ I'm not much for small talk with people I don't know!  I do know someone who used to leave all tips with $2 bills (sometimes multiple $2 bills) ... it was something memorable to leave behind.

I helped a woman find her son's obituary in an out-of-state paper once.  He had died in MN and she placed an obit in a CT paper and wanted to make sure it was there.  As I was looking for the obit, I kept thinking the name sounded familiar and finally I asked her if he went to the same high school as I did.  Yep.  Turns out he was a classmate and had died homeless on the streets of St Paul.  We talked a little bit and I told her what I remembered about her son.  She gave me a big hug and thanked me when she left.  It amazes me that with so many other people the could have helped her that day ~ it was me that had the privilege.

Didn't mean to highjack .... back to AB's topic.

[oreo57]

I've never written a short story or saga, But that was great!! NEED to try that some time.