Have you ever had the experience of working in a restaurant? It is HARD work. Whether you are right there serving the customers or back in the kitchen washing dishes, it can be extremely stressful. I had a wonderful 12 years in a steak and seafood place in San Diego, memories are still vivid of two-hour waits, enormous pressure, and learning what teamwork is all about. When you are out to eat here in Bismarck/Mandan, take a second to look around you, and watch how people of all ages react in that line of work. It's easy to get upset if you are having awful service, unfortunately, some managers are not trained well enough in the customer service department. I have heard a trillion restaurant nightmare stories, none as horrendous as this one - 21-year-old Emily Bauer, just two weeks into her waitress job at Red Hook Seafood and Bar in San Antonio, came across a man seated in her section. As busy as she was, an apology was issued from her to him, for "Being slow". He completely understood, telling her that he knows what it's like, having had been in that line of work for a long time. He tells her to cancel his order, and give him his ticket.

What happened next is equal to every amazing feel-good story - He left her a $2,000 tip, with a note included that read “Merry Christmas! Keep working hard!” The man left before she could thank him. Here is the SCROOGE part - The manager, having heard what happened, had this to say to Emily '‘Rule No. 1. Never accept a tip like that because you’re never going to get it,'” The New York Post reports that Emily was told, "The restaurant told her that they can’t process a tip larger than $500". Another server tried to come to her rescue and suggested that they then divide her tip into four separate tips of $500 each - makes perfect sense doesn't it?

 DENIED.

 It is unclear why the restaurant couldn’t process $500 of the $2,000 tip to give to Bauer, in line with its limits. 

Emily was then told that they didn't have any more info on the generous stranger, so her attempt to just say "Thank you" was halted. A single mother with two kids, working minimum wage ( I doubt it, most places the servers aren't even getting paid that ) - depend on tips to get by. To me, it's an obvious slam-dunk of laziness on the restaurant to BLOCK her from getting what she deserved - The man called right after he left, asked the manager if she had received his tip, and was promptly told that "They couldn't process it" -  His question was "Why not? I have the money in my account"

Bottom line - This Red Hook Rip Off Joint played God with someone working hard  -  I am hoping that all the press gathered by this incident will weigh heavy on this place, and that Emily Bauer will get what's rightfully hers. For more on this story click here.

 

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