Tonight's (Friday, August 20, 2010) episode of ABC-TV's "What Would You Do" featured a segment where young child actors stood on a sidewalk looking lost, crying, and asking for help from passersby, to see how many people would actually stop and help. Through two days of filming, over 1700 people passed by the children. 47 actually came shining through. People, we can do so much better.
Yesterday, back at The Plaza where I work, there was a customer, who, along with her husband, were extremely, shall we say, "high-maintenance", a not-uncommon occurrence at the coffee paradise-type concept where I labor. Mr. and Mrs. Greatheart ordered a few drinks and pastries between them over the course of some 20-30 minutes, all of which had to be meticulously prepared, handled, and packaged, as well as several glasses of ice water. Before leaving, Mrs. G ordered yet another item, and yet another glass of water for the road. After all this, the good woman presented me with the princely sum of 85 cents, this being the change from our final transaction. I politely refused, explaining our company's policy against accepting tips. Mrs. G responded something along the lines of, "Gee, what a shame!" and evidently feeling she must leave me something, chose to deposit her straw paper for me to have for my very own!
People, the God's honest here: Offer me a choice between $50, nay, $100 a day in tips vs. people cleaning up their own messes; saying please and thank you; actually standing there to receive your "Positive Parting Phrase", as opposed to walking away while you're in the middle of it; managing to stay off their cell phones from the time they approach to order till they receive their order; actually handing me their money, rather than laying or even tossing it down in front of me; throwing away their own straw papers, receipts, etc.; learning to wait patiently when we're busy; being understanding that, not being a corporate store, we cannot offer them the benefits their accustomed stores do; and finally, realizing that credit card/gift card protobase malfunctions are a fact of life, and much more difficult and annoying for us than for them; which do ya think I'm gonna take? Hint: It ain't the $. People have forgotten how to be gracious these days.
Oh, yeah, and to mention mere trifles: Must we drop repeated conversational F-bombs, sexually harass, or tell our server all our problems on our first meeting? I'm already aware that I have "pretty titties". I spend the $20 each for the bras to house them!! Some of you must be a hoot at cocktail parties.
BTW, I don't mind showing customers where the bathrooms and ATMs are, or offering help with directions, but answering the following questions, which I swear to God, have been directed to me in my 13 years at The Plaza, all but defy my considerable abilities to answer with a straight face:
1. What kind of meat is on a Beef and Cheddar?
2. How many Chicken Fingers in a 4-pack?
3. Is there bacon in a Turkey, Ranch and Bacon?
4. What kind of fruit is in an Apple Turnover?
5. What is a Frappuccino? (It's like a milkshake, sir/ma'am, I reply). Is it cold?
6. What's the difference between a coffee-based Frappuccino and a creme-based one?
7. (And my favorite, from yesterday, 8/19/10): Is your shaken iced tea cold?
These people, for the most part, probably have children, jobs that most likely pay them better and give them mo betta respect and societal status than mine does, and they are driving on the turnpike, for God's sake!
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Good vibes to all of you --
(especially the travelers),
Claudia
