If you've ever worked as a waiter, you know that
customers can be annoying. Sometimes they're rude. Sometimes they're picky eaters. Sometimes they make a huge mess. But the most annoying thing is when the customers don't tip, or leave a ridiculously small tip. Here you are, making minimum wage, and providing superlative service, and these cheapskates can't be bothered to tip the customary 16-20%. It is the worst. (But on the upside, if they come back, you can always spit in their food!)
One waiter at a restaurant in Los Angeles had a particularly frustrating experience after serving a group of 13-year-old girls. They were dining out on their own for the first time, and after they finished their meal, they thanked him over and over again for his service. However, the bill was close to $100, and they only tipped him $3.82. That makes the tip less than four percent, which is pretty pathetic. Come on, teenage girls. You can afford to buy
Selena Gomez albums and fidget spinners and glitter slimes, but you can't tip? That's like, totally not lit.
However, the next day, the waiter received an unexpected surprise: a handwritten letter in blue marker from the teenage girls:
"Dear Mr. Waiter,
About a week and a half ago, on October 7, my 3 friends and I came to eat at this restaurant as our own homecoming celebration. It was an exciting experience for us to be here alone, and it was all new to us. And you were the best waiter we could ask for. You were kind, helpful, accommodating, didn't treat us like babies, and were even able to fit the food to all my allergies! So I wanted to say thank you for making our "grown up" experience so amazing and fun.
I would also like to say sorry on behalf of my group. Since we were new to all of this, our 13-year-old minds didn't exactly know how to do the bill. You were super helpful in dividing the check up and taking our not-so-preferable cash. The bill was reasonable, but we had completely forgotten (and frankly didn't know) what a tip even was, let alone how much to give. So we emptied our pocked and all our money added up to $3.28.
"Not aware of how small this really was, we left, clueless of what we had left you for all your hard work. Later, we realized our mistake and felt HORRIBLE. We knew we had to make it right. SO in this envelope you will find the correct 18% tip + extra for simply being amazing. We appreciate your help and patience, and thank you for making our night fun. Thank you!
- the 4 teenagers from that night"
In the letter - which adorably begins "Dear Mr. Waiter" - the teenage girls thank the waiter again for his service, and explain that when they left that measly tip, they weren't being malicious. They just didn't understand how tipping worked. After paying the bill, they emptied their pockets, and their leftover money only added up to $3.82. When they left the restaurant, they realized they made a mistake, and felt "HORRIBLE." So they decided to give him the letter, with an 18% tip included plus a little extra "simply for being amazing." Isn't that great? (Also, now if the teenager girls come back to eat there, the waiter won't spit in their food!)
The waiter shared this story on Imgur, and said he was blown away from the girls' gracious letter. "[There's] nothing more frustrating than when I get little to nothing for a tip and the customer is smiling and thanking me profusely as they exit," wrote the waiter. "These kids came back another day and left me this for me at the front desk, with $18 and some change. I've been serving a long time, and nothing like this has ever happened to me, or anyone. I don't know you learned or educated yourself on tipping, but I really appreciate the effort and kindness. I hope your Homecoming was fantastic!"
Photos of the letter went viral, getting tons of upvotes and positive comments. "Someone's parents are doing a good job," wrote LtKernalPopcorn. "What a wonderful letter!" wrote Primotimewaster. "I really liked the fact they numbered the pages. Still smiling. Thanks for sharing." "That's a beautifully composed letter for a 13-year-old. In my experience, a lot of adults can't write as well as this." Those are all great points. These girls seem pretty mature for their age. Maybe
teenagers aren't so bad after all. (At the ones not doing the "Tide pod challenge.")
In the United States, the minimum wage for employees that stand to make money on tips is just $2.16 an hour. So, the next time you eat at a restaurant,
remember to leave a good tip, like these teenage girls. While some customers are annoying, others are awesome.
