BY JOHNNY KINCAID
Years ago, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to an upscale dinner at the Riverhouse downtown. The view was spectacular, the food was great, and the service was spot on. The meal was a real splurge and was barely affordable for our meager budget. When the bill came, I was so shocked at the total tab that I miscalculated the tip and accidentally gave the server a 50% tip. I have not been allowed to live that down.
Some people give impressively large tips to bless those who work hard to create a great dining experience. I recently became aware of a group of women that occasionally “tip the bill,” meaning that their tip will equal what their total bill was. That’s a very nice gesture, but some people take it even further than that.
Recently, a local couple gave their server at the Evansville Longhorn Steakhouse a $500 tip. They’re not wealthy people; in fact, they have friends who contribute to their tip challenge fund to make the big tips possible.
What if more people followed that example? Imagine how life-changing it could be for that server to receive a $50, $100, or $500 tip. I want to challenge you to set aside some cash (a cash gift from you is always better than a tip on a credit card) and ask some friends to contribute to the tip fund and bless a person who facilitated your dining experience.
Two other things to add to the challenge: First, write a note of encouragement to the server on the back of their copy of the receipt. I’ve watched servers gathering the entire restaurant staff to share the note. If you write a note, please accompany it with an appropriate tip.
The second step is to brag about the service to management. Tell the server that you want to talk to the manager. They’ll think that you are going to complain, instead you use that as an opportunity to heap praise on the employee. You’d be amazed at the power of a few kind words.
