Why New Yorkers Should Always Be Considerate of their Servers
I'm not a hero.
I hear your protests to the contrary but it is true. I don't have a cape and I look terrible in tights. I have no utility belt and if I am hanging out in a cave, please call the police because it isn't by choice. No, I am not a hero but I know well enough to be kind to people.
I live my life under the mission to understand that everyone has their own stuff to deal with. I strive to be sure not to leave those who have/choose to interact with me in a worse place than before they encountered me. This is especially true of those in the service industry. As I am placed at their table in the place I have chosen to eat, I am always of the mind that just because they serve me, doesn't mean they like me.
I recently went to Destiny USA in Syracuse to meet up with a friend. After mallratting for a bit, we decided it was time to grab a bite. Looking at our many choices, we decided to hit a restaurant which did not have a line to get in. I'm not much for waiting for the privilege of eating when there are options.
It wasn't long after we were sat at our table that our waitress took our drink order. You could just see it on her face that it had been a long day/week. I made my drink order (Coke and a Water always) and it arrived quickly. My friend's took a little longer and our server apologized to us and then seemingly braced for a wrath that never came. We joked about it and that was that.
Eventually the drink and the food arrived and was consumed in due time. The check was delivered and we were told there was no rush. I made an off hand joke about getting out of their hair and quickly we were told that we could stay as long as we'd like. We were the kind of customers she genuinely enjoyed. We were kind and considerate and had fun with her. She explained that this was the end of a long work week with two jobs and she was happy to wait on us as we treated her with respect.
We spent some time getting to know each other and it only enhanced our experience and my hope is that it made her night easier.
As we all are navigating new ways of making ends meet and balancing our work and life, it is a great reminder to be good to people. No one is wanting us to not enjoy our meal or experience. Even if things do not go according to plan, we can all treat each other with kindness and remember that everyone is at the end of a long stretch of something.
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