Monday, August 9, 2010

Demanding Love

I gaze at the vast menu up on the wall. I am trying to decide if I want American or Mexican, lunch or breakfast and if I want to eat healthy or eat crappy. As I am second in line I know I have to decide quickly. While narrowing the multitude of choices down to a few, I can't help but notice that one of the two women ordering their meal at the register in front of me is holding her work ID out in front of her, in the face of the girl behind the register.

At first, I am not quite sure what she is doing. I edge a little closer and see that the ID is from the county and I assume these women work at the welfare office located a few blocks away. As I watch the women, the one holding her ID moves it closer to the face of the restaurant employee and the second one clearly states "we get the government discount".

Are you kidding me? I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. These two county workers who have a good gubbamint job with bennies and a retirement are demanding a discount from a woman who makes nine bucks an hour. This in a restaurant in a community where 11 percent of the population is unemployed. The gall of these two broads floored me. 

I almost said something, but decided against it. Their brazen insistence that they get a discount told me that they wouldn't take to kindly to criticism. All I need right now is someone calling the District Commander, bitching me off.

I am not above getting a discount for a meal. Some places offer it, some don't. I don't let discounts determine where I eat either.My rule is NEVER ask for it, NEVER expect it. Always have the cash to pay full boat or order something cheaper. Most guys I know follow this practice and it works well. My crew knows how I feel about this issue and agree with my position.

It's demanding behavior like this that will cause a restaurant to stop offering "love" to the rest of us. Who can blame them? We eat at this place a lot. They have good food at a good price and the menu is big enough that everybody on the crew can find something to their liking. We will continue to eat here, whether they show us love or not.

At least now if they stop showing love, I know who to blame.

*****
The picture below is unrelated to this post, I thought I'd post it anyway. There were a few better ones, but the damn power lines were in the way and I couldn't work around them.



Thanks for reading,
Schmoe

6 comments:

  1. Heck, by paying taxes, and thus the salaries of those badged people, the restaurant is already giving a "government discount".

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  2. Amen to that. In the county that I work in, quite a few of the places that used to give discounts to EMS workers don't anymore, and I believe that kind of attitude, the ''I deserve it" attitude has lead to the revocation of said discounts. (Especially when the diner in question is off-duty.) I have always been of the same mindset as you; never expect a discount, and when it does happen, always, ALWAYS be sure to thank the employee/manager for doing something that they did not have to do.

    Great post, be safe.

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  3. great rule cap. It is people like those two ladies who have ruined it for the rest of us that follow the rules of NEVER ask, NEVER expect.

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  4. Before my time, they had a chicken place next to one of the stations that would give the guys free food once in a while. That ended after a guy went there on his off day and demanded enough chicken for his family reunion.

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  5. Excellent post. I agree with you 100%.

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  6. Since it's California I won't assume, however if it was here I could tell you how old and what ethnicity they were without even being there.

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