Those who follow this blog regularly know that occasionally I engage in a self-indulgent rant about service and its decline.  Today is one of those days, so be forewarned.

This last weekend my wife and I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days at one of America's premier classical music festivals (which shall remain nameless).  Friday night, before one of the concerts we went to The Grille to get a couple of Reuben melts (this is not health food, folks!) and a bottle of spring water.  When we sat down, we realized we hadn't gotten cups for the water, but since were very close to the wine/beer concession, I thought to step over there and beg a couple of cups, which I did.

Imagine my surprise when the woman behind the bar told me that it was "against the rules" to give cups away, but if I gave her a tip, she would do it.  So I gave her a tip: "Buy low, sell high."  She was not amused.  She said "Not that kind of tip, money! They didn't sell a lot of tickets for tonight's concert, so I need the money."  I was stunned.  I had never before encountered such an attitude in nearly ten years of attending this festival.  Almost all the other waiters, waitresses, bartenders, clerks, etc., here are young people, mostly teenagers, who almost without exception are pleasant, smiling and helpful, whether bartending or directing car parking.  This old bat was clearly out her element, which I won't speculate on, but some things do come to my mind, how about yours?

I put a tip in the tip cup, and took my two cups. Aside from her pretty much rude and crude attitude, I was intrigued by her reluctance to break "the rules," but willingness to sell her employer's goods for her own gain.  I believe that constitutes employee theft.  Don't break the rules, but the law is different.

Rant concluded.