We have ways to make you tip… Now I realize that tipping is a completely voluntary choice; however, there are those people who bring out the frustration in bartenders. Last night was one of those instances. We have had one customer, Potty John; I will call him who has been coming into the bar randomly over the last year and a half or so. Most evenings, he comes into the bar, goes to the bathroom and then leaves. I don’t know why he just doesn’t go home. On last New Years Day, he came into the bar, went to the bathroom and then asked my wife to pop him a bowl of popcorn. She complied with his request and then came back to him and asked what he would like to drink. He stated that he had decided to go on the wagon and would not be drinking. At this she blurted out “What the hell are you doing in a bar if you don’t want to drink.” He just wanted popcorn; she suggested that he go to the movies.

Anyway, last night he came into the bar at about 10 PM. He immediately went to the bathroom, as his procedure and then he sat down at the bar and actually ordered a drink which amazed the customer seated next to him. He was busily complaining to the bartender and the customer about how his ex-wife was bleeding him dry financially. I went out on the patio to visit with other customers that did not want to listen to him either. All he usually does is complain and expect the bartenders to listen to him attentively. After complaining for a while, still not having taken a sip of his drink, he paid his tab and then asked the bartender for change for a dollar. She knew instantly what was coming. After breaking the dollar into quarters he slid fifty cents across the bar as if he had to. Tracy, the bartender suggested that he keep the fifty cents as he probably needed it more than she did. You don’t fuck with Tracy, she can be very sweet but she won’t let herself be taken advantage of. She pointed out that he hardly ever actually drank at the bar and even less frequently tipped and it wasn’t worth it. He became enraged and walked out onto the patio where I was seated and totally unaware of the situation inside. He proceeded to pour his entire drink onto the ground between my feet and then told me rather tersely “I just wasted $5.50 at your damn bar and I will never return, you Son of a Bitch!” At this I chuckled at his behavior and told him to have a great day. I can only hope he keeps his promise. Normally all of my bartenders are used to poor tips and they are balanced out by the good tippers, but sometimes enough is enough. Tracy almost immediately came onto the patio and apologized to me for costing me a customer. I could only thank her for accomplishing what my wife was unable to do nine months ago. Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a business is to lose the right customers.