Kevintsheehy wrote:

> I don't know. I tend to think the latter. It printed out on the tab like
> it had been programmed into those computer type thingys they use
> in restaurants. (Do they have a name by the way - other than "com-
> puter type thingys"? - hate to betray my ignorance of restaurant nomenclature)

I call the thingies a "register" and the thingies that take money a
"cash register." I have no idea if that's the official name.


>He asked the bartender whether he charged more for an up than
> an over. Bartender said "no". We left it
> that he didn't know about this and moved on to other topics. All I know
> is that shortly after that (a month or two, say) the up charge went
> away.


You've convinced me it was something that management tried for a while,
then abandoned. It brings me back to thinking about the waiter. I can
see now that he might have been torn. What's a waiter to do when he
wants to keep his job, wants to do a good job, and thinks the management
is making a huge error? The waiter could have been convinced that there
really was more alcohol in the up drink, but let's not consider that for
a moment. Let's say the waiter knew there was no more alcohol, knew
management was making a mistake for charging extra for the up drink and
was at a loss for what to say.


There's still no excuse for being surly, but I do wonder what would have
been a better explanation. I would have been equally dissatisfied with
"Look, I don't know; that's the way it rang up on the register." Or:
"I just work here." Or: I think this is the silliest thing I've ever
heard, but they're charging more for up drinks." Or: "Don't blame me;
take it up with management."


Those all sound pretty bad.


--Lia