This story originally appeared at American Web Media.
A waiter has shared a story of a bad experience turned good after he served a group of teens as they were headed to their homecoming dance.
The waiter remembered his own high school days and how exciting it was to go to a homecoming dance, so he made sure the teens had a pleasant experience at the restaurant. After serving the group of teens, the waiter was disappointed to see the gratuity left behind; they had only left him a tip of $3.28.
Servers in America often rely on their tips to supplement a low salary. While many may argue that it’s the restaurant’s responsibility to pay their servers more money, and not put the burden of filling that monetary gap on restaurant patrons, this practice still remains the norm in many American cities. Servers will pick up extra shifts or work at least a second job in order to make ends meet.
The waiter assumed the group of teens to be ungrateful and was frustrated that the work he put into making their night special went unnoticed. Or so he assumed.
Several days later, the slight was forgotten but he was surprised to receive a letter from the teens.
“About a week and a half ago, on October 7, my three friends and I came to eat at this restaurant as our own homecoming celebration. It was an exciting experience for us to be here alone, and it was all new to us. And you were the best waiter we could ask for. You were kind, helpful, accommodating, didn’t treat us like babies, and were even able to fit the food to all my allergies! So I wanted to say thank you for making our ‘grown-up’ experience so amazing and fun.
“I would also like to say sorry on behalf of my group. Since we were new to all of this, our 13-year-old minds didn’t exactly know how to deal with the bill. You were super helpful in dividing the check up and taking out not-so-preferable cash. The bill was reasonable, but we had completely forgotten (and frankly didn’t know) what a tip even was, let alone how much to give. So we emptied our pockets, and all our money added up to $3.28.
“Not aware of how small this really was, we left, clueless of what we had left you for all your hard work. Later, we realized our mistake and felt horrible. We knew we had to make it right.
“So in this envelope, you will find the correct 18% tip + extra for simply being amazing. We appreciate your help and patience and thank you for making our night fun. Thank you!”
Not only did these teens admit their mistake, but they also made it right, surprising the waiter and showing gratitude that went beyond just leaving a tip.
What do you think about this apology?