We came, We saw, We kicked its ass!

So Jenn & I went out for dinner tonight, we ended up at Mimi’s Cafe. Across from us was this rather large group, mostly women with one man. They had clearly been there for awhile and already had their food. While we were sitting there chatting, a curious scene unfolded before us. The group began discussing their food and the strong possibility (they believed) of getting a sizable discount because the restaurant had run out of a particular item (asiago sauce, shock & horror!). The manager came over several times, trying to help where he could. In between these visits, the group discussed possible ways that they could squeeze more discounts out of the restaurant for the grave injustice that had taken place.

In the end the manager had given each person a 20% discount on their bill regardless of whether they had suffered damages due to the depletion of the asiago sauce (incidentally each person had a separate check, that would be roughly 15 separate checks). This was met with varying reactions from the group, a few commented that the discount should have been higher still thinking they get more of a discount, while a few noticed that gratuity had been added in automatically (it was a large group with separate checks), and one person saying that they planned to call the corporate office to register a formal complaint over the matter. One can only assume they’ll send her a lifetime supply of asiago sauce.

After begrudgingly paying their bills, the group filed out. The atmosphere of the restaurant returned to a pleasant environment. While Jenn finished her dessert & I sipped a cappuccino, I noticed the plates that remained on the large group’s table. Each entree had been polished off, luckily the tragic events of the evening had not affected the group’s appetite. We then paid our bill, making sure to give the waitress a generous tip to make up for groups such as this other one. She ended up running after us into the parking lot to thank us.

I’m left wondering, what compels people to act like this in public? Is it a point of personal pride? Does giving someone else grief at their job, some how give them a boost? Is there some underground group that travels the country, competing with others to try and get the more discounts out of a restaurant due to complaints? No doubt, constantly seeking the holy grail…the ultimate achievement…the free meal!