“I once went to Red Lobster with my girlfriend.
During the week, this establishment shuts at 11 p.m., however the door is locked at 10 p.m. A cop stands guard by the door to ensure that no one enters, but anyone can exit.
I had forgotten about the early lockup time.
So, at approximately 10:15 p.m., I got a crucial phone call, just as our supper arrived at the table. In the frigid New York winter, I got up from the table and carried it outside. As I was doing this, a large number of individuals were leaving.
Because people were speaking with the cop and blocking the sign as I walked out, coatless and on my phone, I couldn’t see the sign that said ‘No re-entry past 10’.
I went back in after finishing the call. Oh, no, I didn’t say that. The door was locked, and the cop informed me that I would not be able to re-enter. I informed him that I was stuffed and that his friends were obscuring the sign. He was a complete jerk.
So I contacted my girlfriend, slipped my card through the opening in the door to pay for the dinner, and threatened to break up with her if she didn’t leave a tip. After learning what had transpired, the server was unwilling to try to bring me back inside. She told my girlfriend that I shouldn’t have answered the phone outside.
That night, I called Red Lobster and wanted a refund, and of course, due to the poor service and the wrecked night, I demanded around $20 more than my bill.
I received a handful of gift certificates in the mail about three weeks later. I’m never going back to the Red Lobster. They were spent at a MUCH superior Red Lobster, where our service was outstanding. “I gave a 20% tip.”