Mother Alleges Waitress Undermined Her Parenting Over Drink Orders, Sparks Debate on Restaurant Etiquette and Automatic Gratuity

A recent dining experience shared by a local mother, Jordyn Burdette, has sparked discussion about customer service ethics and automatic gratuity policies in restaurants. Burdette recounted her frustration with a waitress who persistently attempted to upsell drinks to her children, despite the mother's repeated statements that they would only be having water. According to Burdette, the incident began when the waitress, after taking drink orders for the adults, asked the children what they wanted. Burdette intervened, stating, "Oh, they're just going to have water." However, the waitress reportedly questioned her young son directly, asking, "You didn't say water, did you? What do you want to drink?" Burdette reiterated, "I don't know what he said, but we're going to drink water." The situation escalated after the meal. Burdette explained that she had ordered a more expensive steak for her children to share, rather than individual kids' meals, to ensure they ate well. As the family prepared to leave, the waitress approached again, remarking on how well the children ate and then directly asking them, "What do you all want to drink now?" This prompted Burdette's daughter to ask, "Mom, can we?" Burdette expressed her anger, stating, "I was pissed, because now this is like the third or fourth time you've undermined me to my kids about them drinking something here." She further explained her belief that the waitress's persistence was linked to the restaurant's automatic 18% gratuity, which she felt gave the server a sense of entitlement. "I can see why it irritates people because I do feel like maybe there's a possibility that she felt comfortable enough to keep going on and on and on about this because she knew she was getting her tip either way." Burdette clarified that she always tips generously but found the behavior unacceptable. The incident highlights the delicate balance between upselling and respecting customer boundaries, especially when children are involved.

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