Desdinova
Master Don Juan
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2004
- Messages
- 11,638
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I found this fukkin funny! I pulled it from someone's blog. It just goes to prove that the strong survive by feeding off the weak. These are the people you can't help but shake your head at.
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The club we went to was fairly upscale: all neat and prim inside, had a dress code and everyone who was there looked like they made fifty-plus grand a year. Amazing what clothing could do to one’s perceptions.
As it is with me, Coke flows through me quicker than water through a funnel and I’m always heading to the bathroom no longer than ten minutes after I’ve finished drinking it. So I go to the bathroom shortly after my first rum and Coke and a gentleman is standing there by the door. At first I thought he was just another guy needing to use the facilities but since he was the only one there, standing with his back to the sink, I realized he was a Maitre’De. For those who don’t know, a Maitre’De is someone who “assists” you in the bathroom (and, no, not like that).
Once I was finished, I went to the sink. The Maitre’De squirted hand soap on my hands and turned the water on for me. I washed up and he handed me a paper towel. I thanked him and went on my way.
Well, when at a nightclub, you can’t just have one drink and not put anything else to your lips all night so I had a few more ****tails (my friend was buying for everyone all night). As usual, I found myself needing to use the bathroom again. I went down and went through the same routine with the Maitre’De. Less than an hour later, I was doing the same thing all over again. This time, after he had handed me the paper towel, he pointed to a silver tray with suckers and gum lying on top.
“There’s some food here,” he said.
Here we go. “Okay,” I said. “How much?”
He shrugged.
“Okay, well, um, how much?” I asked again.
“Whatever you want.”
I glanced back at the tray and spotted a nice yellow sucker.
Okay, I thought. The guy’s provided me great service the other times I was in here. I should get something. Then the other side of my brain added: You’re on a budget and you can’t really afford to even be here tonight never mind buying yourself some candy. But, knowing the Maitre’De really wanted me to get something, I offered a dollar for the sucker. (Hey, they cost next to nothing at the store and though the guy did help me “clean up,” I never asked him to and I’m definitely not used to people assisting me in the bathroom.) The guy looked at me like I just turned blue.
“A dollar?” he said.
“It’s a sucker,” I said incredulously.
He didn’t say anything.
I padded my pockets, hoping I’d have a Loonie in there. I didn’t so I pulled out my wallet. Only having a couple of a tens, I asked him if he provided change.
“Change?” he asked.
“For my sucker.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I got change.”
“Okay,” I said and handed him a ten. “I’ll give you a dollar for the sucker.”
The Maitre’De took my ten and then just stood there, as if our business was done.
“My change,” I said firmly.
Reluctantly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. He only handed me a five. Once more he looked at me as if we were done.
I said, “I’m not paying five dollars for a sucker.”
With a roll of his eyes, he pulled some coins out of his pocket and began counting off loonies, obviously not impressed with me.
As I watched him count the coins, I said, “Look, give me three back and we’ll call it even. A dollar for the sucker, a dollar for your trouble.”
He gave me three dollars back, making the sucker cost me two.
I left the bathroom and told my friends how the guy seemed to want ten bucks for a sucker. Sure, it made for a few laughs but I held off going to the bathroom until the night was over and by that time the Maitre’De had gone.
I understand completely that these guys work off tips, but I’m also equally sure they get a base wage of some kind. Canada isn’t like the States where it’s “tips only” in some places. Some reading this may think I was cheap or rude. Others might agree with my stance. The point is, it wasn’t so much me not wanting to tip him or not wanting to get the sucker, it was the issue of the forced sale, the obligation to give funds when, frankly, this is the time of year when funds are hard to come by.
Though I think Maitre’Des are cool and add a nice classy touch, I also think establishments shouldn’t have them because it creates an awkward atmosphere where people, who know there’s a Maitre’De there, might not enter the place because going to the bathroom will cost them to do so.
Forced sales don’t work. It’s short term gain, but at what cost? A bad reputation, a reluctance on behalf of the customer for future business, an avoidance of the product by the customer...the list goes on and on. Treat your customers the same way you want to be treated and I guarantee you all will go well. Twist their arms and they’ll twist yours back by not doing business with you again.
======================================
The club we went to was fairly upscale: all neat and prim inside, had a dress code and everyone who was there looked like they made fifty-plus grand a year. Amazing what clothing could do to one’s perceptions.
As it is with me, Coke flows through me quicker than water through a funnel and I’m always heading to the bathroom no longer than ten minutes after I’ve finished drinking it. So I go to the bathroom shortly after my first rum and Coke and a gentleman is standing there by the door. At first I thought he was just another guy needing to use the facilities but since he was the only one there, standing with his back to the sink, I realized he was a Maitre’De. For those who don’t know, a Maitre’De is someone who “assists” you in the bathroom (and, no, not like that).
Once I was finished, I went to the sink. The Maitre’De squirted hand soap on my hands and turned the water on for me. I washed up and he handed me a paper towel. I thanked him and went on my way.
Well, when at a nightclub, you can’t just have one drink and not put anything else to your lips all night so I had a few more ****tails (my friend was buying for everyone all night). As usual, I found myself needing to use the bathroom again. I went down and went through the same routine with the Maitre’De. Less than an hour later, I was doing the same thing all over again. This time, after he had handed me the paper towel, he pointed to a silver tray with suckers and gum lying on top.
“There’s some food here,” he said.
Here we go. “Okay,” I said. “How much?”
He shrugged.
“Okay, well, um, how much?” I asked again.
“Whatever you want.”
I glanced back at the tray and spotted a nice yellow sucker.
Okay, I thought. The guy’s provided me great service the other times I was in here. I should get something. Then the other side of my brain added: You’re on a budget and you can’t really afford to even be here tonight never mind buying yourself some candy. But, knowing the Maitre’De really wanted me to get something, I offered a dollar for the sucker. (Hey, they cost next to nothing at the store and though the guy did help me “clean up,” I never asked him to and I’m definitely not used to people assisting me in the bathroom.) The guy looked at me like I just turned blue.
“A dollar?” he said.
“It’s a sucker,” I said incredulously.
He didn’t say anything.
I padded my pockets, hoping I’d have a Loonie in there. I didn’t so I pulled out my wallet. Only having a couple of a tens, I asked him if he provided change.
“Change?” he asked.
“For my sucker.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I got change.”
“Okay,” I said and handed him a ten. “I’ll give you a dollar for the sucker.”
The Maitre’De took my ten and then just stood there, as if our business was done.
“My change,” I said firmly.
Reluctantly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. He only handed me a five. Once more he looked at me as if we were done.
I said, “I’m not paying five dollars for a sucker.”
With a roll of his eyes, he pulled some coins out of his pocket and began counting off loonies, obviously not impressed with me.
As I watched him count the coins, I said, “Look, give me three back and we’ll call it even. A dollar for the sucker, a dollar for your trouble.”
He gave me three dollars back, making the sucker cost me two.
I left the bathroom and told my friends how the guy seemed to want ten bucks for a sucker. Sure, it made for a few laughs but I held off going to the bathroom until the night was over and by that time the Maitre’De had gone.
I understand completely that these guys work off tips, but I’m also equally sure they get a base wage of some kind. Canada isn’t like the States where it’s “tips only” in some places. Some reading this may think I was cheap or rude. Others might agree with my stance. The point is, it wasn’t so much me not wanting to tip him or not wanting to get the sucker, it was the issue of the forced sale, the obligation to give funds when, frankly, this is the time of year when funds are hard to come by.
Though I think Maitre’Des are cool and add a nice classy touch, I also think establishments shouldn’t have them because it creates an awkward atmosphere where people, who know there’s a Maitre’De there, might not enter the place because going to the bathroom will cost them to do so.
Forced sales don’t work. It’s short term gain, but at what cost? A bad reputation, a reluctance on behalf of the customer for future business, an avoidance of the product by the customer...the list goes on and on. Treat your customers the same way you want to be treated and I guarantee you all will go well. Twist their arms and they’ll twist yours back by not doing business with you again.
