‘You should have waited’: Server gracefully leaves customer's table a note explaining card was declined, returns only to face a service dispute

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Feb 27, 2024 7:00 PM EST

One customer was absolutely livid when his server did him a 'graceful favor' when his card was declined. The situation evoked quite a discussion on Reddit, where people either completely agreed with the original poster (OP), or totally disagreed and thought that they were in the wrong. So what happened? Well, a very rude customer showed up to eat at OP's workplace, and after serving them, OP came to give them the check. Unfortunately, their card was declined. OP didn't want to embarrass the customer, so they came back with a note that read 'Your card was declined', and then went off to other tables. When OP came back, the customer did not appreciate the note, not one bit. Instead, he began arguing with OP and told them, 'You just had to make me sit here waiting for you, right?'. Scroll down to read OP's sassy reply, the outcome, and the comments. All I can say is… yikes.

Then, here is a technician who got back at his company after his boss gave him a promotion without a raise. Let's just say that he found a way to get 'the raise he deserved'.

Advertisement
  • 01
    J "You just had to make me sit here waiting for you, right?"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Card Declined
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 03
    Had this couple tonight - woman was nice but quiet, said little, ordered nothing; man had terrible energy, palpable as soon as I approached the table. He ordered a steak entree and had two beers; every time he was required to engage with me, he acted as if he was being forced at g' int. I'm generally good at being able to get ppl back on track when they arrive in a bad mood, and I completely ignore poor attitudes until they
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 04
    realize it's getting them nowhere. I also understand that the majority of the time, their behavior has nothing to do with me. By the end of the night, I thought he had chilled out. He still wasn't friendly, but he was neutral, which is better than where he started. He gave me his card to close out, and it declined. I never vocalize this to a guest, I simply write "card is not being accepted" on a piece of paper, slip it
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 05
    back in the book, and hand it back the same way I would if they'd paid. I did this with him, put the book on the table, and went about picking up the checks/cards at the nine other tables I had to also close out. This took about a little less than five minutes, but when I returned to the man's table he was LIVID. He wasn't quite yelling but his voice was a bit more than raised.
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 06
    Him: You couldn't just wait for me to hand you a new card? You had to throw the check down and run off? Me: I'm sorry, sir? (Asking because I was thrown off guard and wasn't sure I was understanding him)
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 07
    Him: I SAID you couldn't just wait for me to hand you a new card? You had to throw the check down and make me sit and wait for you to come back? Me: Sir, I didn't throw anything down, and I was trying to be respectful by not hovering by your table while you searched for another card — Him: - but you just had to make me sit here waiting for you, right?
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 08
    Me: Sir, I had other tables to close out as well, and I - Him: I JUST WANT TO PAY THE BILL! (as he thrusts a new card at me) Me: And you already would have if your card hadn't declined, but here we are.
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 09
    I absolutely knew I shouldn't have said that. I knew his anger was likely embarrassment at his card declining, but y'all, after 27 years in this industry, I'm reaching my limit with this kind of Si t. I usually would have let that dude and his shattitude roll right off me, but I'm finding it harder and harder to ignore ppl's bad behavior.
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 10
    Most customers are still nice, normal, grateful ppl, but the bad ones are worse than ever since the pa nic, and I'm really struggling to ignore it. I think it's time to plan my exit strategy from the industry. There was a few seconds during the interaction where I almost told him to go f himself and was ready to accept the consequences.
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 11
    ellasfella68 20 hr. ago He was going to be shy no matter what you did. Had you stood over him whilst he searched for another card, that would have riled him up. 373 Reply Share
    via u/ellasfella68
  • 12
    ElleCBrown OP - 20 hr. ago Oh, no doubt. He put three gigantic Xs on the tip line, and I thought it was hilarious. I wished I could've told him that contriving that whole lil drama in order to make a show of not tipping was unnecessary, because I knew from jump I was getting nothing from him. 217 ↓ Reply Share
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 13
    SolarisWesson - 20 hr. ago I really wish servers were able to throw barbs back at sty customers without getting written up or fired because the management would rather pleasure the customer than tell them they are wrong 92 Reply Share
    via u/SolarisWesson
  • 14
    JO FrostyIcePrincess - 14 hr. ago You actually went out of your way to find a way to let him know the card had declined privately so he could save face instead of doing it publicly and embarrassing him He then loudly announces to the whole restaurant that his card was declined and makes a huge scene. Kudos to OP for finding a graceful way to let him know his card was declined 32 Reply Share
    via u/FrostyIcePrincess
  • 15
    baxbooch 8 hr. ago Eh. I'd rather you wait and get a new one from me. Or let me explain that contactless is the only method that works with this card for some reason. (That's a real problem my card has. I need to get a new one.)
    via u/baxbooch
  • 16
    I'm not at all saying this customer was justified in how they acted. They sound like a miserable human being. But I'd be annoyed if they gave me a note and walked away. I'd never ever let them know I was annoyed though. Because I'm not a já 5 ↓ S. Reply Share
    via u/baxbooch
  • 17
    ElleCBrown OP. 7 hr. ago Serious question — a server placed a check book on your table w/a note indicating that another form of payment is required, that server leaves to close all of the other tables and returns less than 5 minutes later to collect your payment, and you'd be annoyed because you had to wait mere minutes? I'm seriously not trying to be rude or judgmental here, but I honestly can't understand how you or anyone in your position could be annoyed with anyone but yourself in this scen
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 18
    The fact that anyone would expect a server to stand there while you open the book, read the note, fumble for your wallet in a darkened room and search for a card makes no sense to me, particularly in my establishment where all tables close out at the same time. Having any negative feelings towards the server in this scenario makes no sense to me, considering the person with the declined card is the problem. 45↓ Reply Share
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 19
    baxbooch - 6 hr. ago Wait, are you blaming the person for their card being declined? Respectfully, yes, waiting needlessly is annoying. It's a minor annoyance but it is annoying. Skip the note. I see that it comes from a good place, but it's not worth the time to write or read. Just say "that one didn't work for some reason, do you have another?" I only think they're judging me for it when they make a big deal about apologizing for it. Treat it like the nbd that it is.
    via u/baxbooch
  • 20
    So I'm also not trying to be rude or judgemental but I am completely at a loss at why I should be annoyed with myself if my card is declined? Do you think I have control over that? -3 Reply Share
    via u/baxbooch
  • 21
    foxglove0326 5 hr. ago lol yea the cardholder is responsible for ensuring that payment goes through at a restaurant. Yes, that's on the customer whether it's an issue with the card or insufficient funds. Why would anyone else be at fault here? Reply Share
    via u/foxglove0326
  • 22
    Portraits_Grey · 21 hr. ago Just like the middle class disappearing it feels the same with clientele quality like it's either super cool guests or batshit crazy no in between. F ng rude as s t for him to do. I am super done with people acting like they're only ones in the restaurant being taken care of it's super selfish. You could've waited but if you are juggling 10 + tables it's tough to wait around. It's just crazy to me that people go to restaurants without having payment prepped Reply Shar
    via u/Portraits_Grey
  • 23
    ElleCBrown OP- 21 hr. ago Having a card decline can be embarrassing. It's not like back in the day when if your card declined it meant you were broke lol. Nowadays, a card can decline for a multitude of reasons, but for many ppl there's still a stigma. I don't want anyone to ever feel like I'm judging them or that I'm assuming they can't pay, which is the main reason why I don't wait around for them to produce another form of payment. They're an adult and it's 2024; most ppl have multiple forms
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 24
    Which is why it was so dumb for him to get that mad that I didn't stand there waiting for him to dig out his wallet again. So you want to be treated like you're gonna run out the door as soon as I turn my back? You're used to servers waiting for you to give them another card? Does your card get declined a lot, my guy? 37 Reply Share
    via u/ElleCBrown
  • 25
    ponziacs 17 hr. ago · edited 17 hr. ago I'm not excusing his behavior at all and am sorry you had to deal with it but I waited tables for over a decade and have never heard of a server handing a note to a customer telling them that their card was declined. I would usually just apologize to them that we weren't able to process the card and let them hand me another card or cash at the spot. edit: I read your other reply and if they are fumbling around looking for a payment I would just tell them I
    via u/ponziacs
  • 26
    ElleCBrown OP- 10 hr. ago I've been doing it this way for two decades and this is the first time I've ever had a guest take issue. Ever. As a matter of fact, I often have ppl thank me for handling the situation that way, particularly if they're in a larger group. I currently work at a music supper club, and it's also easier and more professional (imo) to handle it this way instead of loudly asking "do you have another form of payment!" over an entire band playing at top volume.
    via u/ElleCBrown

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

management customer service the bill credit card server workplace stories reddit customers note tables restaurant work discussion card declined payment tales from your server check
Scroll Down For The Next Article