We all love complimentary food or discounts when we are regular to a store. However, that’s not the case. Not all are ok with this. Read the story to know what happened when a group went to a small pizza eatery and do you think this woman over reacted?
Source: Reddit
I 31F am a member of a group that convenes monthly to discuss current events. After our last meeting, someone suggested getting pizza. One of our members lit up and said they knew a great place to get pizza, a small independent pizzeria. I’m all about supporting small businesses, so I agreed.
When we arrived, the manager was very off. He greeted my fellow group member very enthusiastically. He called her something in Italian that sounded weirdly intimate. He led us to a table and then handed out menus.
We ordered without issue, even though his vibes were very unsettling. After he left, I asked the group member who recommended the place if they knew him personally, and they said no. They said they just went to the pizzeria a lot and was friendly with the manager.
Before our pizzas arrived, he brought us an order of garlic knots. None of us ordered any garlic knots, and I tried to correct his mistake. He said that they were complimentary as a thanks for choosing his establishment. I thought this was very presumptuous.
After he left, I mentioned to the table that I thought it inappropriate to serve food no one ordered, because someone might be allergic. The group member said the knots were made from the same type of dough as the pizzas we all ordered, so there was no way anyone was allergic. Still, I didn’t have any.
After our pizzas arrived, we ate without issue. The problem was when the bill arrived. No one was charged for their drinks, even though prices are listed on the menu. I pointed this out to the manager, to the annoyance of the group.
He said it was a perk of being a regular. I said that I wasn’t a regular, and he said he hoped I would decide to become one after today. At that point I’d had enough. I said his behavior was creepy and asked for my bill to be fixed. He looked upset, but he took the bill.
The other members of the group got annoyed with me. The one who had recommended the pizzeria was visibly angry, saying that I embarrassed them and potentially ruined the awesome discounts they get.
I said that I felt uncomfortable with his overly familiar behavior and that the free food felt like a power play, a way to feel as though he had authority over us. They rolled their eyes and said I was ridiculous. They then got up to go talk to the manager.
They came back, slammed my new bill on the table and then stormed out. I paid in cash and left quickly as well, as I felt uncomfortable. I’ve been thinking over the situation and can’t think of anything I did wrong, but some of the other group members I texted said I went way overboard. Did I?
