SADIE NINE: My waitress mum’s tip to me...never be rude to those who serve food

Mind you, she was a brilliant – and feisty – waitress.

She started her waitressing career at the Lloyds of London Club where she’d lied and said she’d waited before to get the job.

All she’d actually done was to hand over sandwiches at the Lyons Tea House in London. She was soon rumbled when, as she attempted to serve peas using “silver service”, she dropped them and then delved into the gentleman’s lap with her spoons to retrieve them. Mmmm.

However, they liked this cheeky, young, cockney girl, so taught her the art of waitressing and she went on to become manageress at the Dorchester Hotel. The stories of her career are numerous and humorous. “Never be rude to those who serve food” she taught us girls from a very early age – a saying I have never forgotten or betrayed.

I remember her telling us once that one the residents of the hotel was making her staff cry by being rude and complaining that nothing was hot enough. He sent everything back, shouting at the staff, even spat the food back onto the plate. So, Mum stepped in – “I’ll serve him” – scary words.

She assured him everything would be nice and hot for him. She then put his cup and saucer, tea pot and milk jug, knife and fork and plate under the grill! We call Mum “asbestos fingers” as she can serve hot plates without a thought, so, she laid his place for him easily.

The staff then watched in merriment as he tried – without success – to pour a cup of tea or pick up his cutlery. He never complained in a rude way again.

She was working at the Tower of London through the London Exhibition in the Fifties and had served an American party for the whole of lunch. Her boss had assured her Americans were generous tippers so she would be well looked after. But no, they just up and left without a penny left for her. So, what did Mum do? She ran after them and said to the leader “I think you forgot something – me”.

The tip was well worth the chase.

We were also taught never snap your fingers to get attention. A man kept clicking his fingers at Mum once, she served everyone around the man but ignored him.

When he finally caught her she calmly said “Oh, I am sorry, I thought you were calling your dog.”

The stories she told us of what happened to rude people’s food was an eye-opener. If you’re not happy with your meal ask for it to be changed politely – or don’t eat! Simples.

She hated sharing tips – and wouldn’t do it. She worked incredibly hard and made all her customers feel special.

Nothing was too much trouble and she would literally run getting people served, tables cleared and reset so she did not see why she should share her hard earned tips with someone who spent their time chatting in the kitchens. And she didn’t.

I always ask the waiter or waitress if they will get the tip if I include it when paying by card. If they don’t then I give it to them in cash. Because the staff can make a big difference to your meal and certainly did when I took my Mum for a meal recently.

She regaled them with some of her “waiting” stories and they were so kind and made us feel “special”.

So, I made sure we left a good tip for them, well, with Mum in tow I couldn’t have done anything else or she’d have had ‘words’ with me.

Scary.

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