Being a good Samaritan doesn’t always guarantee that you’ll be rewarded in some way.
That’s what one woman learned after pointing out to a server at an Austin restaurant that she had been charged less than she owed.
TikTok creator Lala (@lalainaustin), shocked by this experience at the Driskill Grill in Austin, decided to ask her followers if she had done the right thing. Her video has been viewed more than 4,459 times and has garnered nearly 150 comments.
What happened at this Austin restaurant?
Lala says she and her boyfriend went to the Driskill Grill for a special occasion.
“It was my boyfriend’s birthday, and we had a great time,” she says. “But then the check came, and I paid it because it was his birthday.”
As she looked over the bill, she noticed something was missing.
“They’d forgotten one of my glasses of wine, which cost $25,” she explains. “So, since I’m a nice person, I mentioned it to the server.”
Lala expected the server to thank her for pointing it out and perhaps let the oversight slide.
“I figured he’d say, ‘Oh, you know what? It’s my fault. Don’t worry about it,’” she says. “And he just said, ‘Oh,’ and then added it to the bill.”
That wasn’t the reaction she was expecting.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Lala admits. “Honestly, what do you do in a situation like that?”
According to Lala, the bill came to about $300 before those extra $25.
“Was I in the wrong for saying something, or was he in the wrong, or is it just normal that I have to pay that extra $25 on a $300 bill?” she asks.
Internet users were divided on whether she should have spoken up
In the comments, some viewers felt that Lala had reacted appropriately, while others thought she should have accepted the original bill.
“Positive karma will come back to you sooner or later,” wrote one user.
Another viewer said he probably would have kept quiet but would have made up for it by leaving a more generous tip.
“I wouldn’t have said anything, but I would have left a tip of a few extra dollars,” he wrote. “I think that’s a fair way to compromise. But then again, if I’m in a store, hand all my items to a cashier, and they forget one, that’s free money for me. I walk out and don’t look back.”
Others pointed out that once Lala had pointed out the missing item to the server, the server might not have really had a choice.
“Honestly, he probably would’ve been in trouble if he hadn’t added it once he knew about it,” wrote one user.
Would the missing glass of wine have been spotted during inventory?
A single glass of wine probably wouldn’t have alerted staff to a stock shortage. According to a blog post published by Invintory, a wine inventory management service, other causes would likely be considered first.
Situations such as sales recorded under the wrong item code, a complimentary drink, a spill that employees didn’t report, or a misplaced bottle are common in restaurants that sell wine.
Furthermore, serving wine isn’t an exact science. Small amounts of wine may remain in bottles that aren’t accounted for and, over time, can add up.
@lalainaustin
Subplot News contacted Lala and Driskill via email for comment.
The article “A Texan goes to an iconic Austin restaurant for dinner. Then she corrects the server… big mistake” was first published on Subplot News.
A woman from Texas goes to an iconic Austin restaurant for dinner. She then corrects the waiter… big mistake.
