Nothing says passive aggressive like leaving your waiter or waitress a bad tip for unhelpful service.  But one table took it much further by choosing to completely forgo a tip by scribbling “LOL” on the receipt.

D’Jais Bar & Grill waitress Jess Jones was working on an unusually busy night when she was asked to serve a party of eight people. She warned the diners that the kitchen was exceptionally busy that evening but tried to keep the group occupied by continually refilling drinks and checking up on them.

After Jones returned to collect the group’s $112.03 bill, she was shocked to discover the diners left a snarky message instead of a tip. The party opted to give an “LOL” instead of some cash. Jones tells Asbury Park Press,

“I would have preferred a ‘$0′ tip than a ‘LOL’ tip, but as a waitress, bad tips and harsh notes are all part of the job. Even though they did wait an hour to eat, they remained satisfied with filled drinks and proper notice that the kitchen was a bit busier than normal. I’ve worked in the service industry for five years and I take pride in providing great service to my customers.”

The photo went viral after Jess posted the message to Facebook. The image caught the attention of Belmar, New Jersey Mayor Matt Doherty, who expressed his concerns over a heartfelt Facebook post. He explains, “If you visit Belmar please treat the hardworking men and women in our service industry with the same respect you would expect at your job. This is ridiculous.”

Jess explains that bad tips are not uncommon for waiters and waitresses on the job. People mistake the workers as the reason behind poor service instead of the liaisons between the kitchen and the customer. More often than most people realize, poor service is due to mishaps in the restaurant rather than the shortcomings of the wait staff. Jones concludes,

“My experience with this table was cruel and unnecessary but sadly it’s not uncommon. With that said: Please be good to your waiters. I know it’s annoying when things aren’t right. I know how aggravating it is to receive a hefty bill when all night you’ve been wondering why the table that came in after you was served before you. But waiters are mere messengers most of the time, and it’s wrong to shoot them, however bad the news.”

And, at the end of the day, a LOL is just plain offensive.

[via USA Today]

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