Cheap Meal, Priceless Revenge

While I'm enjoying a promotional set that I've ordered from a restaurant, my best friend sends me screenshots she has taken from someone's social media feed.

"I just met a weird customer who's clearly impoverished but acts like she isn't. How can I make her realize that she has no right to be dining in such a fine establishment?"

The screenshot's descriptions grow even more familiar.

"One has to spend an average of two thousand dollars in this fine dining restaurant, and yet this broke loser has the nerve to order the cheapest promotional set instead! On top of that, she's shameless and pathetic enough to make me take a photo of her that makes her look very fancy!

"Seriously, I want nothing more than to post that ugly and unedited photo of hers on my social media feed and pin it there, just so I can humiliate her to no end!"

Someone in the comment section tells the floor captain of the restaurant to watch her behavior.

"She's a customer at the end of the day; your restaurant's reputation will suffer from a blemish if things get out of hand.

"You should know when to stop. After all, you're in the hospitality industry, so you shouldn't act too arrogantly."

The original poster has the guts to respond to that comment.

"I will never show respect to those who can't afford a 14-thousand-dollar meal! The fact that I have the balls to post the entire thing on my social media means I'm not scared of that peasant at all! What can she do to me anyway?"

The waitress' name was Colette Gill. The badge pinned to her chest read "Star Captain".

Right now, she was leaning against the serving hatch, her head down as she tapped away at her phone. From time to time, she would glance at me out of the corner of her eye.

I looked down at the clothes I wore. It was a basic Levi's T-shirt, jeans, and a ponytail I had casually thrown together. I certainly didn't look like the target demographic for this high-end restaurant, where the average bill ran two thousand dollars per person.

But I wasn't a wannabe socialite here to freeload on WiFi or split a bill. I was Nadine Roe, founder of Epicure Culinary Group.

Today, I showed up dressed down because the negative reviews for this flagship restaurant had been skyrocketing lately. I was especially alarmed by the flood of complaints about our service attitude and handling of promotional sets.

To understand what was going on, I had the operations team launch a "value solo experience set" online and booked it myself for an undercover visit.

I didn't expect to experience the "eye-roll service" mentioned in the reviews and end up as a joke on my employee's social media feed.

After posting her update, Colette seemed satisfied, as though she had vented enough. She sauntered over, holding a bottle of Evian, and slammed it onto my table with a heavy thud.

"Here's your water," she announced in a clipped tone and didn't even bother to look at me.

I frowned. "I remember the promotional set includes San Pellegrino sparkling water. It's supposed to be served in a glass with a slice of lemon."

Colette rolled her eyes like that was the funniest joke she had ever heard. "Take a closer look, miss. That service is meant for the original-priced 2,980-dollar set.

"We can barely cover the cost of a bottle of sparkling water for your 298-dollar experience set.

"Be glad you have something to drink, and stop all the fussy demands."

I pulled out my phone, tapped on the promotional set's detail page, and pointed at the listing.

"It clearly says that one serving of sparkling water is included. Are your menus just for show, or do you believe that customers using a promotion aren't entitled to what's promised?"

Colette impatiently waved her hand. "The operations team made a mistake when they wrote that. We go by what's actually served in-store. If you aren't happy, you can get a refund and leave right now. We're not that desperate for your business either."

With that, she turned to walk off, but I stopped her.

"Wait. If there's no water, what about the food? I've been sitting here for half an hour, so why hasn't the appetizer been served?"

Colette stopped and turned around to give me a once-over.

"The kitchen's busy, so we're obviously prioritizing our high-paying guests. The chef will get to your promotional set when he's free.

"You won't die from waiting a little longer. If you want something fast, take a left out the door—there's a KFC down the street."