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The Tipping Point

You know a book will be juicy when its author remains anonymous. Thus the excitement — and dread — over reading the exposé blog-turned-memoir Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip — Confessions of a Cynical Waiter (out July 29) by “The Waiter.” Will we ever feel safe eating out again?

He’s never spit in anyone’s food (though he does cop to “crop-dusting” tables of bitchy patrons with his flatulence), but his portrayal of the rarely seen dramas of the restaurant biz play like a nighttime soap: power struggles between the cooks and the wait staff; drunken exploits of unruly customers; even a cameo by Russell Crowe.

Our masked narrator offers tips as often as he accepts them, pointing out that spoken gratitude is no substitute for gratuity (don’t be a “verbal tipper”), one night watching the Food Network does not a gourmand make, and treating a waiter like a slave is, well, a valid excuse for crop-dusting. Waiter Rant won’t turn you off to dining out, but after reading it you’ll never tip less than 20% again.


Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip — Confessions of a Cynical Waiter will be available July 29 from Ecco Books.