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Has anyone ever seen or personally done something like this?

We grabbed an early dinner tonight at Daikaya Ramen shop. Sitting at one of the main benches on the right as you enter, another couple we didn't know sat across from us. They were seated a bit earlier so, given how the place operates like clockwork, each step in the process happened first for them before us until the end.

When the waitress approached them to take the order, she (the waitress) complimented the customer's purse, remarking about the design she liked. They smiled and maybe discussed the purse for 30 seconds. The customer thanked her and they proceeded to order.

Soon after, we ordered. They got their ramens. We got ours. Checks dropped at around the same time. As I got a credit card out, I overheard the woman across from us talking with her husband or boyfriend (they were maybe late 50s):

She: How about if we give her this (holding up the purse the waitress had admired) as part of her tip?
He: (A bit incredulously) What?!
She: She really liked it. (Begins removing a wallet and personal effects from the purse)
He: That's weird.
She: No it's not! She'll appreciate it!

When the waitress arrived to take their credit card, the woman handed up the small wood box containing the bill and card atop the purse, saying "This is part of your tip. We'll leave cash also on the card after you run it."

Suffice to say, the waitress appreciated it. At first she laughed, thinking the woman had to be joking but, when the woman didn't laugh back, the waitress, shocked, asked "Are you serious?" to which the woman replied "Yes, I'm serious. You really liked it. I want you to have it." After a bit more back and forth and effusive appreciation expressed, the waitress walked off with the bill and the purse.

At the same time, the husband got up, ostensibly to use the bathroom before departing. We'd already settled our bill so I took the opportunity to lean over and told the woman, "That was a bit unusual but not weird. It was great. The world needs more hearts like yours. Have a great weekend." And we left.

I'm not very knowledgeable about womens fashion accessories but the purse was cool. Looked to be made of a higher-quality patent black leather with a hand-painted design on the face. Maybe half sized.

Ever see, overhear or do something like that? Leaving a very generous (bigger than typical) tip is one thing and wouldn't have caught my attention even if I'd realized it. I've done that for different reasons in different situations as I imagine many here have, Just not sure I'd ever seen something like this before and I've had a few meals out over the years. Thought it pretty cool.

The end may not be near after all. :-)

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?/topic/46588-cat-cafe/?p=289285

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^I'm told that there are certain cultures where, if someone compliments something of yours, you give it to them.  Not saying that was the case here, but possibly.

That is true! I think in those cases it may be more about a reaction to coveting more than generosity of spirit as this seemed. The couple tonight seemed likely multi-generational American in every way from appearance, accents and even the husband's bewilderment. Still, absolutely possible since I can't be sure. The wife/girlfriend did tell me, unprompted, that the bag wasn't that expensive since she had "gotten it on eBay", whatever that may indicate.

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Well, there are the people who leave Bible tracts in lieu of a tip when they come in after church, but I guess that's a different non-cash tipping kind of thing (except to the people leaving the tip).

Completely hypothetical, but what if the waitress was just being nice in saying she liked the purse, or she liked the way it looked but would never have wanted to carry it herself?  When deciding what is fungible, it helps to know what the recipient considers an equivalent of cash.  In the waitress example, they also left a cash tip.  In the Bible tract edition, I've never heard of that being done in conjunction with cash, but maybe it is.

I'm also thinking of a someone who was out with a friend when they got rather hammered and left the (U.S.) bartender his tip in euros.  I was with her when she was laughing with that bartender about it one day (though he didn't really seem to be laughing).  It was actually a very generous tip at the conversion rate at the time, but did it really do much for him to get a bunch of euros?

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I typically buy rounds of sake for sushi chefs working at the counter where I'm sitting. I also tip, but it's certainly another way to show gratitude.

Considering my bad experience with sake during my study abroad semester, I hated it when customers bought me sake, especially since it usually wasn't the good stuff, or they would get me a beer, which I could drink for free anyway.

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Well, there are the people who leave Bible tracts in lieu of a tip when they come in after church, but I guess that's a different non-cash tipping kind of thing (except to the people leaving the tip).

Completely hypothetical, but what if the waitress was just being nice in saying she liked the purse, or she liked the way it looked but would never have wanted to carry it herself?  When deciding what is fungible, it helps to know what the recipient considers an equivalent of cash.  In the waitress example, they also left a cash tip.  In the Bible tract edition, I've never heard of that being done in conjunction with cash, but maybe it is.

I'm also thinking of a someone who was out with a friend when they got rather hammered and left the (U.S.) bartender his tip in euros.  I was with her when she was laughing with that bartender about it one day (though he didn't really seem to be laughing).  It was actually a very generous tip at the conversion rate at the time, but did it really do much for him to get a bunch of euros?

Very interesting; all three examples. On the hypothetical, could have been the case but I had the same read of the waitress that the benevolent woman did. Everything from facial expression, tone, enthusiasm and effusiveness made me think the waitress did really like the purse.

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Considering my bad experience with sake during my study abroad semester, I hated it when customers bought me sake, especially since it usually wasn't the good stuff, or they would get me a beer, which I could drink for free anyway.

I've been to a restaurant where, at the bottom of the menu, they listed drinks you could buy the back-of-house folks to show gratitude (beer, definitely, and maybe glasses of wine). I think that it was Woodberry Kitchen but I could be mis-remembering. Assuming the items were preselected to be things the staff would actually want to drink, that would solve the bad sake/overhead expense of drinking on the house problems neatly, plus it gets "tips" back to the kitchen staff, which is nice.

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But is buying kitchens staff drinks while they are working really a good idea?  I hate to sound like a prude, but do restaurant owners want their staff drinking on the job, especially considering that don't both cooks and bartenders have really high rates of alcoholism?  

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But is buying kitchens staff drinks while they are working really a good idea?  I hate to sound like a prude, but do restaurant owners want their staff drinking on the job, especially considering that don't both cooks and bartenders have really high rates of alcoholism?  

Daikaya Ramen is the first place I've seen this (buying the kitchen beers, to be enjoyed after their shift). I'm a fan of the practice - if it ever gets to a point where I feel pressured, I won't be, but they were actually surprised that I bought two orders (I don't think anyone had ever done it).

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But is buying kitchens staff drinks while they are working really a good idea?  I hate to sound like a prude, but do restaurant owners want their staff drinking on the job, especially considering that don't both cooks and bartenders have really high rates of alcoholism?  

I would take a sip and leave the rest for later. Sharp knives and alcohol do not make for a good combination in my opinion, though some did drink quite a bit. They were not the ones being asked to make the special sashimi orders either.

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Curious, I did a quick search on this. Most of the google returns relate to IRS requirements on tip reporting. But this one, a board for cleaning services/maids is intetesting.

Not really verifiable but chain saws and silver bars? There must be some similar crazy restaurant versions from different parts of the country.

http://mikeysboard.com/forum/index.php?threads/ive-gotten-plenty-non-cash-tips-over-the-years-but-this-one.276567/

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