The Margin for Sloppy Will Disappear

October 25, 2023

by Karl Denninger Market-Ticker.org

Example: Local place I know somewhat-well. Not enough to be a “regular”, but I’ve been in there more than once, and a few of the people who work there know my face, if not my name. I go in for a beer and a quick bite. They’re busy with a very large group. All good. I get my beer, my bite, service is fine, check is $18 and change. I hand the gal two $20s; she comes back with a buck and change, two fives and a ten. That stunt cost the establishment at least $100 of my business over the next couple of months until I forget that I got screwed out of a buck or two because I wasn’t going to stiff the server — which I could have for doing that, but in fact the service was good and they were slammed. I wasn’t going to confront her — waiting for her to free up — on breaking one of the $5s either. I will instead choose Kroger for a six pack when I want a beer and get six beers and a big hunk of cheese or salami instead of one beer and an appetizer in the bar for the same money.