1) A(n odd) (Middle Eastern-looking) (native English-speaking) (lighter-skinned) (graduate student-aged) woman comes in late with this (curly-haired) (vaguely Middle Eastern) guy of the same age, and I tell them that it's late but eating in is still doable if they order meals that are quick to prepare, and especially he seems like he wants something elaborate but they do order the simpler dishes and eat, but they take their time and talk in (English) forever, and even after we close and shut the sign off and bring her a box, they are still sipping their beer that they've been sharing forever, and I go to pick up the credit card bill that he had paid and signed for and it's like less than a $2 tip to round up to $40 on like a bill that's $38 and change, so after doing one more thing, I go over and am like, "Sorry the restaurant is closed now," and they seem surprised, and the woman asks if they're the last table.
(They are, and I tell them.)
(I swear, some of these student-types want a late-night diner type of place, and act as if they have one even when they don't.)
2) The next night, my one (chubby) (Thai) coworker picks up a bill from where a (young) (codependent-appearing) (South Asian from South Asia) couple were sitting, both on the same side of the table, and where they had each gotten an entree and shared a dessert and on top of that had gotten one entree to go, and while she walks towards me holding the bill and some stuff from the table she's bussing, she just rolls her eyes and goes HHHHHHHHHHH and shakes her head, and I know the tip is shit, and we pass each other and do our jobs, with no more interaction than that.
(Later when I look at the bill, it's $1.10.)
3) At a table towards the end of the night, this one (perky) (East Asian-American) mom comes in and says she's so happy to see the staff wearing masks, and she's there with a (younger) (East Asian-American) (college student?) (son?) and his (Middle Eastern heritage?) girlfriend, and at one point she wants two straws if they're pre-wrapped, and the mom and the maybe-girlfriend want no spice in their food but the maybe-son guy wants some, so I say that I can bring the chili out for him to add in separately if he needs it, and I do, later on when their food is brought out, without him asking me.
"No thank you," he's like when I do that, "I think I'm good."
"Come on," I'm like, "This is your chance to be macho."
And, the mom just cracks up.
4) Towards the end of the night, a group of six (American-born or -raised) undergrads of various races including (white), (East Asian), and (South Asian) come in and I encourage them to order quick because it's the end of the night, and they do, and later I hear that they're talking over their phone to the projected seventh member of their party, and one of them is like, "Sorry, but I don't know if you want to come, it's getting kind of late and the restaurant is closing," all considerately.
And, they eat in a reasonable amount of time and leave in a reasonable amount of time, all without lingering overduly, all considerately.
And, as I go to bus some stuff from around them right before they leave, they're debating whether to wait for a bus or walk back to campus, and the one is really pushing to walk back to campus to get some exercise after they all ate so much.
"You know," I was like, butting in, "It's really safe out here, but I'd still be careful, our food is good, that sometimes people get mugged for the leftovers!"
And, they all look at me quizzically, and none laugh.
. . .
(I think that undergrad kids who grew up in the U.S. and have experience working at service jobs are more considerate than international students or graduate students, who often come from wealthier and more-privileged backgrounds.)
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