To think dramatic colleague should not have done this?

[Mabeldram]

I work in big brand hospitalality.

Last night there was a married couple in my section. She was lovely and he was a bit of a sleaze. I saw him scrolling through his for you page in Instagram - full of bikini babes. And he was a bit lechy with one of our teenage food runners, so I stopped her attending the table. I'm a sturdy mid fifties meno woman, I feel very protective of the youngsters.

When the couple came to settle up, the husband had a discount QR on his phone, so as per normal protocols I asked permission to take the phone to the host station to scan,

I asked a colleague to take it over as I needed to head to another guest as a priority. He scanned it, printed the bill and popped the phone down on the platter.

I always switch a phone off once scanned but Malcolm, the colleague didn't.

Malcom came back over to me after dropping the bill and phone down to the couple and ushered me into the kitchen.

Gleefully he told me that as he was heading back to the table, a tinder notification came up on the phone so he deliberately left the phone in a very visible position for the lovely wife to see.

AIBU to think he should have closed the phone down, or placed it face down, to save the grand reveal?

I think you're giving sleazos too much credit for brains (which are usually located in their trousers)

Even worse, she might be the sidechick that just realised she isn't the only sidechick!

Did everybody cheer when Malcolm put down the phone?

Why would that happen?

I can’t believe it’s within the law to take a customer phone out of their sight - you could quickly use their card to buy something already set up

that needs sorting

I do think it is a slightly unprofessional approach. What is going on in their relationship is to of no business to what I guess is waiting staff. I agree your point in calling off the younger server and being protective but I do think Malcolm was being a bit petty. Just lock the phone and hand it back. I’m sure he’ll not hand it over in future.

Our local council take 16 weeks to reply to an email. Ignore, it will soon be sorted

I'm pretty sure I absolutely never said it was out of sight.

The host station is in full view of all covers in the room. Some chairs are orientated facing away from the POS, but I imagine a guest could turn around if they'd like to do so.

It’s like low budget drama.FoH manipulating a tah-dah moment to reveal the husband as a sleaze.
Tamsin Greig as OP
Peter Capaldi as Malcom
Hugh Bonneville as skeazy customer
Frankly I’m more agog that staff take customer unlocked phone and go elsewhere to scar QR code. No way I’d give my unlocked phone to FoH and no way should staff be handling customers phone away from the customer

Tommy Fury

Alan Carr

Sarah Lancaahire

Probably better.

A waiter called Malcolm?

It’s very questionable - it should be done at the table in full sight so it never leaves customers hand - not so customer has to look round while staff take their phone - I looked it up and it does breach certain practices and data stuff - sticky legally

slightly derailing thread….sorry!

Was there a service charge? I don't tip if there is service charge already, or is that wrong?

Sarah Lancashire, yes that’d work. She’s great
Tommy Fury as the husband?That is certainly a man on SM
Alan Carr as Malcolm. Well he’s certainly man of the moment

I’m really surprised by all the people who are outraged at giving the phone over (after permission has been sought and given) in order for the QR code to be scanned. I’ve done this - never thought anything of it……maybe I am way too trusting. 🤷‍♀️

For me it would be the same as handing someone my credit card and pin number. I'm not even sure my bank would cover me if someone used my phone to access my money if I'd handed over my unlocked phone.

"... and then everyone [in the place] cheered/clapped" is a comment that means "I think this is a bullshit story".

It's based on stories on Reddit or Twitter where someone claims they delivered a perfect comeback or heroic moment in public and everyone around them erupted in applause.

Bravo Malcolm

Actually handing over my unlocked phone would likely be a breach of my work's cyber security policy as well as it has work emails and the like on it. I'm really surprised anyone is happy to do this and that a business itself has it as protocol! So dodgy.

Meh, I think Malcolm did his wife a favour personally and she should thank him for it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Agree. Staff shouldn't be taking a customers phone. And the colleague sounds snide, not that agree with what the husband was doing and deserves everything he gets. But your colleague was unprofessional.

I have no time for "men" like this. I like the point someone said that it's not up to the server to place the phone face down or whatnot, especially taking on some sort of responsibility to hide it. I'm actually surprised he would even have notifications on!

Sturdy meno woman, Malcolm.

Good for him !