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The original was posted on /r/talesfromretail by /u/9GolemAnvil on 2026-03-18 16:46:41+00:00.

So this guy, I'll call him Ron, has been coming in every Thursday night for like two years straight. Same section, usually same table if it's open, always orders the same thing to start and then switches it up for his entree. Super polite, easy table, good tipper. No complaints.

The thing is, Ron knows our menu inside and out. And I mean actually knows it, not just "I come here a lot" knows it. He knows which dishes have nuts, which ones can be made dairy free, what the soup of the day usually rotates through, and which apps the kitchen takes longer on during a rush.

A few weeks ago I was training a new hire, walking her through the floor during a slower Thursday. Ron was already seated. She stopped at his table to introduce herself and practice her menu spiel, which was sweet. She got a little turned around on the modification options for one of our pasta dishes and Ron just, very calmly and politely, filled in the answer for her. Correctly. In more detail than I would have given.

She looked at me. I just kind of shrugged.

Last week a different table flagged Ron down by mistake thinking he was staff. He handled it so naturaly, pointed them toward me, and went back to his bread.

I genuinely don't know how to feel about this. On one hand Ron is lovely and has never been weird about it. On the other hand I'm a little embarassed that a Thursday regular has a better retention rate on our menu than people I've trained for three weeks.

He came in last night. I thanked him for the help with the new girl. He said "oh I just like the food, I pay attention."

Thursdays are my favorite shift and I think Ron is part of why.