The Waitress Asked Me to Pay Upfront—Unaware That I Own the Restaurant

Curious Intentions

As the couple fumbled to pay, Emma’s smirk didn’t escape my notice. I leaned back, curiosity simmering as I tried to decipher her game. Had she perfected this so-called “policy” to an art form? As I sipped my water, my thoughts began to churn. One thing was certain—I needed a plan to unravel this entire fiasco. What Emma didn’t realize, however, was that she had unwittingly become the lead in my own little mystery.

A Talk With Steve

After witnessing that spectacle, I made my way to our assistant manager, Steve. “Steve,” I called out, “can we talk about these canceled orders I’ve been hearing about?” He nodded and gestured for me to follow him into his small office. “It’s strange, isn’t it?” I remarked casually as we sat down. “I didn’t realize cancellations happened so frequently here.” Steve rubbed his chin, visibly perplexed. Together, we delved into the data, searching for any clues that might shed light on the issue.