Odd fellows' journal., 1900-01-11
LIVE HIGH ON CREDIT
DAINTY DINERS WHO GET COSTLY
MEALS FOR NOTHING.


How Some Big Accounts That Are
Never Paid Are Run Up at the Fash
iOnabie Restaurants That Flourish
In New York City.
Legal proceedings recently taken to
recover from well known citizen who
belongs to the fashionable" class the
amount of II tailCr's bill revealed the
fact that the man was poor, had no
money and no means of support and
owed many bills. Besides tailors, shoe
makers and hatterS. he owed money to
florists. jewelers.. livery stable keepers.
dealers in theater tickets, shirtmakers,
stationers and restaurateurs One of
the largest bills against the man was
contracted in the course of several
years at a prominent up town restau-
rant.
You must have been hung up for a
great spread" said a patron Of the
place TO the manager, pointing to the
item
Not at ALL" he answered. THAT bill
represents hundreds of charges and has
grown slowly TO its present magniti-
cent proportions"
"But how is it done-how do people
run big bills in restaurantY
"Well. in the first place. because we
look upon men who come here as gen
tlemen and treat them accordingly.
don't remember just how the account
in question was opened. but usually it
is done in this way: Some day. after
man receives his check. he scra wis his
name across its face and tells the wait
er, T'll pay this tomorrow; it's all
right and then if the person in charge
at the desk marks it o. * the check is
hung up and an account is opened
with the man
'In most instances the man comes
back. as he said he would. tho next
day and settles his little bill and
thanks us for accommodating him. If.
however. the man intends to work the
house, he does not come back the next
day and settle. but waits three or four
days. Then he drops in and orders
modest luncheon or not elaborate
dinner and scribhles his name across
tie check gives the waiter a tip, and
the new account receives it's first ad
dition.
Little by little the account grows.
but never by any really large charge.
and when at last the man has a little
dinner party with a big appetite the
check is liable to be %. K.'d' because
the account is already so large that it
would be poor policy to turn it down.
"When the account has grown so
large that we think it should have at
tentiOn. we give the head waiter n
tip, and without telling the man in so
many words he is given to understand
that cash would be preferred to an
autograph Sometimes the man takes
the hint and makes payment or asks
for more time and tells us that he will
pay as he goes. and he remains a Gus
toner without increasing his account,
but generally he leaves us and goes
to some other place and complains
| about poor service here and in other
ways tries to injure our business be-
cause he can't have what he wants to
eat and drink for nothing. His account
remains open, and when it becomes
Outlawed we put it on the list which
bears many good names. but we never
| dun the man."
To show how anxious some people
are to have it known that they are
we'll acquainted in the fashionable
restaurants the following story was
told:
"Some months ago man came here
early in the day and said that he would
have a little party of friends to supper
with him after the theater that even
| ing and ordered what he wanted. His
order showed that he was unaccustOm-
ed to the part but it is our business to
| fill orders. ana we said that his supper
would be served all right. Then he
! laid down II sum of money. more than
enough to pay the bill. and said. This
| will save me the trouble this evening.
| and went away The supper passed
off nicely. the mans friends from the
/ country or the country part of the city
seemed to enjoy their spree, and finally
the host asked for his check, looked at
it and then said grandly and loud
enough for all to hear. Charge it,. Tine
supper was Il grand affair in the eyes
of the guests. hut the climaX-the order
to charge it'-Overwhplmed them. and
l dare say the man accomplished his
object, which was evidently to make
himself solid with his guests. New
| York Tribune