Almost Brothers Podcast
Whats up whats up whats up.. welcome to your new favorite podcast. Join your hosts Michael, Richard, and Tyler as we discuss God, church, life, and the journey through this crazy world. Get away from the stresses of life with this podcast. We will be hitting on various topics from sports, to life with Christ.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1133780/support
Almost Brothers Podcast
Tipping: The Good, The Bad, and The Awkward
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Are we tipping too much these days? In our latest episode, we tackle the often-contentious topic of tipping and what it reflects about our society’s views on generosity. Throughout this engaging conversation, we question whether tipping has become an expectation rather than a reward for exceptional service.
From coffee shops to full-service restaurants, we examine the varying situations that impact our inclination to tip and what actually deserves recognition. With personal anecdotes that bring laughter, outrage, and reflection, we delve into moments when tipping has both created pressure and joy, uncovering the deeper emotional aspects of giving.
Join us as we navigate through what generosity should mean in today’s world. This episode opens a vital discussion about our responsibility to support those providing services while considering how we offer our gratitude. Whether you believe tipping is an essential practice or an ongoing debate, there’s something valuable in this episode for you. Please listen, share, and engage with us as we explore generosity through the lens of tipping. Your thoughts and stories matter—let’s continue this conversation together!
Please share and SUBSCRIBE!!!
If you are able ... would you help us in becoming a subscriber and helping us get the word out. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1133780/support
Thinking about starting a podcast. Check out our affiliate link here.
Listen on apple here
Facebook
Listen on Spotify here
Welcome and Introduction
Speaker 1What made?
Speaker 2you so mad I don't want to talk about it anymore. You don't want to talk about it If.
Speaker 1I stop talking about it, I'm going to throw something.
Speaker 2Yeah, don't do that, that wouldn't be good for anybody.
Speaker 1There's nothing here that needs to be thrown.
Speaker 2All right, let's not do that.
Speaker 3I'll throw Zaley you could do that. She's rather small, but it's not a good idea.
Speaker 2Yeah, but you know know, I would say pick on someone your own size, but what's up, what's up, what's up, what's up, what's up, what's up? Everybody, welcome back to a brand new episode of the almost brothers podcast.
Speaker 3That's cheap, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, that was too.
Speaker 2Yeah, that's messed up, that's messed up.
Speaker 3That's why he has the buttons. My bad, my bad. Say something and just hit a button, I'll push your buttons um.
The Rise of Tipping Culture
Speaker 2I don't know what that even means. I don't. Should I be scared? Should I be excited like intimidated?
Speaker 3intimidation something bloated.
Speaker 2Maybe, I don't know, on today's episode we're gonna be talking about generosity but, most importantly, tipping this has gotten out of hand. Not cow tipping funny. Have you ever done that? No, grown up in pucks call figured y'all would. No, that would be.
Speaker 3And and that y'all's.
Speaker 2Uh, I was go to you do that before the square dance no, I was the not popular kid. Oh okay, school so you didn't get invited to the cow tipping.
Speaker 3No oh oh yeah, they do do square dancing up there, though I don't know if they'll be doing square dancing much this year because y'all heard about the midway right yes yeah, is that?
Speaker 2where the square?
Speaker 1dancing much this year.
Speaker 2Because y'all heard about the midway right. Yes, Is that where the square dancing was at Right next to it? Okay, yeah, yeah, Because that's where they have the homecoming right.
Speaker 3Yeah, where the goat burgers are, that's right.
Speaker 2No goats were harmed in the making of this episode.
Speaker 3Not this episode, but at the homecoming.
Speaker 1They were very much harmed in the making of Homecoming.
Speaker 2Yeah, for sure, for sure, for sure. So how are y'all doing Rich? How are you doing?
Speaker 3I'm doing good, man Doing good.
Speaker 2Yeah, I like it. Nice Ty-Ty. How are you doing?
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2All right, cool, we did the video with him the other day and he just like, yeah, yeah, I was like video. Did you watch it yet?
Speaker 3yeah, yeah yeah, I was in the doctor's office so I couldn't like crank it all the way up yeah, it's pretty good.
Speaker 2It's pretty good, so how you doing it's?
Speaker 1just kind of like this playing quietly. All I hear is yeah, yeah, like what was that? I'm sorry, I'm sorry interrupting these poor patients.
Speaker 2so we're going to be talking about generosity today and giving and again kind of segwaying into talking about tipping. It's gotten a little bit out of hand. I tipped somebody today by accident Was it today, no yesterday by accident, and all they did was take my order. They didn't make it.
Speaker 3Right.
Speaker 2It was that five guys.
Speaker 3Yeah, there's no way. Yeah Right, it was at.
Speaker 2Five Guys? Yeah, there's no way. Yeah, I just did it, naturally.
Speaker 3So I have a solid rule on tipping. Yeah, okay, yeah, if I am standing, you're not getting a tip. If you're standing. Yes, okay, if I am ordering at a counter or Sonic same thing.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 3I am not tipping.
Speaker 2What about like a coffee shop? No, I am not tipping. What about like a coffee shop? No See, for me, if it takes a level of skill, I'll tip you. But if it doesn't, if anybody could do it, then I won't. So if I'm like at a coffee shop and I order a breakfast sandwich that's already made, I'm not going to tip you for turning around and grabbing it.
Speaker 3But if you're making the coffee. That takes a level of skill. You have to know how to do that, and it grabbing that you know, but if you're making the coffee like that takes a level of skill. You have to know how to do that. So it's like, because you know small towns, a lot of people own their business.
Speaker 2So if it's the owner of the, no, I'm not going to tip the owner. Yeah, that's getting my money anyway.
Speaker 3Yeah it's the same way with the chinese restaurants.
Speaker 1I don't feel like I tip there either usually because it's family owned well and they're only bringing you your drink. You're going to get your own food. I remember I was talking to Liv about it If they were doing more. I would. If I told them, hey, go grab that, and I'm also a firm believer that tipping is earned.
Speaker 2It is not something that you just get because you are doing it Because that's where I think it's starting to get out of control where one place is automatically take it out, or when they get mad when you don't tip a certain amount.
Speaker 1We went to Watami.
Speaker 2What's Watami? I always mess with January General to Toasties Last Friday. Okay, sykeson.
Speaker 1Bluff Okay. General to toaster last friday okay, sikeson bluff okay. And so I paid for my lips meal. And then another girl there, uh, she didn't really eat much for food. I guess she's picky or whatever. She didn't really eat any of it, so I was like I'll take it home and I'll pay for it, no problem. 127, oh oh no, a 26 tip was included for both tickets oh, oh, no, oh.
Speaker 2And I went there one time and all I get is rice and chicken anyway. So I spent like $17 on rice and chicken and it's like they're like oh, but it's the experience and I'm like they made the food.
Speaker 3Like I don't get it. They did the same thing they would have done in the kitchen. You brought the kitchen out here, Right?
Speaker 2right, right, and it's like no, and he's like no, and and he it's like no. Oh, that's brutal, but that hurt it did yeah, that's a.
Speaker 3That's a new place right up in poplar. Is that on oak grove road?
Speaker 1yeah yeah no, that's absolutely, hasn't been there very long, less than a year, I think at one then, and then you get to where you know.
Speaker 2The question is if you get your food delivered right, do you tip?
Speaker 1because they're already getting paid extra for delivery, yeah well my thing is, the only people that I've ever growing up knew that you tip were, you know, servers at a restaurant. Yeah, because guess how much they're making?
Speaker 2three dollars an hour because they and and that's where the problem started yep, and that bothers me too is like how is it our responsibility now to pay the wages, when the business owner should be paying the wages? Why is it the customer's job, you know, to do that like, I don't mind tipping, but looking at the customer as well, they only make so much, so we have to, yeah, make sure that we tip is irresponsible of the business owner even even more so.
Speaker 1So I was a waiter at not waiter, uh, I waited some, but I was a bartender at red lobster and cape. I got paid five dollars an. The bar was inside the kitchen so no one was actually tipping me. The servers tipped out 10% of their tips and that went to me or no, it was 5%. 5% went to me, 5% went to the kitchen staff.
Speaker 2So even on a busy Friday night I'm looking at $30.
Speaker 1So then why did they just pay you $5 an hour then? Because they could so even on a busy Friday night, I'm looking at $30.
Speaker 2So then, why did they? Just pay you $5 an hour then, because they could, yeah, I guess. So that's brutal.
Speaker 1I think I remember the most on a busy night I made was like $70. Ooh, that's brutal.
Speaker 3But I will tip a delivery driver, a pizza driver or whatever. And it is touchy because when you order online, you automatically pay that $4. Driver or whatever. And it it is touchy because you know when you order online you automatically pay that 4.99 or whatever delivery fee, but that doesn't go to the driver right, he drives his own vehicle and it depends again if I'm waiting 45.
Speaker 3The last time I got pizza, the guy the guy brought an order and you know how the size of our family he shows up with a pizza and I'm like this is not ours.
Speaker 2Yeah, I'm like wrong one.
Speaker 3Wrong house. Sure enough, he had grabbed the wrong order.
Speaker 1So he had to go back to the store to get it.
Speaker 3You don't get a tip at that point.
Speaker 2You have screwed up my order.
Speaker 3You do not get a tip.
Speaker 2And then there's times where I like overly tip.
Speaker 3Oh yeah.
Speaker 2When we tip, oh yeah, when we have like a good, you know, a good waitress, a good waiter, they're nice, they're, they know what they're doing, they do everything and I will overly tip. Uh, it was, this was a few years ago. I was able to to bless someone, you know, me and jamie talked about it. That the guy was, you tell, you was in college right about that age and he was. I mean, he was just doing so good and he talking to the kids and laughing and he did a real good job.
Speaker 2And when we went to leave I was like babe, I'd really like to bless this kid and and just it's just like, yeah, I think we should. So I was able, I gave him a hundred dollars. You know, just like, hey, man, jesus loves you. I just wanted to bless you, did such a good job. You know, I feel bad for the, for the waiters or waitress that does a good job, but, like, the cooks are terrible, right, they keep messing your order up and that's something, and that's something that's really hard for people to separate those two.
Speaker 3It is not the waitress's fault if your steak is not right. Stop blaming her, stop taking her tip away because the kitchen messed up. That's nonsense. It's like I'm sorry, I don't know, and they're doing their best, apologizing, yeah.
Speaker 2I know one time we were at Olive Garden and they forgot that we got seated.
Speaker 3Yeah.
Speaker 1And we were there for like 30 minutes and.
When Is It Okay to Tip?
Speaker 2I'm just like that's not good, yeah. So I was like I went and and found, uh, the first, it wasn't even our waitress, so just the first one. I'm like, hey, we've been, you know, sitting there like, oh, we're so sorry, got our order and all that and at the end the manager came out and he's like don't worry about paying, I took care of your meal. Sorry for for the wait.
Speaker 3That's awesome.
Speaker 2So in that time I was like you know what, babe, I'm going to go ahead and leave a tip on what we would have paid for the food anyway, just to be able to bless them, because you never know what these people are going through.
Speaker 1They were probably busy If you've never been a server at a restaurant, especially like a dine-in restaurant, not like a fast it's. It's not easy, right, especially when you got, like when I was working at buffalo wild wings, I would have an eight table section. Was that in cape or bluff, bluff, bluff okay, which I worked? I worked at the one in cape for like a month, but, um, like an eight table section, small tables but still you can fit four to five people at each table, right. So four to five times eight, it's, that's quite and that's and then and then busy, it's busy.
Speaker 1Yeah, a lot guys, there's so much, yeah, but then there then you get the smaller sections, but the smaller sections are usually the bigger tables, right? So you've got, say you have three tables, okay, they're probably 12 top tables, yeah. So you're looking at about 36 to 40 people or so and trying to manage all that. It's not easy. I'll tell you my two worst experiences as a server. The number two it was at Red Lobster I was serving that night and there was a couple a real nice couple kind of older, probably in their early 40s, came in probably about an hour and a half or so before we closed and they were probably the only table left and they're in my section and they're the only table there. So I paid really good attention to them, chatted them up a bunch. They were from out of town. They're asking like, oh, it's fun to do around here, blah, blah, blah, it's capes, not a whole lot.
Speaker 1You can go bowling, you can go bowling, go to the movie or walk down to the river. Yeah, but you know I was super friendly. I was getting them everything they need because, again, they're my only table, so I and they were there for probably a good two hours right before we closed. Yeah, nothing.
Speaker 2Oh wow, no tip, what's nothing.
Speaker 1So that's my second worst experience. My top number one, number one. I'm pretty sure I've told y'all the story, but I was working at B dubs and bluff. Now I was working the patio, yeah.
Speaker 2Middle of.
Speaker 1July, yeah, middle of July, yeah, 98 degrees outside. So I came in and I was in there probably about two hours. I had no, no tables on or no one sitting on the patio and I was kind of just helping around. So I was there for two hours. Finally went up to the manager. I was like, hey, no one's going to come. Um, can I just clock out and go home. And she was like um, let's wait a half hour. If no one comes in, then you can go home. Wait a half hour. As soon as I went to go talk to the manager be like, hey, been a half hour, I'm going home Right before there's a guy walking in, I was like, okay, I'll go see him real quick. Before I do that Comes in. How many? There's going to be probably about 16 or 17 of us, all right. I was like okay, so you want to sit towards the bar, because that's where we can like push a bunch of the tables together. He's like actually, can we? Can we sit on the patio?
Speaker 2Oh gosh, oh man.
Speaker 1And I remember that because they're like oh yeah, we just came off the lake, so you've been baking in the hot sun and you've been baking it in the hot sun and you want to sit outside some more you want to sit outside in the hot sun eating hot food.
Speaker 1Anyways, they were there for probably about two hours. I was probably about 12 adults and five kids or so and anyways, I remember a bunch of them ordered. I remember a bunch of them ordered. It was like the you can eat. You can order a Buffalo ranch wrap, or it also comes in as a sandwich and they're right next to each other and anytime I take someone's order I always read it back, because y'all know how my mind works. Yes, yes, okay, I always. I always read it back, because y'all know how my mind works.
Speaker 3Yes, yes, okay, I always.
Speaker 1I always read it back and for that particular case I kind of like point like okay, so we got this one here, this one here and this one here. Yes, time goes by. Bring out the food. Apparently, I got half of the entire table's order wrong because they wanted a wrap and not the sandwich or they wanted a sandwich and not the wrap Threw such a fit about it.
Speaker 1I was like y'all. I read it back to you and you said, yes, anyways, they're there. For two hours I'm bust my butt in the sun, freaking, drenched in sweat. They leave Left a nickel. That's just like teasing at that point.
Speaker 3Left a freaking nickel yeah, you just don't leave anything right don't be, did you ever?
Speaker 2have? Did you ever have like tables where you just knew they weren't going to tip very well, just before you even went over there just like, oh yeah, this is gonna be bad, right uh?
Speaker 1yeah, usually if it's like teenagers, especially young like freshly 16, they may leave a few books. They don't understand and it wasn't that, you know, when I kind of took note of that, I wasn't going to be like I'm just going to give you sub-parsers, I'm going to do my best, obviously because that's what I do, that's what I do, built different, as Zeke would say, oh my God, but yeah it.
Speaker 2Yeah, you know, that's what I do, built different as zeke would say, oh my god.
Speaker 1But yeah, it's usually the usually like the teenagers on the first date and what happened?
Speaker 2what happened to the 10?
Speaker 1now it's more than that I was gonna say, like the, I'm pretty sure the minimum I've seen is 18 right, it's like what happened, like that used to be good there's all the way up to like 35 percent like some of these like yes, yeah, oh, there's somewhere you can like just match the bill yes, like that right, like just double it yeah that double it dude, that's.
Speaker 2Oh my gosh, I get triggered. Oh my, gosh, I get so, I get so anxious. Anyway, just like ordering, and they flip around that screen. Yeah, and they're looking at you what are you?
Speaker 1gonna press and it's before they make your food or make your drink so I'm like um um, and it's like what you press determines if I spit in your food, right, and it's like all the options it's like.
Speaker 2It's like 15 and 18 and 20 or custom, and the custom is right by the no so I don't want to reach at the bottom because they might think I put in no so I'm like, okay, I don't know, oh, what do I do? What I do because I don't want to go for the lowest one, but it starts creeping up there and I'm just like oh, my concern is when I do a digital tip.
Speaker 3Yeah, are they really getting the tip? Right that's always what I'm concerned about, but I have no problem hitting no.
Speaker 2Yeah, oh yeah, I'll hit no on it and flip it back around.
Speaker 1My thing is, if you know, like, uh like, when we board the dogs you did a thing. Yeah, the iPad, it has the tip thing on there, I know they're getting paid. You know at had, it has the tip thing on there, I know they're getting paid you know, at least right, right, 12, 13, 14, 15 dollars an hour. Yeah, no, yeah, I'm. I'm spending 130 dollars for my dogs for a couple days. No, you're getting, you are.
Speaker 2Yes, you're fine and that kills me too when it's when it's overpriced. Yeah, it's already overpriced. I just spent eight dollars on a coffee, right like you know. You know I'll throw you a dollar, but like, come on now.
Speaker 3We're getting up there. It's getting a little bit, that's why it's hard for me to like. I love to sit down and eat at a restaurant.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3But there's that pressure. You know you're at a $10 meal. Well, now it's a $15 meal or $20 meal because of tipping and taxes. I mean, it's just nonsense.
Speaker 2And it kills me when people say well, if you can't afford to tip, then don't go out to eat. No, if you can't afford to work without my tip then don't work there.
Speaker 1Why is again? Why is all the pressure on me? Because I used to have that same mentality, but I only have that about when it's service. Because again, servers are only making $3 to $7 an hour and again, I will gladly tip a server, an actual waiter waitress, I will happily.
Speaker 3As long as the service is good, I will tip them all day long. I have chosen to go sit at a restaurant and eat. I will tip if it's good service. But if I'm at Taco Bell and you didn't, no yeah.
Speaker 2And then you wonder if the tip goes to the person. You have certain coffee shops where they'll have people with the iPads and they're taking your order, but they're not the ones making it Right. So you're like, if I tip, am I tipping this person?
Speaker 3I wonder about who am I tipping? I wonder that with bus people, yeah, like bus people sometimes will will get their tips and I've seen some bus people like hand it to the waiter waitress and others. I haven't, you know, I don't.
Speaker 2So yeah, it's like who's?
Speaker 1getting this right. Right, it varies from business to business because, uh, they do tip sharing and depending on who does the tip share, like who it goes to, I'm excited. Remember, um, remember, when I worked at uh apparently you don't remember.
Speaker 3That was my first job I worked at that was only like 10 years ago it was 12 years ago you're right. 12 and a half years ago I stand corrected anyways, it was that, uh, something in company.
Speaker 1You know what I'm talking about oh, yes, I did. Um, we had to tip out uh 10, but instead of like like a weekly thing, they did it at the end of the season that they would give it to the rest of the staff.
Speaker 2Yeah, that way, they hope you forget how much you got in tips and then, yeah, I know who ran that, so that's probably how that went.
Speaker 3Do y'all ever go into a new restaurant? And there's nobody there to seat you and you're like, do I sit myself?
Speaker 2Oh gosh.
Tipping in Different Scenarios
Speaker 1There's no sign that says You're like god, what do I do if we sit? Are they gonna not know? We, I'll just. I'll just go home or or like restaurants.
Speaker 2It's it's like a chain restaurant, but they're all different, so it's like walmart when you go get an oil change. Half of them you, you go into the building right, half of them you stand there, some of them you pull up, some of them you leave your car in the parking lot. So I always go in just like I don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 1I need an oil change. Take them, change the gas, whatever.
Speaker 2Yes, and I always guess wrong. So I'm like I'll wait on a guy to walk up, and then he walks up and then he's like oh yeah, you have to do that inside. So the next time I go to inside and they're like, oh no, you do it out there and I'm like I feel stupid. Yeah, I don't know what to do. You already feel stupid because you're half a man. Yeah right, that's what I'm saying. Man like darn darn did he darn darn like a story.
Speaker 1Uh, when, uh, we went to Savannah Georgia piggybacking off. When you're talking about blessing that one kid, we went to Savannah the last day we were there.
Speaker 2Before we he's got a phone call you have an alarm going off cookies in the oven, like what's the bible study every night oh but oh, okay, there you go yeah oh sorry so, um, that was the last day before we flew back home and, like I, saved up a crap ton of money for our honeymoon.
Speaker 1It's a lot, yeah. And so we went to this asian fusion their specific amount of a crap ton. How much is that Exactly, I think for the entire trip.
Speaker 2Is there change in there? Is it just like a dollar amount?
Speaker 1The change that was left is what we used for that tip. I was trying to remember I was trying to see if Liv remembered. I want to say because I saved up about $6,000 or so oh nice. And that was like spending money. Yeah, and we had. I want to say we left $1,400.
Speaker 2Really, as a tip, there we go.
Speaker 1It was like an Asian fusion restaurant that we went to. Wow, that's awesome.
Speaker 3You definitely blessed somebody, yes, and like.
Speaker 2You know that that's such a good time when you're able to do that to somebody, because that's life changing for someone. You know that that for some people it seems like nothing, but for for a lot, when you're not expecting that, that is a big deal.
Speaker 3It's kind of annoying to watch the people that make videos of it. Though, yeah, like you're and that's a you're not wanting to bless somebody, you're just wanting views and it's like I'm so on the fence with it yeah because it it is inspiring.
Speaker 2You know, it makes me want to go and do that, or be able to do that, so it's like that's such a hard.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's such a hard thing, I can't remember, but it's like the Bible kind of talks about, you know, giving, and giving generously and not yeah.
Speaker 2Don't let your left hand know what your left hand is doing.
Speaker 1Yeah, so when we did that, we didn't wait for the person we got the little book, put the money in there, closed it and we left.
Speaker 2That is awesome.
Speaker 1And I always, what would you?
Speaker 2do if you got that Quit, I mean shoot.
Speaker 1I mean in Savannah. That's probably a month's rent.
Speaker 2Like that. Oh man, I don't know what I like, man.
Speaker 3What about paying it forward? Have y'all ever done that in a drive-thru?
Speaker 2Yes, that is such a good feeling. Yep, I had a lady. It wasn't a drive, it was at walmart.
Speaker 3I was getting groceries and the lady in front of me did that.
Speaker 1Oh, tyler did something oh gosh, I started thinking about this like show or whatever. And this guy was in the drive-thru and the woman's like would you like to pay it forward and pay for the person behind you's meal? Sure pays for it. It's like twenty dollars. And then he goes, drives super fast and he cuts this woman off. He's like wait, let me do something.
Speaker 1He goes behind you and uh, because she's gonna ask the guy behind him, so he gets behind that guy. It's like 30 cheeseburger, 30 tacos, 30 fries, 30 drinks oh, that's messed up. Try to get it she asked him and, like you can, just you can't hear, but you can see the conversation going on and the dude just looks behind him and the guy that like ordered all that. It's just like looking straight, no eye contact. That's funny. That's what it reminded me of.
Speaker 2I'm sorry, go ahead yeah, but a lady at walmart did that yeah you know, and then because when you don't expect it, you're ready to pay for your stuff. So then you're like well, yeah, I was gonna pay for this anyway right you know it's nothing and yeah, you see, people just like oh man, and I've tried to do that anytime I can, you know, like when, when I feel like I'm able to do that, I try to do something like that just like oh man, I got that, or I'll buy somebody like uh, um, ricky, I saw ricky at the gas station yeah and it was just buying his drink.
Speaker 2He was getting a fountain drink. I'm just like, hey, I'm gonna get his fountain drink too. Just got it and left, you know, and just something so small, you know.
Speaker 1It's just like, oh, that's, that's pretty cool that makes I know when that's happened to me. It makes me feel seen. Yeah, because it could be just like, like you said, just like a casual encounter with someone hey, how you doing, you know, not really notice. Yeah, that person could ask you know, or someone could ask you hey, who'd you saw? I can't even remember, but something like that makes you feel seen in that moment and it's an amazing thing to you.
Speaker 3Like you said, you just never know what people are going through you know that that free drink or coffee or whatever. That could have made their entire week right.
Speaker 2Oh, that was really cool man, mom, mom found she went to walmart and got like a purse it was like a little change purse, money purse, not like a big one and she got home and she had it for a few months or whatever. She was getting ready to finally use it. So she just had it at home, it was sitting, and finally she was getting ready to use it and went to tear all the tags off and cleaning the paper out and all that Found $100 in it.
Speaker 2Oh wow, somebody had just put it in there to bless somebody. I was like that's so cool to think about. I'm going to put this in here, put it on the shelf. Somebody eventually is going to be blessed by it. I'd be afraid that it would get discontinued, ended up in a dumpster, but she sure did. It was a $100 bill in the pocket of the purse.
Speaker 3For some reason I never get people offered to pay for my groceries?
Speaker 2Oh no, Both baskets. You look like Fast and the Furious, pulling up all together with all your carts.
Speaker 1They're like next person maybe I'm always tempted to do that if I'm like. Dg. People aren't going up to the registries with cartfuls of groceries. But they'll have a good handful of stuff. I always want to do it for the people that are fumbling with their cash.
Speaker 3I got you, I got you, just get out of the way. Do you know? There are still people that write checks Older people obviously.
Speaker 1It's like watching someone use a typewriter?
Speaker 3yeah, I was like how are you even doing?
Speaker 1that, okay, I'm gonna. I used to write checks, but I my checkbook ran out and I'd never ordered anymore, so I stopped writing checks.
Speaker 2I don't know why I'm gonna do this, because y'all's gonna use it against me, but you know, here we go uh, yeah, I remember it was probably three or four months ago, oh gosh.
Speaker 3He must know the story. Oh gosh, I had to write.
Speaker 2I can't remember what I had to write it for, but I had to write it for a reason. And I got to the counter and again I freak out and they're asking me questions, 20 questions. So I'm like standing here and I'm just like hold up, I got to get, it's 20 questions. So I'm like standing here and I'm just like hold up, I gotta get and I go to and I realize, um, I haven't wrote a check in 20 years so I'm standing there with the.
Speaker 2They're just I mean just eye to eye, just looking at me, just like are you?
Speaker 1gonna and you're wanting to ask them do you know how to write a check?
Speaker 2oh, I go, I look at them and I look down and I looked at him and I looked down and then, I look at him and then. So then I go. I try to be smooth with it, like my phone's ringing, so so there's nothing smooth about that so he's looking at me. He's looking at me and I give him the old hold up finger and I'm like, oh, hold up one, one second.
Speaker 3I'm sorry you googled how to write a check. Yes, yes, don't ever tell that story again.
Speaker 2I'm like one one second, let me, and I'm like, I'm like one second Let me, and I'm like hold up, and I have to put it down, I have to Hold on Listen. Listen okay Dang, I had to first First.
Speaker 3First I had to put the phone to my ear like because you got a phone call.
Speaker 2Yeah right, right, right, gotta stay with it. So then I go. So then I have to act like it's not working, like I don't have signal. So this is all why he's staring at me. So I'm like hello, I can't hear. I'm sorry here, hold up, and I start acting like I'm trying to change settings on my phone when I'm really googling how to write a check.
The Meaning of Generosity
Speaker 1You know what's funny? He could probably see the glare from your glasses, I'm sure oh, I'm sure, I'm sure, and here, and, and, and again I don't know why I tell these stories, because here's the bad part.
Speaker 2Oh, that wasn't the bad part.
Speaker 1No, that was the good part, yeah.
Speaker 2So I finally get fumbling around and again he's standing here, just like I got people behind me Like sweats going down the back of my neck. I mean I'm just pit sweat going on and I go to start writing it and he looks at me and he goes hey, you don't have to write that, we could just put it in the machine.
Speaker 3He went through all of that drama for nothing. Where was this? At Walmart Dude.
Speaker 2So he just took the blank check and put it in the, and it does it for you yeah, it's 2025. Oh my gosh, they can do that. And I, I left there feeling questioning all of your life choices. Yeah.
Speaker 1Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3That's hilarious.
Speaker 1That's going and.
Speaker 3I'm almost brothers of fame.
Speaker 2yeah, and I know the whole time. He's just sitting there like this idiot does not know how to write a check, so he let me go through all this.
Speaker 1He sees in the in your glasses. I'll write a check anybody.
Speaker 2So now I'm wondering did he know the whole time? And he's just letting me fumble around for 45 seconds 100% acting like I'm on the phone. I guarantee he probably saw that the phone wasn't even on when I'm like this it is now part of his family's lore.
Speaker 3Let me tell you about this one guy glad I could help him out you're welcome.
Speaker 2Carl from Walmart man I did not know.
Speaker 3I'm like I get that away when I write a letter I'm like memo because I so rarely do that yeah, like where does the address does? Mine. Go here or does mine?
Speaker 2go here. Yeah, here's my thing.
Speaker 1Here's my thing, and not not not like cracking jokes at y'all because you're older than me, oh okay, but y'all like that was. You did that in y'all's day. Yeah, you wrote letters, you wrote checks, uh-huh, I don't do none of that. That's a good point, but I know how to do it.
Speaker 2That's a good point, though I mean, that's true.
Speaker 1That's yeah four. You got to walmart. Well, I didn't even think about it. And then I look and I'm like oh god, wait, it's been 30 years and then I forgot about this.
Speaker 2And then I handed him the check and I forgot that, jamie, because she's awesome and she loves me, she got me our checkbook was all superheroes, so I really looked like a 12 year old kid that don't know how to write a check. They got that's got freaking spider-man on his checkbook, carl from walmart.
Speaker 1He's probably with your parents, he's probably thinking his checks are the same as his bed sheets.
Speaker 2Right, exactly he's like he definitely has a car bed at home. 100, yeah, it was, it was, it wasn't what's wrong with the car bed?
Speaker 3it wasn't fun, never had, so that was that was.
Speaker 2But yeah, check, you know letters. That's true too yeah, that's funny, but yeah, that that was my last experience with a check and you should not, first and last don't do that no more now not have checks card. Yeah, debit card.
Speaker 3Debit card. That's it. Do y'all have a problem with tap to pay? Yes, because, Every machine is different.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1You're just.
Speaker 2You don't know where.
Speaker 3Yeah, waving it all over the machine.
Speaker 2Does it have tap to pay? Does it not? Does the Right?
Speaker 3That's a whole. It on there like 20 seconds. How are you?
Speaker 2supposed to know that it's called hello? Is this on test test?
Speaker 3it's called tap to pay, not lay it on there, lay to pay like shouldn't I be able to tap it?
Speaker 2how come the the stinking what's the thing called the little chip reader never?
Speaker 1works. I hate, I hate that feeling like because oh, my card just got declined. Yeah, and I don't know why, yeah, and you go through that, that five seconds of panic, and then they oh yeah, it doesn't really work all the time and it's never.
Speaker 2Oh, it doesn't work, swipe it. No, it has to fail three times. Right, then you go to swipe it, then you go, and then, and then, and then and then, and then and then why is there 75 questions?
Speaker 3oh yeah dg do you
Speaker 2want to do. You want a receipt. Would you like to round up? Do you want to donate? Did your meeting go good with the dollar general cashier? Would you like to buy a stock?
Speaker 1stocks and bonds. Those are still things, right, I'm like I just want to go home, yeah all I've. I've done this a bunch of times at dg on the thing where the the last one is uh, how would you rate your experience? I always forget about, so I'll start grabbing the bag and like, oh, there's one more yeah get a skip thing next.
Speaker 2Okay, thank you for yeah, and then they hand you 20 receipts.
Speaker 1Yes, it's like I like.
Speaker 2They're killing the trees and nobody before you takes their receipt.
Speaker 3so there's 111 receipts yeah, I've seen that too. They don't clear them.
Speaker 1I hate it at gas stations, where, if it's rainy or really cold outside and it plays 20 questions with you it's like just pump the gas. Here's my card. I want to sit in my car and wait oh, mike refuses to pay at the pump yeah, I don't, yeah, I take mine.
Speaker 2I take mine because they'll take out that brother, big brother they'll take that big brother whole cousin sam some of those take out like hey, you want 20 in gas, we're gonna take out 150 until it clears yes, nonsense, murphy's, is that away? So it's like no, that issue. Yeah, jamie's had that happen. I'll say that's why I never paid the.
Speaker 1I always go I've never had that. I, every time I finish uh pumping, I get the notification from the bank.
Speaker 3Yeah, 24 or whatever, yeah murphy's has done it to me and k one casey's did it. I don't remember which one it was, but one Casey's did it to me. But it's the only times I've ever had, but it has happened. Murphy's was like $150.
Speaker 2And it puts a hold for like a day and it's like no, let's not have that happen. I like how Sam's Club does theirs you scan your membership and it's got it saved and you just pumping it I don't think I've ever gotten gas.
Speaker 1That's pretty cool, I didn't know you could get gas at a discount yep at a discount.
Speaker 2Scan your sam's card and then, whatever card you have on file, it automatically that you just start pumping and then sam's club. Yeah, we don't have a membership, we're not part of the club and I like the club and I like how sam's club knows they have the little thing. They have a person at the door because now everywhere is checkout, Self-checkout. That's a whole other episode, oh my gosh. But as you're walking out, they oh no, you're good, they don't need to check your 16 items and make sure they're all on your receipt.
Speaker 3No, they scan your receipt. Scan two or three items and you're good.
Speaker 2But they don't even do that at at the one in jonesboro, really. It sends them a notification on their tablet who is who is walking? They're good, they're good, they're good, so they just go it kind of knows, I guess what you what you brought and all that. Yeah, brother, I refuse to stop when I'm leaving the walmart just shake your receiver I refuse shake it like a salt if you want to make sure I'm not stealing put somebody at a checkout. Why even build all the checkouts?
Speaker 3They're all closed.
Speaker 2I don't understand.
Speaker 3I did that yesterday. I went to a Walmart and every self-checkout was closed. Why do y'all even have them. And what it is is. They built them all and now they realize well crap, we're getting shoplifted.
Speaker 2Well, they've got 14 self-checkouts all closed, and then they've got 25 registers, one open, Yep.
Speaker 1What are we?
Speaker 2doing.
Speaker 3Walmart, get it together.
Speaker 2Why do I have to walk around Walmart chasing Susan B Anthony down? Excuse me, ma'am.
Speaker 1I need to get in Going downhill for her.
Speaker 3Why Is she haunting Walmart? What's going on?
Speaker 2Excuse me, I need to get a $6 charger out of y'all's locked case, please. Yeah, so I could write a check and get my $6 charger.
Speaker 1No, the awkward part aboutmart's new policies and stuff like pregnancy tests. They're right next to the adult fun stuff yes, and so I've got to call someone over there, and then, and then, and then they have to walk with me to the register yes, holding the pregnancy test yes, yeah, like it's not, yeah, yeah I feel like I'm taking a walk of shame.
Speaker 2Yeah, like you're five years old just like this is awkward, oh oh. I went to walmart talking about walk of shanes, like it won't. I had to get dog food, and what else did we get? It was so, um, it was like valentine's Day flowers and candy and it was all together, so it was like dog food and flowers. What a combo. Yes, and they like look at me and I'm like why are you looking at me weird? And they're like flowers and dog food and I'm like no, it ain't even.
Speaker 3I love my dog. Come on now. It could be two different ways.
Speaker 1You either really love your dog or you hate your wife, right.
Speaker 2And I'm like it's neither of those things, yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 1If it's neither. What'd you buy them all for?
Personal Tipping Experiences
Speaker 2well, it's not that I it was. Either I really don't like my wife or I really love my. Neither of those. It's somewhere in the middle. I love, I love the dog, but not that much oh I was like then why, why'd you buy that stuff?
Speaker 1oh gosh collectibles.
Speaker 2So now we're gonna move into. That's what's up, that's what's up? What's up up. So this is a segment where we talk about something that we're watching, listening to or playing video games, movies, music. What do y'all have going on in your life?
Speaker 1that's what's up I feel like I've got a lot.
Speaker 2Oh, honestly, okay, new stuff, so yeah or just kind of okay so shows no rookie spoilers.
Speaker 1I haven't watched any spoilers uh, I ain't gonna get no spoilers getting good though so, yeah, new season of rookie. We finished suits. I know we got, oh my gosh, nine, nine seasons, nine seasons we got up.
Speaker 2Yeah, nine long seasons we're on the fourth episode, so we're right there.
Speaker 1Yeah, really just yeah, just going to them so we're waiting for suits la, because for I saw, uh, the guy plays jake jakel scene one tree hills in suits la oh, he's awesome okay, so that's why I wanted to watch suits la brian greenberg, yeah and so I was like I can't watch suits, la, without watching suits.
Speaker 1And I tried it once before, kind of got into it but but kind of lost interest. So I was like, all right, I'm gonna try it again. And I got it. Um, what else are we watching? There's one more I can't remember. Um, we've got I'm trying to think I'm new music I'm listening to, think any new music I'm listening to, okay, so there's a actually. So I've been going on tiktok live lately and going on other people's lives and, uh, like, doing music and stuff, I'm actually getting money from that nice okay like probably in a collective two weeks, 40 bucks.
Speaker 2Hey, nice.
Speaker 1But there's a guy on there and I'll I'll play like a, like a quick 10.
Speaker 2So you're on the illegal app getting getting the illegal money, but as a guy I'm on there and his like, he's a country singer.
Speaker 1He's not big or anything, but his, his voice is. He's got a higher kind of higher pitch voice, but it's just something. Something about that and his music, I like it. Um, let me play like a quick like okay little something something
Speaker 2something guitar just guitar, in case y'all didn't know that. Okay, okay, okay, that's probably about all we could play.
Speaker 1It's probably about all we could play without getting copyrighted Right, but it's a yeah, he's good, very cool. Shout out who was that? His name is.
Speaker 2Cam Davis, cam Davis Shout out yeah, come on the pod.
Speaker 1Yeah, come on the pod. Yeah, that's been. I'm about to start recording, yeah, cause I finally have time. I just gotta find time to write more. I haven't written a song in a month at least I've been so busy. You have a challenge, I know that's what I'm keeping in mind. I'd say I have half an album written that's awesome.
Speaker 2How are you doing on your challenge? 4 pounds come on, that's better than no pounds.
Speaker 1Wait 4 pounds down, yeah, okay just making sure there's four pounds up, just clarifying. Wait, a second behind I've been doing.
Speaker 3I've been doing really good. I have not added exercise into into what I'm doing. I'm just I drop the sugar, don't drink sodas, that sort of thing. But you know I have every once in a while I'll get the ice cream or something. You, because you can't just give up everything.
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 3Life will be miserable.
Speaker 2But, yeah down four pounds. It is Well, you got going on. That's what's up.
Speaker 3So Breacher season three came out. Yeah, huge fan, they actually found somebody bigger than Alan Rickson to play the enemy in this one. It's amazing, the dude is a monster. But so season three we're watching that, watching a new show on NBC called the Hunting Party.
Speaker 2Okay.
Speaker 3It's about a profiler hunting serial killers my favorite genre.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3Because I'm creepy. I'm playing uh hogwarts yeah on the xbox, which is phenomenal. Yeah, it's a good game it's got you know, it's got a lot of it. It's not harry potter based yeah but it's hogwarts based, so it's got a lot of the uh, the castle and just stuff that you saw in harry potter, but it's not yeah it's not harry potter, so it's really really cool game and I want to say we were watching something else yeah, what's that?
Speaker 2one show that that it's on now. Um well, they're trying to extract.
Speaker 3Yes, it's extracted. Oh, extracted is so good, that's a good one that y'all should watch we started watching that.
Speaker 2It's called.
Speaker 1It's a good one that y'all should watch. We started watching that. It's called Extracted. It's a reality show.
Speaker 3Is it?
Speaker 2the family thing Kind of I don't know they drop these amateur survivalists into the wild On an island. Then they have their family back at headquarters. Okay, yeah, that's one thing.
Speaker 3It is so good. It's on Fox.
Speaker 1I've heard there's a show that Lyft started watching called High Potential. Basically think of suits, but instead of lawyers it's detectives and it's got more of a comedic aspect to it.
Speaker 2You ever watch. It's Always Sunny in.
Speaker 1Philadelphia. Yes, you know the girl on there.
Speaker 2Dee, yeah, blonde. I'm trying to think of her at real land.
Speaker 1Yes, she's, she's the main character for that okay, very nice, I don't know that one. It's, it's it's pretty good. I get so mad at it because there's one of the he's like the main detective in all the cases they do. I get so mad because there's like I remember, remember there's one that was like oh yeah, we found the guy that did it because for some reason, we just never checked this one thing that he mentioned he was at during this time where the murder happened.
Speaker 1So we're like, oh okay, we'll move on to the next one. And Liv gets so mad when we watch it because I'll pause it and I'll be like it's not like he told you, he was here when the murder happened, so maybe check the alibi.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 3Not take his word for it Sorry.
Speaker 2Uh-oh, uh-oh.
Speaker 3She's going to defend her show Uh-oh Stop. I'm not even listening to what you're saying. Uh-oh, uh-oh.
Speaker 2Stop, I'm not even listening to what you're saying, uh-oh.
Speaker 3You are being rude, stop, uh-oh, let me take you down a little bit oh snap, this show is stupid.
Speaker 1The show's not stupid Dern the show's not stupid.
Speaker 3Dern diddy. Dern dern, the detective is stupid, the detectivist High potential.
Speaker 1No, the detective is stupid, leave me alone.
Speaker 3Bye, Golly so anyway what I am, what you got going on.
Speaker 2So I am now. I've caught the bug again the collecting.
Speaker 3One Tree Hill.
Speaker 2The collecting bug. Oh yeah, we're on One Tree Hill. We're on season Baby. What we had on One Tree Hill, season five, Episode Baby. What we had on One Trio, season five, episode four. You won't believe how it ends. It's great, it's great stuff. If you ever watch One Trio, please, please, watch it. It's the greatest show ever made. Anyway, the collecting bug, outside of what I already collect VHSs and Toys no, no, no, but I am back on collecting vinyl.
Speaker 3Oh, that's an expensive hobby. Yes, it is, yes, it is and it's.
Speaker 2it's went down a little bit, but I really, especially when it comes to vinyl, I like bands like more music than anything. But I've been kind of researching new kind of indie rock, folk type music Like I really like. Um, let's see. Of course I like death cab for cutie that's one of my favorite bands in the whole world but, um, oh my gosh, what did I look up the other day?
Speaker 2there was like four check there was like four new kind of like folk rock type bands that have you heard I was looking up tyler hilton's music.
Speaker 1He's kind of no who tyler hilton. Oh yes, yeah, I was gonna say he's, he's a kind of a like a focus country. I almost think of it as like kind of alternative country and it's just.
Speaker 2I've listened to a few songs like man do I want to get? I, I want to get the Beatles greatest hits. That's on there, mumford and sons I'll put that on my list. So I'm trying to get more music and you know cause my my challenge was to take my Mondays off and kind of chill. So we're going to get our record player set up at the house and and I want to just listen to some music and kind of shut all the electronics off and just enjoy a little bit in the morning of just good music.
Speaker 1so good music. Smoke a cigar? Yeah, I have no cigar, yeah can't finish that one, yeah, yeah um, but yeah.
Speaker 2So so kind of trying to like death cab is my my big go-to. I can, and just especially albums that you could put on, just let play all the way through. So that's kind of what I've been mine is appetite for destruction, that's oh gosh yeah that's a good one. That's a good album yeah it's the reason why I was like the second, the one high selling album.
Speaker 1That comes to my mind is 1x by three days, grace.
Speaker 2Okay, there you go.
Recap and Final Thoughts
Speaker 1I'm pretty sure I've listened to that album top to bottom a few times on a long road trip. That's all I listen to I got the Beatles' greatest hits.
Speaker 2That's one I got on my list. I like Coldplay. I don't like all of Coldplay but I like some of it.
Speaker 1I'm not a huge fan, but I like the Scientist.
Speaker 3Evanescence.
Speaker 2Oh gosh, we watched three new movies, all of which were big letdowns. Interstellar that was a letdown.
Speaker 3There was one you told me about. I can't remember what it was yeah there was like Jura no 2.
Speaker 2I think I talked about that one already I've heard about that, and there was another movie we watched that was oh, nosferatu. I just watched that and it was a letdown.
Speaker 3Really I thought that would be good.
Speaker 2It was. I mean it wasn't bad. I need to watch it again because it.
Speaker 1I thought, the acting was really good. It was just kind of weird, and usually I like the weird movies. Did you ever watch the original? What was it?
Speaker 2A long time ago.
Speaker 1I haven't those kind of look like the really famous silent black and white ones I would watch.
Speaker 3You watched Sonic.
Speaker 2Yeah, we watched Sonic 3. That's right, we went to theaters.
Speaker 3That's your son's first date. Yeah, that went good. Yeah, miss lily was there. That's what's up.
Speaker 2Yeah, no, that's what's up first day, uh, valentine's day it was it was good it was. It was about a seven out of ten, it was not bad. Yeah, the date or the movie, the movie, the movie. I thought I thought the date went good. We kind of let them sit a couple rows up from us and hang out together, and and it was good it was good.
Speaker 1I don't even remember my first date, I don't know I do.
Speaker 2It was me and jamie of course it was yeah, and shocker, it was a, it was a group hang yeah, that's not a date there was like eight of us that were all couples quince apple date and we watched superstarstar. Oh my gosh, yes, oh yeah.
Speaker 1It took me a second Gosh dang it Stick my hands into my arms and smell them like that.
Speaker 2And I remember we were sitting in there and there was like one scene she was in like a bikini or something, you know nothing crazy. But I remember we were all sitting in there and the guy's house who were at his parents came out oh, and they flipped out. Man watch it's like it's a. They're at the beach, it's a bikini, like it's okay, you know, and it was, uh, it was crazy, but I told my buddy that night I was gonna marry her, that's a true story.
Speaker 3And you did. Yes, I did.
Speaker 2We know, we all know did I know at that time, yeah, I don't know, but are you glad you did absolutely?
Speaker 3100 of the time blink if you're in danger well, y'all got anything else on your heart?
Speaker 1I'm thinking real hard.
Speaker 2This could take a while all right, well, we'll get back to you next episode.
Speaker 1There's just so much there's just so much on my mind. It's been such a busy. Busy like last night, like after working all day and going straight to church and a three hour rehearsal oh my gosh.
Speaker 2Tired.
Speaker 1Yeah, what was?
Speaker 2last night. Oh, it was Wednesday.
Speaker 1Okay, yeah, I was like what did I do? Yeah, yeah, it was like we're finishing up. I looked at the.
Speaker 2I gotta go yeah, I've got to go home, I can I've my. I am drained yeah, I said my battery's dead, dead, I've got to go rich.
Speaker 3Surgery went well, yeah yeah, I had a cyst removed off my neck. It's been there for years. It took 30 minutes to take care of it. It was bigger than I thought it was, but they got it out there you go. I just keep thinking of the check story. I'm sorry, it just makes me giggle.
Speaker 2I'm kidding, it was bad. Carl shout out.
Speaker 3Hey listeners, we just want to thank you for your continued support for the Almost Brothers podcast. Do us a favor and go to your favorite platform and rate us and like us and share with everyone that you know. Thank you so much. Love you, much love you.
