Don’t ‘Skrimp’ on the Shrimp: Explaining the Rules on Craigslist

So. Much. Drama. And not just in ill-fated romantic forays arranged on Craigslist.

There’s a lot of drama on the job, too.

Is the customer always right? A server at a restaurant chain that offers all-you-can eat “skrimps” – that's what some customers call the little fishies – explains the rules:

“Be respectful. The staff is havin’ a really hard time and you could make it easier just by being nice. Obviously when 75-100 people are in eating endless shrimp yo’re going to have to wait sometimes. You’re still getting a deal so suck it up.

“Try to be reasonable about length of stay. If you’re their for 2+ hours, you are basically robbing your server, and they’re just trying to pay their bills and feed their families. The pay is so shameful during endless ‘skrimp’ that some people have to get second jobs or quit altogether and that’s not right.

“Which brings me to … Tip for the work they do, not how much your bill is.. If you come in with 2 or 3 people and eat hundreds of shrimp over 3-4 hours, get a dozen drink refills, 4-5 bread baskets, extra sauces, and have your server box even more ‘skrimps’ up for you to take home, and leave $5-$7, you should be ashamed. I think if it’s been a lengthy stay with a good amount of runnin’, the tip at minimum should be $10. If we’re being honest it should be like $20. But even as I type this I know I’ll never see the day.”

The server had Patch.

But this respondent blew all that sympathy away. Name-calling isn’t cool.

Take this dude, for example.

This person used plenty of unflattering adjectives, too, and stopped just short of suggesting the woman at the pet store should be spayed. Why?

“She had her head so far up her (orifice) she can keep working ... as a measly dog groomer for the rest of her life and think she's Cesar Millan for all I care.”

Not everyone agrees. Some who do are just plain rude.

Around the Patches

In Ankeny, he just felt like they should chat. These folks did chat; how about a date?

In Johnston, this person may be bald before it’s over.

In Urbandale, are they there for the exercise or for something else? And that smile may have just been a smile.

In West Des Moines, what exactly was going on in that van? Also, you might be a redneck if …

In Waukee, the Facebook stalker is on the hot list and needs to talk before the big day. But that’s OK.

Does he pay child support?

Obviously, “Not So Country Girl” is too heartbroken to write coherently. “I want you to bug me, and (expletive) or I want you to want to bug me. But for my sake don't it just keeps me really sad. I don't want to be sad anymore. In six month bug me all you want. You weren't serious and that okay with me I'm over it. My heart isn't over it yet and I'm sorry. I wish you the best. “

His epistle is coherent, but wow.

More angst. Are you sick of it yet?

Confidential to the writer: You have to ask? Yes, continue to see him, but only for the purposes of a plot.

And finally, what exactly is he selling?