January 8, 2001
CYBERCOLUMN:
Being a regular is worth the cost
___By Brett Younger
___"It’s always seemed out of reach, but one of my dreams has been to be some restaurant’s "regular." I have lots of excuses for never becoming a regular. It’s hard to be a regular when you don’t eat out very often. It’s difficult to find the right place. Lots of restaurants don’t have regulars. Nonetheless, I never completely gave up my dream of a place where the waitress knows my name.
___Some time ago, my wife, Carol, and I started acting a little like regulars. We were, I see in retrospect, flirting with the commitment. We started going to Harold Waite’s Pancake House about once a month. We always sit in the same booth—second from the end on the right. We always have the same excellent waitress. We once saw her line up five plates on her arm. She claims a record of 12, but we have yet to see it. We weren’t completely committed, but in the deep recesses of our hearts, I believe we were preparing to be regulars.
BRETT YOUNGER
___Then Catherine, our church secretary, generously gave us some Harold Waite’s gift certificates. What more obvious sign could there have been that it was time to step across the line from guest to regular? There was almost immediate progress. The manager greeted us with "Hey guys!" Our waitress figured out that I want my coffee refilled only once.
___ Of course, we’ve had setbacks, like the painful morning when the man behind the counter said: "We have booths and tables. Take your pick." I wanted to shout: "We know you have booths and tables! We’re almost regulars!"
___ At times, becoming a regular has been frightening. On one occasion, our waitress didn’t bring us menus. We didn’t want to ask for them (regulars shouldn’t need menus), but we weren’t ready for such a big step.
___We’ve learned about the disadvantages of being a regular. Regulars have to leave bigger tips. It takes longer for regulars to order, because we need to ask, "How are you doing?" and listen to the response. While few expectations are put on a guest, a regular is expected to be friendly even when not feeling friendly. Getting to know people is always a mixed blessing. We are glad to know that our waitress has children, but sad to hear when one is sick.
___Overall, this has been a good experience for us. I can’t tell you how impressed my brother-in-law was when our waitress brought us a decaf and a "leaded" before we sat down.
___Just recently, Carol and I decided we are genuine regulars. For the first time, our waitress brought the wrong order (pancakes instead of eggs). We decided she was having a bad day. We would eat what she brought and leave an extra large tip. This doesn’t sound like a particularly inspiring story, but it has led us to the conclusion that being a regular is worth the cost.
___On Sundays, most churches are a mix of regulars and guests. There are undeniable advantages to being a guest. Guests aren’t expected to know names, give or serve on a committee. It takes a commitment to be a regular, and getting to know people always is a mixed blessing.
___It seems likely that the great majority of the people who read the Baptist Standard on-line edition are some church’s regulars. Every once in a while, we need to remember that being a regular is worth the cost. In some ways, it’s a dream come true.
___Brett Younger is pastor of Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco.
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