The waitress brought the bill on a mini-clipboard and the total was $39.xx so I put three $20 under the clip and she came back and took it away. I assumed she would realize it was a tip.
We were engrossed is conversation when the waitress is suddenly standing there with the mini-clipboard with money on it. I waved her off but noticed the top of the money was a $1.
I questioned my companion why would she change the $20 and was informed that is standard procedure to bring back change, even an obvious overpayment, in smaller bills in hopes of getting a tip.
It was one of those forehead slapping moments. Evidently everybody in the fucking world was aware of this protocol except me.
