Steakhouse manager comped my meal because I asked for ketchup

I was at this place in Austin last weekend, Longhorn Steakhouse near the domain. I ordered a ribeye, medium rare. It came out fine but I like ketchup on my fries so I asked the server for some. She brought it out, no big deal. Then the manager comes over maybe 5 minutes later and says they're taking my whole meal off the bill because asking for ketchup on steak is an insult to their chef. I didn't even complain about the steak itself. I tried to tell her it was just for the fries but she insisted. So I ate free and left a fat tip on the cash I saved. Has anyone else had a restaurant actually reward you for doing something they thought was weird?

2 comments

2 Comments

davis.linda5d ago

... that reminds me of this time I was at a little diner in New Mexico and I asked for hot sauce for my eggs. The waitress just stared at me and said "honey, the cook puts his whole soul into that green chile." I was like okay fair enough but I still wanted the hot sauce. So she comes back with the manager who hands me a bottle of Tabasco and says "this is the only kind that won't ruin his eggs." I paid full price but she gave me a free slice of pie later. People get really weird about their food traditions I guess.

palmer.jana5d ago

Did he hand you the Tabasco like it was a secret handshake or something? Sounds like you earned that pie through sheer stubbornness.