I got more tips at Olive Garden by giving out free dessert and I didn't mind breaking the rules to make people happy

Thais Rodriguez.

Courtesy of Thais Rodriguez

• Thais Rodriguez worked as a server for two years at an Olive Garden restaurant in Florida.
• She said after she started giving away free desserts, her tips sometimes doubled.
• Rodriguez would also wear makeup and put her hair in pigtails to get more tips.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Thais Rodriguez, a 21-year-old former server at Olive Garden in Florida. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.