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.