An Open Letter to a Great Bartender in Missoula Montana

Dear Bartender,

It was a Sunday night, and I was meeting friends at Imagine Nation Brewing. They had been visiting Montana and were heading out of town, so we got together for a beer before they said their goodbyes.

I've been recovering from shoulder surgery, so I haven't been drinking much. Lately, when I go out, I've been looking for mocktails or NA (non-alcoholic) options. I appreciated the chalkboard menu dedicated to NA options and quickly found something I could try.

I asked for the Kombucha on tap, which you said was peach (my favorite flavor of just about anything) and you could have left it at that. But then you said, with a twinkle in your eye, "You know what's really good? Mix that Kombucha with our Ginger Beer."

I was already sold, but you insisted I give it a try before committing so without asking, you poured me a sample. I took one sip and was hooked. It tasted so good my eyes almost rolled back in my head. BTW, I'd love it if this made a permanent appearance on the menu.

My friends and I enjoyed our drinks and the music and one another's company. When it was time to leave, we paid our tabs but my friends were taking just a little bit longer. When they finished their transaction they told us what happened.

My friend accidentally added an extra "0" to the tip and hadn't noticed. The original tip was close to 30%, arguably a pretty good tip. With the extra 0, he typed in $100. Here's what he said that caught my attention:

"Back home, if you did that, the bartender would just be like, 'Sorry, sucker,' leave the transaction alone, and take the much bigger tip."

He added that it was the type of kindness that seemed typical of Montanans. He appreciated the opportunity to correct the transaction.

From the drink recommendation to the kindness you showed my friend, I just wanted to say thank you for the excellent customer service.

Sincerely,

The Girl Who Loved Her Peach Kombucha and Ginger Beer