A folded bill says we don’t care.  The American Express wallet tries to say expensive but just reminds you they take cards.  A few sweets means we’ve thought about it but not enough to invest more than a cheap mint.  Then occasionally there’s the little printed card that says we’re modern and have taste but really only serves to justify the expensive water.

That’s all okay.  Receiving a bill isn’t a suprise.  I’m prepared for it, and unless you made the prices up on the menu I’ve probably an idea of what it’s going to cost.

The problem is that unless it’s half the price I expected, it’s a dead moment, weighed down by calculating who owes what and the acceptable percentage for service.

Instead it should be an opportunity to for a final ‘aha’ moment.  A way to reinforce what the service and experience is about.  Start by who cooked your food, maybe what their background is and if they have an award then tell them, how about where some of the ingredients came from and where to buy them, maybe even a simple recipe on the back that your customers can try at home.  Just choose something appropriate that reinforces your principles and if you are expensive, maybe justifies the extra cost.

It really can be something else. Something to talk about once you’ve left, maybe to keep as a memento and most importantly, something to make you go back.