I ran a restaurant for seven years. Got called some pretty terrible things. As I used to say to the staff, I haven't got any money, but the customers do. Go and get it off them. That's the job. Extracting money from an awful person? Victory!

When social norms change, doesn't mean the entire world catches on immediately. Often for older people, they don't even know they've changed.

Having been in similar shoes to Anthony myself, turning them into moments of education rather than alienation is more productive for everyone in the long run.

Small business is hard and usually their heart is in the right place, but they've got to survive. Compromise is needed, otherwise all we end up with is fake-woke corporations who would have KPI'd Anthony out the door long ago. Often in a small town, the most awful are also the most influential, so "no great loss" isn't always true. A middle ground position? Anthony should have told Tim, and Tim should have taken over with that customer.