Just Say Yes

I don't know if it's peculiar to our area, but a significant portion of our dinner business is driven by pharmaceutical companies. Drugs pay my bills. Pharmaceutical reps book speakers to tout the benefits of their products. The physicians show up to receive continuing education credits, hear about new research, have a great meal that's free, (although not without strings, I'm sure), and get free pens!
One physician in particular really abuses the situation. He immediately orders one of our dessert wines at $65 and drinks it with every course, including his appetizer. He shops our cigar selection and takes several for friends, asking us to put it on the bill as miscellaneous food. He requests cioppino to go and several desserts for his wife, kids, dog, etc. The reps tolerate him because he writes prescriptions galore.
As with any banquet, we ask the reps to guarantee a head count and they often have many no-shows. One doc told me if he wants to go out to dinner he can find someone to pay for it 7 days a week. I was told that the most courteous doctors are pediatricians. If they rsvp they keep their word. Someone recently corrected that and said no, the most courteous are podiatrists because they never get invited to anything.
So contrary to what Nancy Reagan may have told you, when the drug companies call, I just say yes.