Our dental office and a tiny restaurant have been neighbors in an expensive but kinda crappy plaza for the past 25-ish years. Both of our locations have largely retained the same employees over the decades. We got to know their hardworking people as the little restaurant became an easy go-to lunch location for us when we needed a break from bagged lunches.

The feud probably started with them giving us free soda with our food to which we might’ve reciprocated with a free examination/consultation.

I’m happy to report that things have escalated. We now each refuse to let the other pay for anything.

Recently, I countered their cashier’s refusal to take our money by saying “Aww, thank you!” and then stuffing the money in the tip jar and running away. A few weeks after that, the doctor returned to the office from ordering lunch next door and unhappily reported that the cashier had hidden the tip jar.

Feuding Done Right: Counter acts of kindness with more acts of kindness.