The deluxe bill holder

Aside from the difficulties of dropping gnocchi (or tortellini or ravioli) into a pot of boiling water without significant splash-back, the biggest problem facing the world today has to do with the little leather-bound folder that holds a restaurant bill and pen.¹

At least it purports to be a bill-and-pen holder. But the problem, of course, is that it doesn't hold a pen.

Oh sure, it looks like you could fit a pen in the crease. But if you try to do that, the folder won't close. Maybe the crease is designed that way on purpose to insure higher tips. (The bill holder with the pen wedged in the crease, as pictured below, exposes the tip amount to everyone passing by to the surrounding tables.)

The only remaining alternative is to just shove the pen somewhere else in the folder. There's no space for it, mind you, but it can be done. Still, the picture below shows that it is impossible to close the folder all the way.

Keep in mind that wait staff generally picks up the folder with one hand while multi-tasking on other errands to or from another table or the kitchen. As a result, leaving the pen off to the side is not an option.

Unless you simply steal the pen, that is.

I simply do not see how America can rebuild its economy without solving this important problem.


¹It is occasionally called the restaurant bill folder. Or bill presenter. Or bill holder.

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