We believe that a big part of culture is shared language. We have a shared language we call the Beratung Vernacular that helps us all row in the same direction. Some of these include The Ugly Couch, Fully Known, Fully Loved, Fully Challenged, Swatting BATs, among many others. One of our most used and also most recent additions is Give ‘Em The Pickle.
A pickle is any way you live our core value of Honor Others. It’s the small ways you go above and beyond and often outside the box to serve others.
“Give ‘Em The Pickle” Origin Story
The story behind “Give ‘Em the Pickle” originates from Bob Farrell, founder of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor when he received a letter from a disappointed customer, who had visited one of his restaurants.
The customer explained that they always enjoyed the restaurant but had been upset when a server refused to provide an extra pickle, unless the customer paid for it. This seemingly small issue prompted the customer to consider never returning. Bob realized the bigger picture: it wasn’t about the cost of a pickle; it was about the customer feeling valued and appreciated. He coined the term “Give ‘Em the Pickle” to highlight that businesses should focus on customer satisfaction by going above and beyond. The “pickle” is a metaphor for any extra effort—big or small— that makes the customer experience outstanding.
Ralph of Wisp
“Give ‘Em The Pickle” became the rallying cry of how we approach business and life after the 2024 Beratung University. It all started when we met Ralph, the security guard at WISP, at DC’s Grille at WISP the day before Beratung University. Ralph had stopped by to refill his water and make his rounds. He overheard a few of us that were down the day before to set up talking about our upcoming conference and some frustrations we had the prior year and this year with WISP’s management.
The conversation was about some small things they had made overly complex or rigid that didn’t cost a lot of money or take a lot of time, but if they accommodated us, would make us spend more money and keep us coming back. As the “Fred” (see the book Fred Factor) of WISP resort, he could not help but interject himself into the guest experience conversation.
Ralph had been retired for years and started working as a security guard as an excuse to spend more time at his Deep Creek house and serve others. He talked about some of his own frustrations at the current management and what he had shared with them. He then told us a concept from his career days called “Give’ Em The Pickle” and how they just don’t GIVE ‘EM THE PICKLE. It’s that simple.
The Rally Cry
After sharing the story with us, Ralph, shocked that a group that loves leadership development and customer service excellence had never heard of it, shared the video of Bob Farrell in all his 1990s gaudiness and quirkiness glory telling the pickle story. We immediately fell in love with the story Bob shared and the simplicity of the concept.
We felt like Bob had put into words an attitude of our culture. People that have not been a fit in our culture just didn’t understand the meaning of “Give ‘Em the Pickle.” They missed the big picture by trying to follow the rules and not the intent. They ignored pounds by picking up pennies. They with the best intent gave a poor experience. They simply just didn’t give ‘em the pickle!
Later that night a few of us wanted to enjoy a cigar outside by the fire pit that was not on. The front desk did not want to turn the fire pit on, designed for guests to enjoy while staying there on cold nights. Ralph stepped in, he uncovered it, cleaned it off and turned it on. He simply gave us the pickle.
Then as we enjoyed some cigars, out comes Ralph with blankets to further enhance our experience. These things were low cost and low effort that enhanced our enjoyment and increased the likelihood of us to talk about the WISP to encourage others to come back or for us to come back. The mantra had become our rally cry.
You Can’t Make This Up
The next day as our team gathered for our Beratung University team day we were again running into issues with WISP. They would not allow us to bring our own food and drinks into the conference space but also refused to cater our smaller group due to staffing shortages. Instead of helping us come up with an agreeable solution to make them more money and help us deliver a better experience, they started arguing with us and citing rules.
Then steps in Ralph, he explained our plight to the management, who then helped come up with an agreeable solution. He simply gave us the pickle. That night we introduced Ralph to the team and played the video. It went from being the rally cry of a few to the entire team. We ended up introducing Ralph to the entire conference and playing the video for the entire conference. Through our few days together, everyone was pointing out the pickle and looking introspectively at how we give ‘em the pickle.
The Legacy
After Beratung University 2024, we bought the mantra back and adopted it as part of our culture. In the vein of what gets rewarded gets repeated and to not be stiff necked, we have now memorialized this as part of our culture with the introduction of the Give ‘Em The Pickle Trophy!
This simple concept became a mantra for delivering exceptional service, reminding businesses and employees to prioritize customer relationships over rigid policies, and to do whatever it takes to keep customers coming back.
Given annually to the team member that does the best job going the extra mile to delight clients, vendors, family and friends by focusing on their individual needs and providing exceptional service. The “pickle” represents the little extra effort or special touch that keeps customers happy and loyal. Given our focus on the 412, we were torn between making the trophy a representation of a Heinz Pickle or the Green Weenie from the Pirates.
We ultimately modeled after Green Weenie because of our love of the Pirates and it’s flat on one side, not requiring a stand.
The Green Weenie
Our Give ‘Em the Pickle Award design was inspired by a bit of Pittsburgh sports lore. The Green Weenie was a beloved, quirky fan tradition of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1960s. It originated in 1966 when Bob Prince, the Pirates’ famous radio broadcaster, noticed a player shaking an actual hot dog toward the opposing team as a playful attempt to jinx them.
Inspired by the moment, Prince and Danny Whelan, a vendor at Forbes Field, turned it into a more practical (and sellable) good-luck charm by creating the green plastic version. The Green Weenie was a small, green plastic rattle shaped like a hot dog, and fans waved it in the air to jinx opposing teams or inspire Pirates players.
Prince would humorously hype up its supposed mystical powers on air, claiming the Green Weenie could influence games. Fans enthusiastically embraced it, turning it into a symbol of team spirit during that era. Although it faded in popularity over time, the Green Weenie remains a nostalgic piece of Pittsburgh sports history.
The Green Weenie made a comeback in the early 90’s and Greg still has his Green Weenie that was a handout at Three Rivers stadium.
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Give ‘Em The Pickle is just one of the ways we try to let our culture teach what teaching can not! As you go about your day today, remember to Give ‘Em The Pickle!
Give ‘Em The Pickle is just one of the ways we try to let our culture teach what teaching can not! As you go about your day today, remember to Give ‘Em The Pickle!