I work as a kitchen assistant at a restaurant and I feel compelled to tell this story of what happened to my boss. He works both as the restaurant’s manager and host, so he has to meet everyone that comes in and show them their seats. I feel sorry for him as he has to deal with many stupid and arrogant customers, but when he told me this story I was shocked.
It happened on a bank holiday and I was not at work that day. It was also pouring with rain outside and the restaurant was very busy with only about two tables free. A snooty businessman came in and asked my boss for a table for ten people! He clearly did not notice the busy atmosphere. Anyway, my boss explains that they do not have any room for that amount of people. But this snooty bootie does not take no for an answer. The following argument went like this.
CUSTOMER: But I can see some tables free over there.
BOSS: Yes but there is still no room.
CUSTOMER: Well can’t you join them up together or something?
BOSS: There is no room to put all those tables together sir.
CUSTOMER: But there is plenty of room here!
He points to the space that the staff need to use to move from the restaurant to the kitchen doors.
BOSS: I’m sorry sir but the staff need that space to get to and from the kitchen.
CUSTOMER: But there is plenty of room!
BOSS: Sir if you all sat there, you would be blocking the other customers and staff and have food spilled all over you. I’m sorry sir but what you are asking is just not possible.
CUSTOMER: Well where else am I supposed to go then?
BOSS: Well sir on a rainy bank holiday, there are only two other restaurants I can suggest to fit in ten people, McDonald’s and KFC!
CUSTOMER: I WANT REAL FOOD!
I d0n’t know how it finished but there is absolutely no excuse for the way this snobbish son of b**** treated my boss.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
When you work with the general public, you meet all kinds of people, and you have to try to accommodate them if you want to stay in business. If that had been my restaurant I would have found someway to fit them in. If anything your boss was rude. Remember the customer is always right, even when he is wrong.
Sounds like your boss missed out on a big table with a big bill. I’ve worked in several restaurants and bars and we always try to accommodate everyone, especially those that may spend money. They may have had to wait for a little while but that’s probably to be expected during a busy time. Then your boss tells them to go to a fast food joint. He sounds like a horrible restaurant manager.
I miss the UK
I think y0ur boss was right! What the other posters aren’t considering is that maybe those tables were promised to other customers? (does your restaurant take lunchtime reservations). The snooty customer deserves what he got. If he’d politely asked your boss for a table he may have been accommodated. Why should the boss inconvenience his current customers for one bonehead?
Jack, you’re out of your damn mind for thinking the boss should have created a major hazard for his staff to accommodate one snooty customer. Based on my own experiences, that customer would have complained about every aspect of the meal and then stiffed the server on a tip.
The customer is right, until they’re wrong. The customer is never always right.
To begin with it was TEN customers. Customers are what keeps a restaurant in business. Yes, I would have found some way to seat them, I may have asked them to wait, but I would have tried to seated them. Telling them to go to McDonald’s or KFC is rude, and condescending. If that manager worked for me, I would have fired him on the spot. You simply don’t turn customers away just because you don’t like their attitude, or are afraid they may complain.
I’ve been a manager for a large hotel chain, and I’ve worked at retail, and have been very successful. I’ve never turned customers away when I had even the remotest chance of earning their patronage. After all with out the customer I don’t get a paycheck.
If you own a restaurant or retail store, please let me know it’s location, I’ll be sure to put it on my “do not visit” list.