Discrimination in a restaurant

[Duer 157099]

This was just so timely given the uproar this week about Rand Paul's idiocy.

There's a local TV show in the bay area called "Check, Please" where three locals submit a restaurant for review by the other two. The three then go to all three restaurants (not together; with their own parties) and then all meet back to discuss how it went.

On this episode there were two men and one woman. One man was an older white guy; the other two guests were not older white men (the man was a young Filipino; the woman was part Filipino).

The restaurant the the older white guy recommended was some old-school institution that's been around in SF for probably a century. It's basically a steak and seafood house. The video showing the restaurant showed that the great majority of patrons were older white men.

So imagine my shock when only one of the guests had a good experience there! And yes, I mean the older white guy.

The young Filipino man complained that the food was not seasoned well. The woman also had this complaint. But during the conversation, some other revealing aspects were discussed.

The woman, after being lead down the hallway with the nice private booths on both sides, was seated at a table next to the kitchen. Fine, somebody has to sit there, but don't tell me that it isn't calculated.

When the subject of their sourdough bread came up, which apparently is one of the great hallmarks for this restaurant, the young Filipino man said that he didn't try it, was there supposed to be bread on every table? Yes, came the reply. None on his table, he said.

Not once was the issue of racism brought up and yet it was so painful to watch because it was so obvious what the unspoken assessment was!

I was sickened watching this. I was embarrassed for the two patrons who were obviously not treated as well as the older white guy was at the same establishment.

I won't name the place, but I'm sure a few Googles would get you there, if interested.

Disgusting!

[Swamp Rat]

1. Coming to a restaurant near you!

[LARED]

2. I'm a middle aged white guy

and something I get lousy service in spite of this advantage.

[Maru Kitteh]

5. Would you please repair that to a coherent sentence?

I believe I would like to respond to it, but not until your intention is clear.

[LARED]

14. My point was subtle

Sometimes people get lousy service no matter who they are.

And "something" from post #2 should read "sometimes", duh.

[RandomThoughts]

3. A restaurant ran by people, and people have flaws.

The problem, in my view, is when people think that unequal treatment is how it should be.

Many people point out the flaw from flaws of people that work into the systems.

And there are many examples where systems have gotten better as flaws in systems are removed in many ways.

So if you have the best seat and you see that happen you say something, and if you have the worst seat you point out, if in honesty, that it is wrong. And sometimes, to try and make things better, if you have the chance to take the best seat, you take the worst one, so that some people treated unfairly can get a better seat.

[nosmokes]

4. if you're so disgusted why not name the joint?

It's not like San Francisco only has one long time chop and seafood joint.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

6. is it possible the service just sucked?

does it HAVE to be racism? were racist comments made by the servers/staff at the restaurant? you know, i went to outback one night with my wife and they didn't bring us any bread...and comes to 'every' table too. we also waited for about 20 minutes for our check. was that racism?

sP

[Duer 157099]

7. Of course that's possible

But when 2/3 of the complaints come from the 2/3 that are not white guys, well, sometimes it's not random either.

[msongs]

12. 2/3 of 3 people is hardly a valid sample. i get sat by the kitchen as well nt

[ProdigalJunkMail]

13. sample size terribly insufficient...

and while it very well could have been bigotry...but unless there is some other factor that is not seen here or there is a MUCH larger sample size then you have no idea...and neither does anyone else.

sP

[brooklynite]

16. So your perspective is that the restuarant INTENTIONALLY made bad food for a customer...

Why stop there? They could have just spilled the plate of food on him.

[undeterred]

8. A woman having dinner alone on a business trip

is not going to be given the best seat in the restaurant, no matter what her nationality is. Singles get seated out of the way.

[Duer 157099]

9. Each guest went with their own parties

Nobody went as singles

[undeterred]

10. Thats what it sounds like from your description:

"The woman, after being lead down the hallway with the nice private booths on both sides, was seated at a table next to the kitchen."

[Duer 157099]

11. I understand

except that earlier on I had already said "The three then go to all three restaurants (not together; with their own parties)" and so figured I didn't need to make that point again.

[ZombieHorde]

15. The situation does seem mighty suspicious, but the sample size needs to be bigger. nt