I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

We are moving fast through the summer!!!

Fast I tell you!

But.

Not fast enough.

Tonight was a fun one.

Since we took on the new restaurant I’ve joked that it’s 1.2 miles away from the old restaurant.

It’s 4.5 minutes, driving 25 mph.

Until tonight I’ve never been summoned.

Around 7:30 my phone rings.

I’ve told my staff to call because I might not hear a text.

Unfortunately I can’t answer as I’m trying to get our new bartender out of the weeds.

6 or 7 minutes later I call back.

My host answers and says that a party of 4 men (she gives me the name, because I know them) has been causing trouble.

They came to the outside bar and were upset that the bartender wouldn’t serve them. He was busy and he said they were already drink.

They arrived with solo cups.

In the middle of this conversation I get a text.

It’s Chef saying, I need you here ASAP.

I tell the host I’m on my way.

I tell the bartender that I’m going to the other restaurant and head to my car.

Fun fact.

We have a valet at the new restaurant who parks my car for me so I don’t have to walk.

Tonight I picked up my keys and got it myself.

I head to the new restaurant being careful not to speed.

The cops are tough around here.

I get there and the foursome are in the parking lot.

I get out and the guest says hello.

And I probably came in stronger than I should have but I say that they are unfortunately not going to be able to dine with us.

I’m told that they spoke to chef and all is good.

I say I’ll be right back.

I go to the kitchen window and it’s confirmed that he spoke with them but I should check with the outside team and see what they have to say.

I go out and am told they’d been cursing and aggressive and generally not nice.

I ask the hosts. The food runner. The bartender.

All the same story.

I go back to the parking lot, where I’m told they have decided not to dine with us anyway.

At which point one of the guys decides to let me know how bad I am at my job. I thank him for this

And the guy I know is stomping around cursing and angry.

And it becomes clear that the staff was not lying.

They guy criticizing continues. I should have soothed things over and apologized for the staffs issue.

I finally say based on this behavior that I’ve made the right decision to not let them dine.

They continue to criticize.

I repeat myself that I was right.

I go back in and check in with everyone

When I go back to my car they are still spewing.

I drive away.

I get to the new restaurant. Park. Go in.

I immediately go to the bar to dim the lights.

A threesome at the bar asks what that was about.

I start to explain but am interrupted by a server.

She lets me know that table 21 was angry at her.

They had ordered a bottle of wine, and now that it was open and they were drinking it, they insisted it was the wrong bottle.

She and another server explain their confusion, but confirm that it’s the right wine.

Fun fact: I’m bad at wine. I love, love, love drinking it. But there is no room in my brain for regions and varietals, and grapes, and blends, and tasting notes, and prices.

I’m the same with bourbon.

Love the product. Not the knowledge.

I send the server back with the information she needs.

She’s back three seconds later telling me that she’d been told to just stop talking, they’d heard enough. She was wrong and she was making it worse.

I’m at the table 20 seconds later.

I introduce myself and ask if I can help.

The man at seat four defers to his son at seat 2.

Seems he is a wine guy. He repeatedly told the server this.

He explains that they received the wrong wine. He continues but I stopped listening.

When he finishes I say, but you were presented with the wine, you tasted the wine, you approved the wine, the wine was poured and now you are drinking the wine.

I’m confused as to where the mistake was discovered

The man at seat 4 says his son discovered it, but he’s the one who tasted it.

I follow up with, but you are still drinking it.

He holds up his finger and says you are right. You are right. You are right. Usually the customer is right but tonight you are right.

He dismisses me.

30 minutes later he pays the bill at the bar.

He leaves the check there.

And he left 15 dollars on a 350 tab.

Fuck him.

I take 20 dollars out of my wallet and put it in the check presenter.

The threesome at the bar sees me and adds 30 bucks.

And now for the end of the story.

The bartender at the new restaurant got beat up tonight.

But all 9 guests at the bar at the end of the night were friends.

I got hugs and handshakes from all of them.

And I told them all that that that was exactly what I needed at the end of this particular night.

Hugs for everyone.