“Never Come Back To My Restaurant”: Chef Bans Rude Restaurant Patrons And Gives $1,350 Bill To 22 Y.O. Employee They Disrespected
While it can be quite fulfilling, or even downright romantic, to work at a restaurant, waiting is said to be one of the hardest jobs out there when it comes to customer service.
And the reason is that you gotta deal with a lot of different people, including all of the entitled, arrogant, Karen-y, or straight up bad ones.
But there are also times when something good can be drawn from it, and where human decency prevails.
One such story has been going viral online lately, where a front-of-house employee at a restaurant had a bad run-in with some rude patrons, and the chef decided he wasn’t going to have any of it.
More Info: Twitter | Instagram
You can’t choose your clients, but you can surely show them the door if they’re trouble, like Chef Lee Skeet did
Image credits: leeskeet13
Meet Lee Skeet, founder and chef at the Cora restaurant in Cardiff, United Kingdom, who has recently shared how he handled some unpleasant patrons at his restaurant.
The story goes that a group of rich folk came over to his restaurant, ultimately racking up a bill of £1,100 (or about $1,350). But the bill wasn’t the problem—their patronage was.
You see, according to Skeet, they were quite a rude bunch. In his post on Twitter and Instagram, which was actually his e-mail to said clientele, he explained that the 22-year-old front of house employee named Lily was talked down to, disrespected, and touched against her will by folks in this group.
In his now-viral tweet, he explained how he taught the rude clientele a lesson by banning them and giving their money to the 22-year-old front of house employee
Image credits: leeskeet
Image credits: leeskeet
According to Skeet, the group’s behavior was inappropriate as they talked down to the employee, showed disrespect, and touched her against her will
Image credits: leeskeet
At first, he thought of returning a part of the money, but he ended up simply transferring all of it to Lili as fair compensation
Image credits: leeskeet
Image credits: leeskeet
After talking to her extensively, he decided that it’s best that the clients never return to the restaurant. And, at first, he wanted to also send them their money back, having taken away nearly 10%, or £100 off the bill as a well-deserved tip for Lily, but he ended up giving her the whole £1,100 bill.
“I also think you should assess the people you surround yourself with,” concluded Skeet in his letter to the client. The letter soon found its way on to the above mentioned social media platforms where it didn’t go unnoticed.
Soon after posting, Skeet’s message went viral, prompting not only wider media coverage, but also loads of praise for standing up for his coworker and setting a good example for restaurant managers.
In a follow-up post, he also expressed how proud he is of Lily for keeping up a high level of class and integrity
Image credits: leeskeet13
Image credits: leeskeet
Image credits: leeskeet13
In a follow-up post, Skeet also expressed how proud he is of Lily, keeping up a high level of class and integrity, and that she’s an inspiration to many.
And, as it turns out, Ince, a London-based law firm, has begun an investigation after the restaurant’s owner’s complaint as it was the company’s senior staff that attended the dinner, so there is a chance of them getting their just deserts. There are no further comments from the law firm as the investigation is still ongoing.
Folks online were very supportive of Skeet’s decision, and shared some of their thoughts on the matter
Image credits: helen_kaplan
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Image credits: Ladyy_Monster
But the whole situation has been going wildly viral online, as Skeet’s tweet garnered 131,500 likes with a bit over 14,000 retweets, and has seen nearly a couple thousand likes on Instagram too.
As for reactions, folks praised Skeet for being a good boss, agreeing that the way he handled the situation as it fit the inappropriate way the clientele handled itself.
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According to some commenters, this isn’t a rare occurrence, as noted by other chefs, waiters, and relatives thereof, who explained that workers are not “playthings”, suggesting that the next time something like this happens, someone intervenes immediately and asks the patrons out.
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Image credits: LucyQuinn2011
You can check out the now-viral tweet in context on Twitter, but before you go, share your thoughts and opinions on the matter, or, if you’re working, or have worked at a restaurant, tell us your bad-client takes in the comment section below!
The wording on the title is misleading. Makes it sound like he made the employee pay the bill.
Yep. Good thing the internet has taught me not to rush to judgment! ;)
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Sounds like the guests may have been abusing the expense account of their employer as well.
I was initially quite confused by the use of word "bill" in the headline. To me the bill is that thing that must be paid, not the money that was paid.
The wording should be changed to " I turned over the payment to Lily" not the bill. Some heroes out there, have come to the rescue of a gal who gets treated poorly. I saw this on a video, where the waitress must have alerted the attention of the surrounding tables. So when the guy ran his hand up her skirt and her yelp provoked a guy to stand rather quickly (his chair went over) and he pulled the fellow up and grabbed his crouch and let the boorish man know how it felt to be grabbed without permission. Awesome move!
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I once had a waitressing job and a cook came over and grabbed me from behind. I immediately reported him and he was fired right away. I was shocked that the manager took action so quickly but glad he did. It’s not always the woman who gets support - sometimes we’re dismissed as unimportant. So glad to hear you stood by your employee.
Wait... The owner's first reaction was to give those rude patrons their £1000 back? Okay, so he changed his mind, charged them and gave the money to the employee, which is very generous and noble. But still, the first thing that came to his mind was to reward these jerks by giving them a free £1000 meal because they acted like assh*les. Wow! No wonder society is plagued with jerks.
I think that was his way of saying, "We don't want you back, in fact we don't want your money at all. Lily is NOT FOR SALE! Neither am I!"
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what a great boss i worked customer service for years not in a restaurant but in a very busy store. and the way people degrade and humiliate people who do this job is just awful. and on top of it if the manager is not present at such events the worker is blamed.i can't even count the number of times i had to find customers who were in the store when things happened. to prove my self innocent another of the issues was there surveillance. more cameras on the workers than on the customers and no sound to prove what really happened. management will tell you straight to your face that the customer is always right and no. sometimes the customer is just an a*****e looking to cause problems and get someone fired. because they see us as a lower form of life than them.it gives me just a little bit of hope that some poor person who works customer service. is believed by there boss and doesn't have to prove there innocence's to keep there job.
I think everyone forgets and act so high and mighty. Didn't a past president bragg, DJT, about inappropriately touching women because he thought they liked it because he was rich? And, what message did we send by voting him in as president of the U.S. states? I rest my case. And no, I didn't vote for him and never will. When I said we, I meant "we Americans". Women voted for him too, so you can get off your high and mighty horse too.
A bad thing happened previously, so we shouldn't care about this good thing? What point are you trying to make? Also, that president was voted in by a minority, because everyone else was either apathetic, oppressed, or wildly disenfranchised. I don't think it's a reflection of the majority; it's a reflection of the poor state of democratic governance, and possibly a call for compulsory voting/mail in ballots, like the census, so a certain group can't block the other group from participation.
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Kudos to this fantastic restaurateur. Next on Unsolved Mysteries - how this group of entitled lawyers escaped understanding what the concept of sexual harassment is. A newbie law school student would know better. Lee is every person's dream boss. Unwanted touching? Hostile work environment? Any of this mean anything to these entitled old legal farts who ought to have known better?
Because most times they get away with it. And they would have gotten away with it this time as well if the owner wasn't such a decent man.
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I've worked in restaurants on and off for years. This is how you take care of a valued employee. I complained to an ex boss about her uncle smacking on the a*s. She laughed it off. The.amount of harassment from older men is quite disturbing. Overall I had more good customers than bad.
I've worked in a few restaurants myself over the years. From bussing tables to Chef and everything in between. Staff being treated like this is quite common. Not just from customers but also management. People tend to think that the people who cook your food and serve it are beneath them and not deserving of dignity and respect. Customers think because their paying money that they can treat staff like untouchable peons. It takes a special kind of dumb to mess with the person who's handling your food. Management treats staff with just as much disrespect because everyone is expendable. This owner treating this young girl like this is the extremely rare exception. One in a billion. Good job having your staffs back and for being an example.
This happened to me years ago, my boss banned them after cussing them out first!!
Thank goodness the time is finally here for people to get called out for this behavior. In my days of waiting tables, you had to ignore and keep smiling because payment came entirely via tips which also meant ideally getting scheduled for the busiest shifts and getting good customers seated in your section. I worked at several high end restaurants and was sexually harassed at every single one, by patrons and by coworkers alike. It was considered a necessary evil of the job. Thank goodness for bosses like the one in this post!
Why mention her age of 22? That behaviour is, and was unacceptable to any age!
True... but her being young and probably inexperienced somehow makes it worse. Her lack of experience dealing with "difficult customers" would probably make it even harder for her to call out their abuse, which the "guest" probably indentified and took advantage of.
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I like how misandrists hopped on here to use it as an excuse to generalize men and spread hate. All while forgetting it was a man who helped this young woman get justice. For all we know, the female patrons could have been doing the touching as well. Either way, the real issue is how ALL customer service workers are treated by patrons while getting paid next to nothing. #EatTheRich #StopMisandry #SpreadLoveNotHate #DownWithSexism #CancelTipCulture
I mean, as soon as there is verbal harassment and touching, that's a police report. It's her choice to press charges if she wanted to, but perves like those customers barely get any attention on the case against them w/out a paper trail. Glad her boss was a good guy.
We need more employers like this guy! "Underlings" are too often looked down on. Particularly in Corporate America.
I've watched enough Kitchen Nightmares to know that Lily is exactly who you want at front of house. I've worked enough food service to know that I wish there were many more owners like you. Bravo.
The restauranteur did a very selfless thing. She's a 22 year old woman, not a girl or a shrinking violet. She learned a very important lesson: there are people in the world who are human garbage. And there are people in the world who have compassion.
Dude isn't only a stand-up guy, but a great dad! I hope the law firm wreaks havoc on the patrons!
The bar minimum of decent human behavior is now article worthy. Sad.
The *only* "issue" I have is that he referred to her as a 22 year old >girl<. If she's fronting the restaurant at 22, she deserves to be referred to as a young WOMAN. Otherwise, thumbs-up and good job!
In the UK, young women are referred to as girls, its cultural and not meant to be demeaning. It's akin to a term of endearment.
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Glad she is in a please where her boss respects her. Last restaurant I worked in, I was frequently the only waitress in the house during lunch, the owner was never around, if men were being creepy I just had to put up with it. I'm 19 and one day this guy old enough to be my grandpa comes in and asks me out for drinks every time I visit the table I can't remember how many times and different ways I said no. There were countless days that I would have 14+ hour shifts because the 2-3 dinner staff would call off. But I was reprimanded anytime I got sick and couldn't work (I only took off days when I was sick) And when I decided to quit and turned in my letter of resignation, they begged me to stay to which I reluctantly agreed, after which i was fired a month later at the end of my involuntary double shift on a Saturday night. I was told not to worry about coming in on Monday because that were ending the lunch shift and doing dinner only. Then they still begged me to work on holidays.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who was really confused by the title. From the other comments, it doesn't seem like it's just terms meaning different things in different countries. It's literally written the exact opposite of what they meant. The owner did not "give the bill" to the waitress, he gave her the "amount of the bill or the payment".
I have so much respect for anyone who has a job that requires them to constantly deal with the public. But I have a special kind of respect for wait staff in the restaurant industry and CNAs in the healthcare field. The amount of patience that is required to do these jobs and do them well is unbelievable unless you've worked these types of jobs personally. I feel like they're extremely under paid and deserve so much more from their employers and the companies they work for than they normally get. I do know some places that do go above and beyond for employees in these types of jobs but it is very rare.
If I lived in the UK I would make it a point to visit Skeet's restaurant, what a boss! Its disheartening to see rudeness in any situation, especially in the service industry where people assume the customer is always right. Typically the customer is wrong and assumes an untitlement not deserving. Folks, dont overlook the point of the article, I knew exactly what the author meant in the title!
yeah, the title is a bit misleading, sounds the employee had t pay the guests bill, not that she got the money the guest paid for the bill. this is good though, if all restaurants, bars and retail acted this way instead i have a feeling there would be less people acting entitled to stuff they are not entitled to - because they would run out of places they can show their faces at unless they behave
Glad I read this entire story, I was confused by the headline. I don't go out to eat much but I worked in food service for years, I always think back to my days in hosting or customer service so I'm never rude to employees anywhere. I can't imagine someone thinking they could touch me & get away with it. Dumb of them to think they can treat people however they want wherever because it's going to crush their company. Great of Lee to give her the full amount instead of just partial for tips. I hope those dirtbags get what they deserve & Lee's business grows
Savvy chef gets tens of thousands of dollars worth of publicity and it only cost him $1,350. Nice work. *slowhandclap
Having worked customer service in restaurants and bars for many years, I can safely say the worst customers hands down are those who have money. They put the capital “E” in the word entitlement. They love to hold that tip over your head throughout an entire encounter, knowing that despite how well you do your job, they're only going to leave you the bare minimum, if that. Tipping gives control, power, and ownership over servers, and they love that power. The fact someone is depending on their tip for their livelihood is exactly what they want. In Europe, there is no tipping because workers are paid a living wage instead. The reason Americans b***h about rude waitstaff in Europe is because they can't lord a tip over them. If you mistreat or disrespect waitstaff, they will treat you accordingly. Slavery ended centuries ago, long before it did in the States.
"While it can be quite fulfilling, or even downright romantic, to work at a restaurant"...that one made me chuckle. I wish I had your optimism ;)
I worked at a restaurant when I was about 20 years old. Had a customer that kept on making sexual comments. I asked him for his order. He said, "You'll work for dinner." I told him "I wasn't on the menu." "That's ok. Just put that sexy a*s on my plate." I told him "my a*s wouldn't fit on the plate" and let him, and his buddy, know that when he was ready to order, someone would be there to get it and walked away. Told my manager about it, asked if someone else could take the table, and was told no. My table, my customer, deal with it. Another employee heard what happened and, without being asked, took the table for me. When the customer asked where I was, HE said I was busy with another customer but he wouldn't mind putting HIS a*s on the plate for him (my fellow co-worker wasn't gay but wanted to give him a taste of his medicine)! Needless to say, I never saw that customer again. Surprisingly enough, there was a tip left on the table (I think it was $20).
The law firm started an investigation of the senior staff? Who's investigating them? The senior staff. Lmao. Brilliant PR work there gentlemen.
Doing the right thing rocks! Being a server is a difficult task given the fact that you are on your feet for hours on end, serving hot plates, and dealing with the few customers who are miserable, and want you to feel the same way by treating you poorly. I waited tables in a fast-moving restaurant next to a major airport for 2 years. I met many people who were just great. I never did anything to anyone's food except for one time, a lady was extremely rude and going overseas that evening. She yelled at me to make sure that I gave her decaf coffee. I put regular coffee in the decaf decanter with the orange top! Buh Bye! I had a manager like this guy in the article who let 5 big guyTexans skip on paying because I was slow to serve them because I was new. I tried to quit the next day, but the manager said he did not want me to quit because of my good attitude about how I treat people. I have never forgotten that! Thanks, Brad!
name and shame the shitbags. sounds like its yet more entertainment industry clowns.
It's not just rich people - it's people. Anymore a growing number of people are simply awful .... as a non-specific group. Being rude is just a thing now and if you say anything directly to any of these a-holes you are putting yourself in danger. The world isn't what it used to be ....
Lee you are a good man and heaven has a special place for you and Lilly. And Lilly don’t let anyone ever get you down you are very strong and you deserve all the good coming your way.
And they didn't t tip the waitess on top of their rude behavior? They're definitely clueless and don't belong there. Good for Lee for being a great boss and banning them and giving her the money.
And they didn't leave a tip either? They are clueless. They also don't know how to treat others wirh respect. They don't deserve to go back to that restaurant no matter how important they think they are. Good for Lee for banning them and what a great boss to give the waitress the money.
In the UK, we pay our wait staff so they don't need to be tipped unless their service is exemplary.
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Yeah, kick the people out and never let them back. I agree wholeheartedly. But giving the entire bill to the server? Yeah, no. So now anybody who gets a semi cranky patron is going to overplay the situation trying to get the same treatment. Or, you're going to cause some people to be falsely accused. That's how these kinds of things steamroll. Do a 20% or 30% tip and be done with it.
Sure enough, there was one person complaining that he reported the crime to authorities in own restaurant.
I’m used to BoredPanda articles being lazy reports on interesting things from Reddit or Twiiter, but this one takes the cake. A series of screenshots with explanations of what has just been written in the screenshot, but with the facts gotten wrong. I feel like I’ve just had a Twitter thread badly mansplained.
I feel like a bad person thinking this, but I wonder how much he would have had her back if she was ugly.
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The woman in that photo looks like Alexa Ray Joel, Billy Joel's oldest child.
I was at a local restaurant and watched as an old man of about 80 gave a hug to a waitress then proceeded to let his hand wander down and grab her butt. I protested to the manager who said "Oh..the girls let him do it because he tips them 60 bucks every time." I looked at him shocked. I said "You shouldn't let him do it. Where will you draw the line. When he tries to put a hand down their pants or pull their shirt off in front of everyone? How do you know you are not encouraging him to do this to other women at other restaurants? It shouldn't be allowed." After leaving the restaurant, I messaged the owner and told him what was going on. Not sure if anything came of it, but I didn't go back.
As someone who has worked in customer service for most of my adult life, I can tell you that this wondrous act of humanity would never take place in America. Owners are far too in love with money to give a damn, and would fire an employee should they ever stand up for themselves against cruelty such as this. I've seen too many owners who live lavishly, while paying their employees as little as legally possible (which is typically minimum wage), yet when an extended slow period happens, they will cut staff, cut corners on quality, etc., but never ever even consider cutting back on their own lifestyle. The idea being that they are the businessman and thus automatically should live as if they've finally achieved the american dream. The stupidity of the ol saying “the customer is always right” boils down to “I'm a whore for money and will let you do anything you wish to me as long as you pay me.” That sums up the american way.
Always treat the restaurant staff with respect or you might find (or not be aware of) something unexpected in your food.
why would he even for a second think of returning the money to those customers? There is something missing in the BP post
The disrespect happens to not just restaurant employees. Secretaries, receptionist get the same. When the boss does not stand up for them, it just gets worse because the bully thinks they can continue on to the next establishment.
I have always said if i owned a restaurant i would do this. Thank you keep up the good work
Part of me hopes this is one of those internet stories that turns out to be B.S. I don't like hearing about service workers being treated as less than by customers or employees. Only s**t people treat others like that. But I love how the employer handled this. I hope all restaurants managers and owners read this and take a second to reflect.
I was so pleased to read this story; the abuse you sometimes receive while working in a restaurant or bar is beyond belief. So glad her boss did what he did, well done Lily for keeping your cool. The customer is NOT always right!!! I live in Cardiff and will be paying you a visit soon, as I'm sure will so many others now.
That company should be left high and dry, wandering, looking for an oasis, or just a water source.
BRAVO. Great job Mr. Skeet as a longtime bartender and server I have seen this behavior time after time and it is horrible. It's about time that this kind of behavior is punished as it is unacceptable you should be proud of your actions and more employers and managers should look to you and the actions you have taken hats off to you sir. I also should mention Lily did a great job on keeping her cool and reporting the situation to you I know it was very difficult for her and she did a wonderful job. My wish is that more owners private and corporate deal with this type of situation in the same manner. The only way for people who act this way towards service industry workers to learn a lesson is to inform them they are no longer welcome as a customer unless they act appropriately and treat the workers with dignity. Once again thank you
Great backup for your staff. Glad the company is looking into it-this reflects badly on the whole company, especially *senior* staff. They have forgotten what it's like to be a bottom rung worker.
Maybe go back to third grade then because it's 'deserts', as in 'what they deserve'.
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Body cams for all public facing jobs. They're cheap, they're light, got great resolution, and they carry the threat of commupance and just desserts that modern culture has abandoned. On the internet, there's room for everything.
Thank you for being there, it's such a shame how the rich treat people they feel are below them... I wish only success for you & your staff, in todays world, the workers will prevail for what's is justly ours... we're seeing a massive shift socially & if everything goes to shmit, it'll be the rich & powering class that'll be fed upon...
I applaud you standing up for your employee. I work as a nurse and encounter this behavior daily from entitled patients and their family. It’s exhausting. Common courtesy seems to be a thing of the past. It’s no surprise to me that nurses are quitting and it’s hard to find employees for businesses. Can we agree to be patient and kind and work to develop some coping skills so we are not abusive to those around us?
Why not start training our staff : abuse is not ok come to me IMMEDIATELY if its occurs. That way we stop ot in its tracks. That way no server is SA
A guy tooting his own horn. " Look what a great person I am!!". Also free advertising for his food shack.
Contrary to age old wisdom...the customer is NOT always right. And its refreshing to see employers stand up for their staff. Good on you. Its nice knowing there are people like you out there. If you werent half way around the world id be making reservations.
It's normal, but it isn't part of a wage. It's appreciation for good service.
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Cardiff? Maybe she's in line for Dr Who's next companion, she certainly qualifies.
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And then there are the restaurant owners who pinch their services nipple in front of other guests. What a wonderful chef!
Yeah. He’s trying to smash that and drum up publicity for his restaurant at the same damn time.
Good for the chef taking care of his employees. Too bad he's fallen for the "Rich against everybody else" liberal talking point. Most rich people are not like the morons who treated the FOH lady poorly. Most middle-class and poor people also aren't like that. The people who need to be called out are those who act this way regardless of their station in life.
I blame this mass confusion on the author of the *title* of this article. There may be a language issue at work here... double check with a fluent speaker..not Google Translate. It does a good job on basics... but on nuances -not so much. The problem is also BP is catering to a broad spectrum of English speakers and it is quite a challenge. Update: I found https://nation.cymru/news/london-law-firm-investigating-after-cardiff-chef-blasts-customers-who-treated-waitress-disgracefully/ which used the language : Skeet gave Lily the bill. So it is not BP's fault this misunderstanding started... it's ENGLAND'S fault!!!! LOL
And yet you're still here making pointless comments like this... even logging back in to see what I've replied to your comment here.
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The wording on the title is misleading. Makes it sound like he made the employee pay the bill.
Yep. Good thing the internet has taught me not to rush to judgment! ;)
Load More Replies... Sounds like the guests may have been abusing the expense account of their employer as well.
I was initially quite confused by the use of word "bill" in the headline. To me the bill is that thing that must be paid, not the money that was paid.
The wording should be changed to " I turned over the payment to Lily" not the bill. Some heroes out there, have come to the rescue of a gal who gets treated poorly. I saw this on a video, where the waitress must have alerted the attention of the surrounding tables. So when the guy ran his hand up her skirt and her yelp provoked a guy to stand rather quickly (his chair went over) and he pulled the fellow up and grabbed his crouch and let the boorish man know how it felt to be grabbed without permission. Awesome move!
Load More Replies... I once had a waitressing job and a cook came over and grabbed me from behind. I immediately reported him and he was fired right away. I was shocked that the manager took action so quickly but glad he did. It’s not always the woman who gets support - sometimes we’re dismissed as unimportant. So glad to hear you stood by your employee.
Wait... The owner's first reaction was to give those rude patrons their £1000 back? Okay, so he changed his mind, charged them and gave the money to the employee, which is very generous and noble. But still, the first thing that came to his mind was to reward these jerks by giving them a free £1000 meal because they acted like assh*les. Wow! No wonder society is plagued with jerks.
I think that was his way of saying, "We don't want you back, in fact we don't want your money at all. Lily is NOT FOR SALE! Neither am I!"
Load More Replies... what a great boss i worked customer service for years not in a restaurant but in a very busy store. and the way people degrade and humiliate people who do this job is just awful. and on top of it if the manager is not present at such events the worker is blamed.i can't even count the number of times i had to find customers who were in the store when things happened. to prove my self innocent another of the issues was there surveillance. more cameras on the workers than on the customers and no sound to prove what really happened. management will tell you straight to your face that the customer is always right and no. sometimes the customer is just an a*****e looking to cause problems and get someone fired. because they see us as a lower form of life than them.it gives me just a little bit of hope that some poor person who works customer service. is believed by there boss and doesn't have to prove there innocence's to keep there job.
I think everyone forgets and act so high and mighty. Didn't a past president bragg, DJT, about inappropriately touching women because he thought they liked it because he was rich? And, what message did we send by voting him in as president of the U.S. states? I rest my case. And no, I didn't vote for him and never will. When I said we, I meant "we Americans". Women voted for him too, so you can get off your high and mighty horse too.
A bad thing happened previously, so we shouldn't care about this good thing? What point are you trying to make? Also, that president was voted in by a minority, because everyone else was either apathetic, oppressed, or wildly disenfranchised. I don't think it's a reflection of the majority; it's a reflection of the poor state of democratic governance, and possibly a call for compulsory voting/mail in ballots, like the census, so a certain group can't block the other group from participation.
Load More Replies... Kudos to this fantastic restaurateur. Next on Unsolved Mysteries - how this group of entitled lawyers escaped understanding what the concept of sexual harassment is. A newbie law school student would know better. Lee is every person's dream boss. Unwanted touching? Hostile work environment? Any of this mean anything to these entitled old legal farts who ought to have known better?
Because most times they get away with it. And they would have gotten away with it this time as well if the owner wasn't such a decent man.
Load More Replies... I've worked in restaurants on and off for years. This is how you take care of a valued employee. I complained to an ex boss about her uncle smacking on the a*s. She laughed it off. The.amount of harassment from older men is quite disturbing. Overall I had more good customers than bad.
I've worked in a few restaurants myself over the years. From bussing tables to Chef and everything in between. Staff being treated like this is quite common. Not just from customers but also management. People tend to think that the people who cook your food and serve it are beneath them and not deserving of dignity and respect. Customers think because their paying money that they can treat staff like untouchable peons. It takes a special kind of dumb to mess with the person who's handling your food. Management treats staff with just as much disrespect because everyone is expendable. This owner treating this young girl like this is the extremely rare exception. One in a billion. Good job having your staffs back and for being an example.
This happened to me years ago, my boss banned them after cussing them out first!!
Thank goodness the time is finally here for people to get called out for this behavior. In my days of waiting tables, you had to ignore and keep smiling because payment came entirely via tips which also meant ideally getting scheduled for the busiest shifts and getting good customers seated in your section. I worked at several high end restaurants and was sexually harassed at every single one, by patrons and by coworkers alike. It was considered a necessary evil of the job. Thank goodness for bosses like the one in this post!
Why mention her age of 22? That behaviour is, and was unacceptable to any age!
True... but her being young and probably inexperienced somehow makes it worse. Her lack of experience dealing with "difficult customers" would probably make it even harder for her to call out their abuse, which the "guest" probably indentified and took advantage of.
Load More Replies... I like how misandrists hopped on here to use it as an excuse to generalize men and spread hate. All while forgetting it was a man who helped this young woman get justice. For all we know, the female patrons could have been doing the touching as well. Either way, the real issue is how ALL customer service workers are treated by patrons while getting paid next to nothing. #EatTheRich #StopMisandry #SpreadLoveNotHate #DownWithSexism #CancelTipCulture
I mean, as soon as there is verbal harassment and touching, that's a police report. It's her choice to press charges if she wanted to, but perves like those customers barely get any attention on the case against them w/out a paper trail. Glad her boss was a good guy.
We need more employers like this guy! "Underlings" are too often looked down on. Particularly in Corporate America.
I've watched enough Kitchen Nightmares to know that Lily is exactly who you want at front of house. I've worked enough food service to know that I wish there were many more owners like you. Bravo.
The restauranteur did a very selfless thing. She's a 22 year old woman, not a girl or a shrinking violet. She learned a very important lesson: there are people in the world who are human garbage. And there are people in the world who have compassion.
Dude isn't only a stand-up guy, but a great dad! I hope the law firm wreaks havoc on the patrons!
The bar minimum of decent human behavior is now article worthy. Sad.
The *only* "issue" I have is that he referred to her as a 22 year old >girl<. If she's fronting the restaurant at 22, she deserves to be referred to as a young WOMAN. Otherwise, thumbs-up and good job!
In the UK, young women are referred to as girls, its cultural and not meant to be demeaning. It's akin to a term of endearment.
Load More Replies... Glad she is in a please where her boss respects her. Last restaurant I worked in, I was frequently the only waitress in the house during lunch, the owner was never around, if men were being creepy I just had to put up with it. I'm 19 and one day this guy old enough to be my grandpa comes in and asks me out for drinks every time I visit the table I can't remember how many times and different ways I said no. There were countless days that I would have 14+ hour shifts because the 2-3 dinner staff would call off. But I was reprimanded anytime I got sick and couldn't work (I only took off days when I was sick) And when I decided to quit and turned in my letter of resignation, they begged me to stay to which I reluctantly agreed, after which i was fired a month later at the end of my involuntary double shift on a Saturday night. I was told not to worry about coming in on Monday because that were ending the lunch shift and doing dinner only. Then they still begged me to work on holidays.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who was really confused by the title. From the other comments, it doesn't seem like it's just terms meaning different things in different countries. It's literally written the exact opposite of what they meant. The owner did not "give the bill" to the waitress, he gave her the "amount of the bill or the payment".
I have so much respect for anyone who has a job that requires them to constantly deal with the public. But I have a special kind of respect for wait staff in the restaurant industry and CNAs in the healthcare field. The amount of patience that is required to do these jobs and do them well is unbelievable unless you've worked these types of jobs personally. I feel like they're extremely under paid and deserve so much more from their employers and the companies they work for than they normally get. I do know some places that do go above and beyond for employees in these types of jobs but it is very rare.
If I lived in the UK I would make it a point to visit Skeet's restaurant, what a boss! Its disheartening to see rudeness in any situation, especially in the service industry where people assume the customer is always right. Typically the customer is wrong and assumes an untitlement not deserving. Folks, dont overlook the point of the article, I knew exactly what the author meant in the title!
yeah, the title is a bit misleading, sounds the employee had t pay the guests bill, not that she got the money the guest paid for the bill. this is good though, if all restaurants, bars and retail acted this way instead i have a feeling there would be less people acting entitled to stuff they are not entitled to - because they would run out of places they can show their faces at unless they behave
Glad I read this entire story, I was confused by the headline. I don't go out to eat much but I worked in food service for years, I always think back to my days in hosting or customer service so I'm never rude to employees anywhere. I can't imagine someone thinking they could touch me & get away with it. Dumb of them to think they can treat people however they want wherever because it's going to crush their company. Great of Lee to give her the full amount instead of just partial for tips. I hope those dirtbags get what they deserve & Lee's business grows
Savvy chef gets tens of thousands of dollars worth of publicity and it only cost him $1,350. Nice work. *slowhandclap
Having worked customer service in restaurants and bars for many years, I can safely say the worst customers hands down are those who have money. They put the capital “E” in the word entitlement. They love to hold that tip over your head throughout an entire encounter, knowing that despite how well you do your job, they're only going to leave you the bare minimum, if that. Tipping gives control, power, and ownership over servers, and they love that power. The fact someone is depending on their tip for their livelihood is exactly what they want. In Europe, there is no tipping because workers are paid a living wage instead. The reason Americans b***h about rude waitstaff in Europe is because they can't lord a tip over them. If you mistreat or disrespect waitstaff, they will treat you accordingly. Slavery ended centuries ago, long before it did in the States.
"While it can be quite fulfilling, or even downright romantic, to work at a restaurant"...that one made me chuckle. I wish I had your optimism ;)
I worked at a restaurant when I was about 20 years old. Had a customer that kept on making sexual comments. I asked him for his order. He said, "You'll work for dinner." I told him "I wasn't on the menu." "That's ok. Just put that sexy a*s on my plate." I told him "my a*s wouldn't fit on the plate" and let him, and his buddy, know that when he was ready to order, someone would be there to get it and walked away. Told my manager about it, asked if someone else could take the table, and was told no. My table, my customer, deal with it. Another employee heard what happened and, without being asked, took the table for me. When the customer asked where I was, HE said I was busy with another customer but he wouldn't mind putting HIS a*s on the plate for him (my fellow co-worker wasn't gay but wanted to give him a taste of his medicine)! Needless to say, I never saw that customer again. Surprisingly enough, there was a tip left on the table (I think it was $20).
The law firm started an investigation of the senior staff? Who's investigating them? The senior staff. Lmao. Brilliant PR work there gentlemen.
Doing the right thing rocks! Being a server is a difficult task given the fact that you are on your feet for hours on end, serving hot plates, and dealing with the few customers who are miserable, and want you to feel the same way by treating you poorly. I waited tables in a fast-moving restaurant next to a major airport for 2 years. I met many people who were just great. I never did anything to anyone's food except for one time, a lady was extremely rude and going overseas that evening. She yelled at me to make sure that I gave her decaf coffee. I put regular coffee in the decaf decanter with the orange top! Buh Bye! I had a manager like this guy in the article who let 5 big guyTexans skip on paying because I was slow to serve them because I was new. I tried to quit the next day, but the manager said he did not want me to quit because of my good attitude about how I treat people. I have never forgotten that! Thanks, Brad!
name and shame the shitbags. sounds like its yet more entertainment industry clowns.
It's not just rich people - it's people. Anymore a growing number of people are simply awful .... as a non-specific group. Being rude is just a thing now and if you say anything directly to any of these a-holes you are putting yourself in danger. The world isn't what it used to be ....
Lee you are a good man and heaven has a special place for you and Lilly. And Lilly don’t let anyone ever get you down you are very strong and you deserve all the good coming your way.
And they didn't t tip the waitess on top of their rude behavior? They're definitely clueless and don't belong there. Good for Lee for being a great boss and banning them and giving her the money.
And they didn't leave a tip either? They are clueless. They also don't know how to treat others wirh respect. They don't deserve to go back to that restaurant no matter how important they think they are. Good for Lee for banning them and what a great boss to give the waitress the money.
In the UK, we pay our wait staff so they don't need to be tipped unless their service is exemplary.
Load More Replies... Yeah, kick the people out and never let them back. I agree wholeheartedly. But giving the entire bill to the server? Yeah, no. So now anybody who gets a semi cranky patron is going to overplay the situation trying to get the same treatment. Or, you're going to cause some people to be falsely accused. That's how these kinds of things steamroll. Do a 20% or 30% tip and be done with it.
Sure enough, there was one person complaining that he reported the crime to authorities in own restaurant.
I’m used to BoredPanda articles being lazy reports on interesting things from Reddit or Twiiter, but this one takes the cake. A series of screenshots with explanations of what has just been written in the screenshot, but with the facts gotten wrong. I feel like I’ve just had a Twitter thread badly mansplained.
I feel like a bad person thinking this, but I wonder how much he would have had her back if she was ugly.
Load More Replies... The woman in that photo looks like Alexa Ray Joel, Billy Joel's oldest child.
I was at a local restaurant and watched as an old man of about 80 gave a hug to a waitress then proceeded to let his hand wander down and grab her butt. I protested to the manager who said "Oh..the girls let him do it because he tips them 60 bucks every time." I looked at him shocked. I said "You shouldn't let him do it. Where will you draw the line. When he tries to put a hand down their pants or pull their shirt off in front of everyone? How do you know you are not encouraging him to do this to other women at other restaurants? It shouldn't be allowed." After leaving the restaurant, I messaged the owner and told him what was going on. Not sure if anything came of it, but I didn't go back.
As someone who has worked in customer service for most of my adult life, I can tell you that this wondrous act of humanity would never take place in America. Owners are far too in love with money to give a damn, and would fire an employee should they ever stand up for themselves against cruelty such as this. I've seen too many owners who live lavishly, while paying their employees as little as legally possible (which is typically minimum wage), yet when an extended slow period happens, they will cut staff, cut corners on quality, etc., but never ever even consider cutting back on their own lifestyle. The idea being that they are the businessman and thus automatically should live as if they've finally achieved the american dream. The stupidity of the ol saying “the customer is always right” boils down to “I'm a whore for money and will let you do anything you wish to me as long as you pay me.” That sums up the american way.
Always treat the restaurant staff with respect or you might find (or not be aware of) something unexpected in your food.
why would he even for a second think of returning the money to those customers? There is something missing in the BP post
The disrespect happens to not just restaurant employees. Secretaries, receptionist get the same. When the boss does not stand up for them, it just gets worse because the bully thinks they can continue on to the next establishment.
I have always said if i owned a restaurant i would do this. Thank you keep up the good work
Part of me hopes this is one of those internet stories that turns out to be B.S. I don't like hearing about service workers being treated as less than by customers or employees. Only s**t people treat others like that. But I love how the employer handled this. I hope all restaurants managers and owners read this and take a second to reflect.
I was so pleased to read this story; the abuse you sometimes receive while working in a restaurant or bar is beyond belief. So glad her boss did what he did, well done Lily for keeping your cool. The customer is NOT always right!!! I live in Cardiff and will be paying you a visit soon, as I'm sure will so many others now.
That company should be left high and dry, wandering, looking for an oasis, or just a water source.
BRAVO. Great job Mr. Skeet as a longtime bartender and server I have seen this behavior time after time and it is horrible. It's about time that this kind of behavior is punished as it is unacceptable you should be proud of your actions and more employers and managers should look to you and the actions you have taken hats off to you sir. I also should mention Lily did a great job on keeping her cool and reporting the situation to you I know it was very difficult for her and she did a wonderful job. My wish is that more owners private and corporate deal with this type of situation in the same manner. The only way for people who act this way towards service industry workers to learn a lesson is to inform them they are no longer welcome as a customer unless they act appropriately and treat the workers with dignity. Once again thank you
Great backup for your staff. Glad the company is looking into it-this reflects badly on the whole company, especially *senior* staff. They have forgotten what it's like to be a bottom rung worker.
Maybe go back to third grade then because it's 'deserts', as in 'what they deserve'.
Load More Replies... Body cams for all public facing jobs. They're cheap, they're light, got great resolution, and they carry the threat of commupance and just desserts that modern culture has abandoned. On the internet, there's room for everything.
Thank you for being there, it's such a shame how the rich treat people they feel are below them... I wish only success for you & your staff, in todays world, the workers will prevail for what's is justly ours... we're seeing a massive shift socially & if everything goes to shmit, it'll be the rich & powering class that'll be fed upon...
I applaud you standing up for your employee. I work as a nurse and encounter this behavior daily from entitled patients and their family. It’s exhausting. Common courtesy seems to be a thing of the past. It’s no surprise to me that nurses are quitting and it’s hard to find employees for businesses. Can we agree to be patient and kind and work to develop some coping skills so we are not abusive to those around us?
Why not start training our staff : abuse is not ok come to me IMMEDIATELY if its occurs. That way we stop ot in its tracks. That way no server is SA
A guy tooting his own horn. " Look what a great person I am!!". Also free advertising for his food shack.
Contrary to age old wisdom...the customer is NOT always right. And its refreshing to see employers stand up for their staff. Good on you. Its nice knowing there are people like you out there. If you werent half way around the world id be making reservations.
It's normal, but it isn't part of a wage. It's appreciation for good service.
Load More Replies... Cardiff? Maybe she's in line for Dr Who's next companion, she certainly qualifies.
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And then there are the restaurant owners who pinch their services nipple in front of other guests. What a wonderful chef!
Yeah. He’s trying to smash that and drum up publicity for his restaurant at the same damn time.
Good for the chef taking care of his employees. Too bad he's fallen for the "Rich against everybody else" liberal talking point. Most rich people are not like the morons who treated the FOH lady poorly. Most middle-class and poor people also aren't like that. The people who need to be called out are those who act this way regardless of their station in life.
I blame this mass confusion on the author of the *title* of this article. There may be a language issue at work here... double check with a fluent speaker..not Google Translate. It does a good job on basics... but on nuances -not so much. The problem is also BP is catering to a broad spectrum of English speakers and it is quite a challenge. Update: I found https://nation.cymru/news/london-law-firm-investigating-after-cardiff-chef-blasts-customers-who-treated-waitress-disgracefully/ which used the language : Skeet gave Lily the bill. So it is not BP's fault this misunderstanding started... it's ENGLAND'S fault!!!! LOL
And yet you're still here making pointless comments like this... even logging back in to see what I've replied to your comment here.
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