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I visited an Elephant Bar in Fremont, CA Friday 7/27/07 at 5:28 p.m. I asked the greeter for a private seat where I could sit and have a drink and something to eat while waiting for tire work to be done at a nearby shop. She was very kind and instructed a lady to seat me. The seater was very pleasant. She left me with 2 menus. There were 4 tables. My table, a table in front of me with a couple seated and 2 empty tables. I sat there for 20 minutes and was never even offered a glass of water. There was a waitress on duty that looked my way twice, really quickly. I sat there in shock and watched her take drink orders and food orders for all three other tables that had filled by now. Finally I got up with my business card which had my cell number written on the back, in hand and went back to the greeter and explained that I had never even been offered a glass of water. I had to leave because the tire shop was closing soon. I asked that the manager call me. The greeter apologized and gave me the manager's business card. The manager never called.
I am a 54 year old African American female. None of the other patrons that this waitress recognized were. Do I have cause for a law suit?
Ahh! Don't Take offense as a racial issue, Maybe your grace, beauty, and proffesionalism was intimidating to them. How much education does it take to wait tables. Yes it was rude! But look at you, an educated black woman with enough time and money to request a private seat while waiting to get tire work done, being waited on by a bunch of redneck wannabe actors, (or models, unsuccesful no doubt!). I'm a white woman from Kentucky, not poor, not rich, But have the same issues here. I just shrug it off and pray for the silly saps who are too wrapped in their own since of jealousy of what we special have, PRIDE! Be proud sister and walk on. Those who waited (tables) will still be waiting while you're zooming on! ( in your hot car of course)!
It was rude, it was very poor customer service, the manager should have called you to apoligize, and you deserved better treatment. Does that warrant a law suit? Is that worth your time? Generally the first consultation with an attorney is free and then you will have a good idea if this is a viable case.
I personally think there is a lawsuit for every reason and an attorney to chase that reason. I wouldn't pursue this legally but you feel very strongly that race is the critical issue of not being served. Talk to an attorney and go from there. Also make sure everyone you know hears about what happened to you in the Elephant Bar.
I said to talk to an attorney and then make your decision based on the consultation. Just because I would not sue does not mean you should not consider it.
That was a little harsh. This is a public board and you're asking for opinions, so not liking what someone has to contribute doesn't make it wrong or juvenille. Personally, I think consulting a lawyer is sound advice.
I'm sorry you were treated poorly and there is no excuse for it. Have you called the manager yourself? I would, as well as the BBB to report your experience. I've had similar experiences with lack of service. In the many times I've had this happen, I didn't assume it was due to my race or sex, rather that they were understaffed or just plain bad at waitressing. Honestly, my first impression of what you wrote is that it would be hard to prove the way they treated you was due to race. Did you hear something innapropriate or see them react in some way that left you sure of what caused her to ignore you?
I'm not trying to defend it by any means. Bad service is bad service; I'd just like to point out some other possibilities rather than think someone looked at you negatively because of your race.
Had I been in your shoes, I would have been livid, but you handled the situation gracefully. I would follow up by calling the manager. If the manager is somehow unavailable or remains dodgy, I would go back there with a friend just to see if it happens again. If it does, then you'd have a witness, and you can also refuse to leave until you see the manager. If it does not, then it's surely due to rotten service (or shall I say non-service) of the previous waitress.
You said that they gave you two menus...could they have maybe been waiting for another person to join you. I agree it was rue for them to not even ask or offer water, but I try to see things from the other side as well. I think you handles the situation well, and while I dont really think you have a lawsuit on your hands, I do think you were owed a sincere apology.
Your giving shy a negative comment here was totally uncalled for. The advice was, if you want to pursue it ask an attorney for advice. That was indeed helpful and correct. Your comment was rude and demeaning. It makes me wonder if there was more to your story then you are relating.
Were you discriminated against? If your story is accurate, it might appear so. Do you have a lawsuit? What damages did you suffer other than your dignity? What I would do is forget the idea of cashing in, but do report it whatever state authority licenses bars.
I have been a waitress since I was 16...and just to add, that does not mean I am "uneducated" or "unsucessful", waitressing is a job that allows for a very flexible schedule, and has me walking out everynight with cash, and puts me through school. The vast majority of waiters/waitresses are students.
Anywho, I thought I could shed some light because I have seen this happen many times. First and foremost, if the host/hostess sat you with 2 menus that would absolutely make the server think you were waiting on someone to join you. There was no reason, however, that you should not have been offered something to drink while you waited (if the server thought you were waiting on someone). I always greet every table, offer something to drink, and go from there. Another possiblity that I have seen is many servers do not perfer to wait on a table of one. Servers make WAY below mininum wage, the last time I waitress I was making $2.13/hr...so servers live on their tips...and many servers see a one-person table as a low tip. I know these reasons do not excuse what happened, obviously the server was not one of the best.
If I had to bet, I would say the server saw the 2 menus, assumed you were waiting on someone to join you, and would rather wait til that person got there to take any order, instead of running back and forth for you, and then back and forth when the other person joined (which may have been the reason she/he avoided eye contact so you couldn't wave them over).
For any reason, it was absolutely poor service, and I'm sure the manager would agree.
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