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This Restaurant Refused to Accept a Customer’s Rude Remarks Against a Waiter With Autism
| By Jasper Gee
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Let’s be very clear about something. The customer is NOT always right. When they become obnoxious, rude, and even mean towards employees, it is most certainly time to cut them loose.
One restaurant owner recently decided to fight back against a rude customer. Mike Jennings is owner of Grenache, a restaurant in Manchester, England. He is also the employer of Andy Foster, a 45-year-old man with autism — who also happens to be a waiter at the establishment.
Jennings was recently asked to visit with a table after Foster was assigned to wait on a group of patrons. One of the customer’s at the table told Jennings that something seemed off with Foster.
In an interview with the Manchester Evening News, Jenning’s explains that the table of customers expressed problems with Foster, even though they admitted his service was quick and accurate.
He explained to the customers that the man has autistic. He assumed they would accept that response since their service was top notch.
Jennings was shocked when the customers asked why his restaurant would “give a job to someone like him.”
Foster decided to be the bigger person and apologize to the customer, even though they were at fault. He took the whole “the customer is always right” slogan to heart.
“I try not to take it personally because it has happened so many times in the past I have just got used to it,” he told the Manchester Evening News.
Foster says the other table he was servicing left him a big tip, so he knows he was doing a good job for everyone he was helping.
Jennings wasn’t going to take the entire situation in stride. He didn’t believe the customer was right so he posted a message on his restaurant’s Facebook page.
In his message the kind restaurant owner asked that anyone who is going to discriminate against others not visit his business and go elsewhere from now on.
Jennings admits that he cringed as prepared to hit post. He knew his message could give the idea that the customer is not always right. He also knew he had to take a stand against ignorant and rude customers.
Here’s the full Facebook message he posted:
It didn’t take long for customers to chime in and they were in full support of the restaurant owner’s message.
The general consensus was that customers seem to think they have the right to mistreat hospitality staff.
Customer Martine Whitehead added: “I also think your recruitment policy as well as being legally sound is clearly perfect as your team are all amazing and your customer service ethos goes right from management to your front line. Lots of businesses could take a leaf from your book xx.”
Jennings shared a Youtube video in support of Foster:
It was a very brave stance Jennings took in support of a single employee but it appears his efforts have paid off. His employee knows their employer has their back and customers are raving about his review.
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