Why we can’t have nice things in the Downtown core anymore
Yesterday I ran into a friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in a couple of months. She told me a story that saddened me, but really didn’t surprise me at all.
She and her husband had gone to a popular Downtown restaurant for Saturday brunch. The server came to take the order of the people at the next table over, a large group, and many of them ordered steaks cooked well-done.
The people at that table became agitated when food came out to other tables before their food came out. Again, they ordered steaks cooked well-done. That is going to take longer than a steak cooked medium-rare. The people at the table got extremely loud, as though they were trying to turn the entire restaurant into their audience.
Then they called the manager over and requested that their steaks be comped because they took so long to cook. The manager said he couldn’t do that, and they got even louder.
When they needed water, they didn’t flag down their server and say, “Excuse me, miss, could I get some more water?” They stood up, waved their glasses in the air, and yelled out, “WATER!”
Their behavior surely crushed their servers’ morale. It also ruined the normal pleasant, low-key brunch vibe for everyone dining in that area of the restaurant.
But they didn’t care about that. Nobody in the room mattered except their group.
Now, rude customers are not a new thing. Ever since I lived Downtown I’d see rude customers at weekend brunch once or twice a year…
… but since the pandemic restrictions were removed, it seems like I encounter rude customers at brunch every weekend.
Sometimes multiple groups of rude customers at brunch every weekend.
This is why some restaurants are discontinuing brunch. You know, the funny thing is, with autogratting turned on, it’s easily possible for a server to make $400 or more in tips on a Sunday brunch shift. But, many turn down a payday that lucrative because they can’t bear to subject themselves to that kind of abuse on a weekly basis. So some restaurants down here struggle to field a staff to work brunch shifts.
That is also why some restaurants put things like “No modifications | No remakes | No exchanges | No refunds” at the top of their brunch menus. Believe me, they don’t want to be that strict. But it’s the only way to head off ugly confrontations like the one I described above, confrontations that absolutely take the Fun out of Sunday Fun Day for employees and respectful, courteous customers.
I really don’t know what the solution is, other than to just accept that Sundays are not as fun as they used to be. If you have thoughts I’d be interested in hearing them. paul@paulryburn.com
On to the news…
The Flying Fish has got a deal going on this weekend (through Memorial Day). 4 pounds of crawfish, with corn and taters, for $25. Not that hungry? You can get 1 pound for $8.95 this weekend. The Fish’s crawfish aren’t quite as good as those from some of the pop-up boils around town – they apply the seasoning after the boil, rather than in the boil. But you can get them anytime the Fish is open, not just for a few hours on a particular day, and it’s late in the season so the mudbugs are huge.
Classic country/rock & roll fiddle band Hillbilly Mojo plays the Blind Bear from 6 to 9 this evening. It isn’t clear from the Facebook event listing whether the band will play on the patio or inside. I hope it’s inside.
You know…
I’m not a patio person
I’m not a dog person
I’m not a smoker
That makes me kind of a weirdo among the Downtown group.
Vintage 901 will have a boutique wine tasting on the grounds of the James Lee House at 690 Adams on Saturday, June 11 from 5 to 7. Wines and tapas with a Southern flair will be served. $75. Purchase tickets
Well, butter my biscuits, it’s National Biscuit Day.
Six people were shot in Downtown Chattanooga last night.
The Memphis Redbirds will host the Iowa Cubs in a 6:35 game tonight at AutoZone Park. There will be Memorial Day fireworks following the game. The ‘birds will wear Armed Forces Day hats tonight to honor our country’s heroes. If you come to the game hungry, a specialty ticket ($32 field box/$34 dugout) will get you an all-you-can-eat buffet of cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, soft drinks, and water.
This coming week is the official celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne). It’ll be interesting to see if Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, try to make the celebration all about them.
That’s all the news for today. Heading to brunch at one of my usual locations in a bit. Memorial Day is usually a slow news day, but if there’s anything to report I’ll be back with a post.