| Crook, Thank You! Legal crap aside...I am a restaurant and bar owner myself. As Crook stated, it is plain and simple. Please stop trying to make it out to be more than it is. The "LAW" allows restaurants and bars the right to refuse service to whom they see fit! Period. Don't like it, try to change it. Go into a place and argue it, refuse to leave, get your ass locked up! In our business, we deal with a lot of crap. Our job is extremely demanding both physically and mentally. If you haven't worked in this business, you will NEVER understand. We do our best daily to please our customers. Although you would like to think "the customer is always right", on to many occassions do people feel that because we are "in the service industry", they can treat us like shit. I get yelled at, disrespected, degraded, threatened, etc. (over very minor details and I am extremely critical of my operation to begin with) by people who think they're someone and that it's their right to act this way. It makes me very happy to know that I have MY rights as well. I can understand that people will have issues and it is my responsibility to resolve them. The difference is, I do not have to take abuse when people want to voice there complaints in a disrespectful manner! Believe me, I run a VERY successful high end place. The people that think that because they are spending money I need to be their bitch, you've got another thing coming. Plain and simple, you don't like it, there's the door! This sign is a pre-warning. It basically says "JUST TRY IT!". Although I do not post this sign personally, I do agree with it's intent. This appears to be a Chinese restaurant that is hanging this sign. For those who have argued the posting of this sign in their establishment (or the one at Geno's in Philly). Try spending ONE day along side of the operators of these places. I guarantee you that you will change your mind about this sign by day's end. I have spent many years within this business as have my Chinese in laws. I assure you that these places have seen more levels of disrespect, discrimination, and abuse than you could ever imagine. I applaud this establishment and I feel for them for having to come to the point of having to hang this sign. They MUST have had their fill and found it important to try to be proactive about the situation. In addition to this, I happen to live in Philly and I have frequented Geno's for years. The sign is still there and they now sell t-shirts and stickers stating "I'm in America and I speak English!". Once again, it is their right. If you do not like this, do not go there. Try to boycott and you will see that you still will not win. The MAJORITY of people in this country actually understand that as Americans, it is our requirement to learn English. This is our language. Why should there be issue with us making a pre-statement saying "you need to order in English". Why should it be required that a counter employee, making just over minimum wage, learn to speak another language in order to understand your order. I will guarantee you that the majority of the times that this person behind the counter just simply could not understand the (non English speaking) customer, they were bombarded with attitude by this customer. Now I'm not disagreeing that there is racism everywhere we go, but how stupid do you think that a business owner of over 60 years (Geno's) is? You think they woke up one day and said, "I think today I want to put up a sign to say I don't like people who can't speak English!". Get over it people! Go to France and don't attempt to speak the language. Time how long it takes for vendors to either act like they don't understand you or just simply laugh in your face! In closing, allow me to come into your business (those of you who argue these points) and speak Chinese (or another language that you do not understand), act like I own the place and your my bitch. Sit back as I yell and scream when you make a minor mistake (or you don't understand me). Argue that I should get the entire product or service for free (do to your mistake or lack of understanding my language). And complete our transaction by laughing at how STUPID you are because of your mistake (or inability to understand me). Tell me you won't think about using your right to refuse service to who you see fit! I tell you first hand, THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THESE SIGNS ARE THERE! |
"The Right to Refuse Service to Anyone"