An Open Letter to Bennigan's Restaurant
I took my 10 year old daughter to your restaurant to celebrate the grades on her report card last night. She had been looking forward to going to Bennigans with her Daddy all week. In the middle of our appetizer gangster rap music began playing over your loudspeaker system. I do not recall all the lyrics, but I do recall the words "pimping and fucking hoes".
It took me over five minutes to get your bartender and manger to turn this abusive excuse for music off. Your manager then unapologetically went on to explain that she usually plays Christian Contemporary music as though I were a christian fundementalist. Your bartender acted as though the event was humorous.
I was prepared to leave, but because she did change the music, we stayed and finished our meal. I tried to explain to my daughter how sometimes these things happen but her evening was ruined. I do not doubt that she will be discussing pimps and hoes at Bennigans at her parochial school today.
I did not raise my daughter to succumb to this kind of trash, and I mistakenly believed Bennigans was the type of family oriented establishment that would not condone it, especially at 5:00 PM when children may be dining.
Be advised that I fully intend to inform other parents of your restaurant's ambience. A copy of this short letter will also be placed on the editor's desk of the local newspaper for publication.
Some things are unforgivable. Abuse of families and children through vulgar music selection in restaurants is one of them.
UPDATE
canned email response:
Thank you for contacting Bennigan's. We have received your e-mail and we do appreciate your feedback. We are reviewing your information and a representative from our organization will contact you by phone or mail within 14 business days. Your feedback is very valuable to the constant improvement of our brand and we appreciate you taking the time to share it with us. We look forward to seeing you in a Bennigan's restaurant soon!
UPDATE
I recieved a telephone call from the District Manager of Bennigans. He was apologetic, but he maintained the same excuses for this incident. He did offer to send coupons for free meals, and I agreed to accept them. We shall see.
UPDATE
One month, two weeks later, no coupons have arrived. It looks like Bennigans hires liars or incompetents for District Managers.
Labels: Consumer Advocacy, Rants
posted by Xavier at 8:35 AM
6 Comments:
That SUCKS.
I've gotten less and less tolerant of crap coming from people I'm paying for a service. About a year ago I started keeping a mental blacklist of all the places that treated me like a sub-human on more than one visit.
The result? My and I don't go to any local fast food restaurants, save for the Arby's close to our place. Back Yard Burgers used to make me smile every time I went in, but they removed student discounts and the quality of the food has gone down.
Sit-down restaurants tend to fare a bit better, but we don't have a lot of dining money so we stick to a couple.
I'm convinced that in another year I'll have no place outside my home to eat, which is not such a bad thing I guess.
I am constantly amazed how people think such music(language) is acceptable. I've heard similar lyrics in the exercise room at our local YMCA!! It quit when I formally complained but where are their standards? You would think that Bennigan's and such places would play music that is inoffensive to the general public.
It was probably that smug bartender's iPod playing - I know a mall retail guy I worked with got canned for much the same thing. Businesses can't afford to let $8/hr flunkies ruin their reputations and cost them money, so often they'll figure out who it was, put them on probation and then find a reason to fire them.
If it was me, and I was irritated, I would have kindly asked and tried to get ahold of someone... but if it takes more than a minute for them to get someone in charge, then I get to the point wherein I figure that it is time to make a scene, so would end up shouting something like "Will someone turn this foul-mouthed absolute garbage off right now?". After all, the other patrons are either the type of people who would listen to that kind of garbage, at which point I have little respect for them, or they are the kind of people who don't appreciate it either, at which point I figure that they would appreciate someone taking a stand (I know I would if I was one), even if they were a bit demanding about it. So either way, it is only a scene for the resturaunt, not for me.
Oh well, maybe that is just me.
Bennigan's does suck. I was menaced by a bartender's boyfriend upon leaving the restaurant one evening. No intervention by the manager occurred.
This morning I receive a rather rude interrogation by the manager who is "investigating" the matter. It appears that he has already taken the side of his staff. He discontinued after I "insulted" him. What did he expect. He is an idiot and deserves to be insulted. I never created a problem, tipped generously, and was a quiet customer.
The staff has decide to side with the barmaid. I suppose this is a form of thanks for the very generous tips. How incredibly ungrateful.
To summarize:
1) I am menaced by the barmaids boyfriend.
2) The manager has banned me from the restaurant because the staff is suddenly "uncomfortable" with me being there. These are more lies.
3) Manager tells me not to return or the police will be summoned. He hasn't even finished his "investigation". He is an idiot.
I thought it was a nice place. But it is staffed by liars, and managed by arrogant idiots.
I called corporate, but nothing will happen.
They suck.
Bennigan's does suck. I was menaced by a bartender's boyfriend upon leaving the restaurant one evening. No intervention by the manager occurred.
This morning I receive a rather rude interrogation by the manager who is "investigating" the matter. It appears that he has already taken the side of his staff. He discontinued after I "insulted" him. What did he expect. He is an idiot and deserves to be insulted. I never created a problem, tipped generously, and was a quiet customer.
The staff has decide to side with the barmaid. I suppose this is a form of thanks for the very generous tips. How incredibly ungrateful.
To summarize:
1) I am menaced by the barmaids boyfriend.
2) The manager has banned me from the restaurant because the staff is suddenly "uncomfortable" with me being there. These are more lies.
3) Manager tells me not to return or the police will be summoned. He hasn't even finished his "investigation". He is an idiot.
I thought it was a nice place. But it is staffed by liars, and managed by arrogant idiots.
I called corporate, but nothing will happen.
They suck.
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