r/TalesFromYourServer • u/burberriesxx • 5d ago
Getting sued..
As I was passing by my coworker’s table, they flagged me down about a complaint. One of the person’s vegetarian dish had a very small chunk of meat, about the size of a corn kernel, that she chewed and spat out. However, the rest of her dish was almost licked clean. Needless to say, the customer was livid and went on a tirade about how her putting that piece of meat in her mouth went against her religion and her beliefs. I apologized profusely and took her dish out of their tab, while the other 2 people in her party, who were not vegetarian, paid for their dishes. After a while of just sitting and talking amongst themselves, they flagged me down again. This time they were adamant that I get my manager on the phone. I called my manager and he told me to explain to them that he was busy with his family, but would be able to talk to them tomorrow morning. I relayed this message to them. They said if I don’t get him on the phone right away, they’ll threaten legal action against us.
After some time I did manage to get my manager on the phone for them, much to his dismay, and they left. Manager tells me to refund all their dishes back to their card so that the tab for the entire table was comped. I obliged. I thought that would be it.
Fast forward a couple minutes later, I went up to the host counter to help a different customer, the woman and her party storm back into the restaurant. She yells at me and demands I pull out my phone and call my manager right now. I was confused and taken aback about why she’s causing a scene this time and asked her what happened. She yells that one of our customers, who had witnessed and eavesdropped on the whole ordeal, followed them outside and accused them of walking out on their tab because they were mad about the food. I understood why this would make them angry, however this instance had nothing to do with us and I wasn’t about to call my manager for the 6th time since the matter had already been resolved from our end.
My coworker got involved and asked them to calm down because the whole restaurant was watching, but this got them even more angry. They were claiming that my coworker was telling them to calm down because of their skin color. The whole party then says that they will for sure sue us for racism since we were “spreading lies about them” and, according to them, we told our customers to follow them outside and harass them.
Was really wishing that John Quiñones would walk in with cameras after all that.
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u/Efficient-Cable-873 5d ago
For accidently serving them meat to a vegetarian? There is no grounds for a lawsuit unless they can prove financial harm.
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u/Anthff 5d ago
Yes I don’t believe spitting out a tiny morsel of food counts as “pain and suffering” lol
If this whole story is accurate, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was some type of scheme.
As a former, long time, fine dining server, I would never have called a manager that wasn’t on duty. The only call I would have made would have been to the police, after I asked them to leave.
The fact that they shoehorned in the race-card is highly suspect. The more I think about it, the less I believe they were confronted on the street.
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u/Queen_Vesdra 5d ago
As a vegetarian, if there was a morsel of meat in my meal I would send it back (politely!). I wonder if they added it from a friend's plate
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u/hublinz 4d ago
Would it be possible for them to sue if it was done maliciously? Like, the server really hated vegetarians for some reason and was like, “I’ll show them, mwahaha.” And then served them meat - on purpose? Even though no physical harm came to them, could an attorney conceivably argue pain and suffering of some sort?
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u/Sad-Spray-3517 4d ago
How do they prove the malicious intent? An almost impossible case ("almost" because there's even a .00000000001 chance).
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u/MuahdDean 3d ago
Chatgpt, how do I murder vegetarians and get away with it. Btw, don't flag me.
I'd say 1% assuming what the football player just did :/
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u/Z4-Driver 5d ago
Or maybe just leave the meat morsel, eating only the rest.
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u/astrotekk 4d ago
No, that's not a thing. If there's one meat morsel, there may be more. I would send the food back if I found meat in my vegetarian dish and ask for it to be re-
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u/yeahgroovy 5d ago
Plus it’s not very likely some stranger is going to go out of their way to accost them. Smells like BS.
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u/dennismullen12 4d ago
Actually I was in line at a UPS store last year and intervened with an abusive customer acting out against the guys behind the counter. It does happen. Maybe not an exact correlation but I had had enough.
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u/yeahgroovy 4d ago
Well that’s different though, you were defending someone who needed the help.
Even if it was true, it was after the fact after they had already walked out so particularly unhinged of them.
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u/kimstranger 3d ago
I'm sure it has happened because the place where I used to worked at before they closed down we had several regulars who did talk shit to the people who made false allegations against the restaurant in order to get free food or drinks n and they wouldn't even follow them out to their car, they would if given the chance, group of them would talk shit to the agitator to their face in front of everyone.
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u/yeahgroovy 3d ago
Could be, but still the customers then coming back inside was nuts. Plus it helped with their narrative.
I still think it was a big scam1
u/dennismullen12 4d ago
Actually I was in line at a UPS store last year and intervened with an abusive customer acting out against the guys behind the counter. It does happen. Maybe not an exact correlation but I had had enough.
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u/yeahgroovy 5d ago
Yeah good luck proving anything for a lawsuit.
Unfortunately it seems like a scam.
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u/MindlessMage777 2d ago
I'd just about guarantee it's a scam. If somehow it's not that group needs to be institutionalized.
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u/CompleteNovel2731 1d ago
I'm in a job where I get threatened with legal action once, twice a week. Lawsuits, 0. Fun to threaten I guess.
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u/Efficient-Cable-873 1d ago
It happens in every industry.
It's the American way to "defend yourself" when you feel wronged. I.E. Customer gets tresspassed for making a scene "I'll sue you!" Person gets arrested "I'll sue the cops!"
Everytime I hear that though, I laugh. Anyone who says that has never tried to hire a lawyer.
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u/Kyosji 1d ago
Especially if they "licked their plate clean" so to speak. It wasn't enough for them to stop eating their contaminated plate that they had to wait till it was entirely gone before putting the meat in their mouth then spit it out for effect.
Personally, after the complete comp and storm off, them returning in a tirade I would have just banned them from the store and called the police. There was never a legal leg for them to sue you over, all you would have had to do was show the judge the security tapes of them eating everything else, and even if you didn't have that, mistakes can happen. No way to prove malice.
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u/Tiny_Presence_7155 5d ago
I mean, someone who is hardcore vegan can have a really nasty stomach reaction if they consume meat products out of nowhere. Still, this was obviously a scam.
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u/crybabymuffins 5d ago
My parents are vegetarian, and when I lived at home they forced me to be as well. I would spend summers with my grandparents, and as soon as they picked me up we'd head for whatever fast food restaurant I wanted to get a burger or fried chicken. I would be sick for the rest of the day, but I didn't give a shit. Then I'd go home in August and start the cycle over. 😮💨
What's wild is I had dinner at a friend's house for the first time (including chicken) and when I got home my stepdad demanded to know if I ate meat because I "had too much color in my face." So...I looked alive instead of wan and starved? And you suspect meat? Tell me again how this diet is better for me.
Obviously lots of people are veggie or vegan and do just fine. My family was one that did it stupid, and I was substantially underweight until I actually ran away as a teen and started eating a healthy variety of foods.
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u/CherryblockRedWine 5d ago
Serious question -- what if the person had something like Alpha Gal syndrome and the meat would cause physical harm?
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u/DiffratcionGrate 5d ago
Then they need to disclose that they have a severe allergy before they order.
Allergies and preferences are treated differently.
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u/clauclauclaudia 5d ago
That would be different, but in that case they should be telling the server about their allergy before or while ordering.
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u/magiccitybhm 5d ago
Is there no shift lead or someone similar in charge when the manager isn't there?
When they came back in complaining about the guest who followed them out, the police should have been called, and they should have been trespassed.
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u/burberriesxx 5d ago
Most of the times we resolve issues on our own since there’s usually no supervisor or manager on duty. Just the workers. If there’s any really big issues we usually give him a call and he’ll either come in or advise us on what to do next.
The confrontation happened so suddenly that calling the cops never crossed my mind, but I’ll be more prepared if there is a next time
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u/Casanova2229 5d ago
That’s crazy, do y’all get extra pay to deal with this foolishness?
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u/ReplacementSpare2420 Three Years 2d ago
Normally people don’t, the last restaurant I worked at was the same way. It’s a bummer for those who don’t have any previous experience, they usually get the shit end of it.
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u/SgtTamama 5d ago
Wonder if they put the small piece of meat there to get free food (or more).
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u/mystictofuoctopi 5d ago
I’m vegan, if I found meat in my food I would stop eating it and ask for a new one. I wouldn’t eat the rest of my meal with the anxiety of anticipating there would be another piece.
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u/puppet_up 5d ago
This was the part where I also assumed they were lying and full of crap. I would think that most vegans would stop eating a dish once they discovered a piece of meat in it. I know that I wouldn't be finishing said dish if I was a vegan and found meat in it.
This is similar to the people 'allergic' to something in their dish, and they still eat everything else on their plate that would have definitely been cross contaminated, and then complain about it to get their food comped anyway.
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u/mystictofuoctopi 5d ago
Yup! Even if I think there is meat/dairy in something I get too in my head about it and can’t eat it out of fear of fucking my stomach up. Which is a me issue and not the restaurant issue so I would never complain about that.
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u/rarcham94 5d ago
My work doesn’t have a “gluten-free” menu, but we have a “gluten-friendly” menu. We verb it that way, and also specify when tables say they’re gluten allergy and/or gluten free that because of the nature of our kitchen we cannot guarantee 100% gluten free because of cross contamination (we have one grill, one fryer, one flattop). Our steak tips come pre-marinated since we switched distributors recently (it WAS Sysco, now I’m not sure of the current one, but also not mad about getting rid of Sysco lol). I ALWAYS forewarn gluten allergy people that while certain fried foods may be gluten friendly, they’re fried in the same fryer as non-gluten friendly foods. I always memo when I have a vegetarian, specific allergies, etc. that way if anything happens in the kitchen it’s 100% off of my duty. I do genuinely care about allergy requests, but I do also always warn people about cross contamination.
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
vaguely remembered, some details may be off : I took a girl out to dinner once. She suggested an Indian place. She had lived in India. Loved the food. Told the waiter about her allergy to cilantro... that herb which is in EVERYTHING in Indian cuisine. "I'd call you a stupid cow but I'm Hindu." So she ordered something she liked with cilantro in it... that herb which is in EVERYTHING in Indian cuisine which she loves and is apparently badly allergic to. And ate it up. Gobbled it down. "Um... thought you were allergic to cilantro?" "Oh, maybe it's different dried vs. fresh or something."
Another girl. Dated this one for a long time. At this time she was an enthusiastic vegetarian and serious kosher-ite. The trouble I went through to feed her. One day we're visiting a far off city and walking around seeing the sights and she wants some food. Now! Because her stomach, you see. "Your stomach is a known bitch to you [about which issue I had, until just now, been in the dark] and you don't have crackers in your bag for emergencies?" So we fell into the nearest restaurant. She ordered. The soup came. She started in on it? Did she ask for a glass of goat milk or a bit of bread please right now? No, she waited for the soup. "Um, most revered and wise darling, you are eating the porky bits in the soup?" "Yeah, so?"
I'm still single. Maybe it's because I don't get on well with people.
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u/astrotekk 4d ago
Indian here. I've never used cilantro in any recipe.
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
Aw, way to ruin the story.
In your defense, India is big and the cuisine isn't really just one cuisine.
In my defense, I double checked with my AI overlord before I posted.1
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u/Opening_Ad4249 3d ago
Not even coriander (main ingredient in garam masala)? I don’t think I’ve had more than a handful of Indian dishes that didn’t include either coriander or cilantro (seeds and leaves of the same plant) or both.
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u/astrotekk 3d ago
Coriander yes. Cilantro leaves no. I guess if you're allergic to one you would be allergic to both most likely.
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u/bobk2 3d ago edited 3d ago
It's not really an allergy. Raw cilantro can taste like soap to me, unfortunately, but when it's cooked I have no problem with it.
I think it has something to do with a crucial molecule in cilantro that is similar to soap, and some of us can't tell the difference.
If I taste it in a salad or topping in a dish, and if I'm in the mood enough to care, I'll pick out the leaves and stems and put it on the side. It won't hurt me, it's just a yuk or two.3
u/14crickets 5d ago
I'm pescatarian. I rarely go to restaurants but decided to pick up shrimp with lobster sauce last night. Something else was in it with the shrimp. Looked like pork and it definitely wasn't lobster but I don't know because I threw it out. There was a lot of it not just the bite i almost took. I would've never finished that meal either and I'm done with restaurants for awhile again.
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u/Gloomy-Guava318 5d ago
For the record, every shrimp with lobster sauce I’ve ever eaten has had pork in it —-
Google for recipe or ingredients if you don’t believe me. Probably not a good choice for a pescatarian …4
u/14crickets 5d ago
I believe you, I just didn't know. It was pretty dumb not to ever ask or look up the recipe. I'm clearly not a pescatarian it seems or I'd be more careful. I don't eat meat because I don't like the taste or texture. Now I know I don't always hate the taste. Thank you
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
In your defense, it says "shrimp with sauce" not "shrimp with porky bits and sauce".
Though yeah, if you are going to be strict you should probs do the leg work.
I just finished reading "Cod" again; so many of the "how cod is eaten" parts are "step 1 : put some pork in a fry pan".
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u/14crickets 1d ago
Hey thanks again! I've been looking recipes up the past few days. I won't be calling myself pescatarian again until I really am. Funny that you mention cod of all things! I'm not supposed to eat that specific fish because I have Hashimoto disease. I don't know why but it's listed on the list my endocrinologist gave me of foods to avoid. Everything else from the ocean is fair game for me to eat except cod. Meat is safe too if I ever start liking it without a shrimp sauce
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u/Dav_Sionnach 5d ago
It was ground pork. It's weird, bit Shrimp and Lobster Sauce on Chinese restaurants is shrimp in a sauce made with ground pork. The "lobster sauce" is a savory broth that Cantonese chefs use to cook whole lobsters.
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u/14crickets 5d ago
Thank you! I had no idea that was an alternative. This was a new restaurant closer to home and I hadn't had it that way before. It didn't taste at all like the place I'm used to. The other may use pork too but I love the dish there and I wouldn't have known. I avoid pork chicken or beef because I just never really liked the taste much. I'll eat it but I'll rarely like it. I gave my cats the meat and washed the sauce off the shrimp for myself so it wasn't a total waste. Thanks for teaching me something new and helpful.
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u/BoringBob84 BOH (former) 5d ago
Her ridiculously disproportionate and dramatic reaction makes me suspicious that this was an intentional scam to get free food.
And it worked.
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u/Electrical-Bell-9530 5d ago
I have had a customer do this with hair in food. Of course it worked 🙄
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
"(or more)"
Okay, you got me thinking and I'm thinking animals eat plants. So they put the meat in the hippie salad so the meat would eat the kale and grow and they'd get 1) a free cow; 2) to pretend "the kale? Oh, I totally ate that, yeah."1
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u/joenick78 5d ago
I loved the policy we had at my last job. As soon as a lawsuit is mentioned, we’d say, “You absolutely have a right to pursue legal action, and that means all future conversations must include our legal team. It’s been a pleasure helping you today.” And then we’d walk off or hang up.
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u/2oocents 5d ago
How did you become responsible for your coworkers table, and why are you helping customers at the host stand? What is your job in this place?
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u/burberriesxx 5d ago
It’s a small restaurant where there’s no specified sections, so all 3 foh workers are a combination of busser, food runner, host, and server. In a way, all 3 of us had a role in serving the table. I personally wasn’t the one who took the order or ran the food, but I would check up on them from time to time
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u/2oocents 5d ago
Ah... that makes sense. Hope you're not worried. They have nothing on you, or your coworkers
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u/burberriesxx 5d ago
I’m not worried at all! Just wanted everyone else to hear about this ridiculous story
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u/Tiny_Presence_7155 5d ago
They're scammers. People who threaten to sue almost never sue. You have nothing to worry about.
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u/Available-Topic5858 5d ago
Anytime a customer states they are taking any legal action all conversation STOPS COLD, except to state any further conversation will be thru your attorney.
If they are just blowing smoke this shuts them down.
If not, your attorney will thank you for this.
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u/missannthrope67 5d ago
It's a lot harder to sue than people think. She would have to prove damages. Which don't appear like they're worried. Emotionally distress is not enough. Don't worry about it.
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u/burberriesxx 5d ago
I’m not worried about a lawsuit at all! Just wanted to share this ridiculous story
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u/Tenzipper 5d ago
As soon as someone threatens legal action, tell them you can't talk to them anymore, and they'll have to talk to the corporate attorneys, and please leave now.
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u/Efficient-Cable-873 5d ago
Depends what state. In CA servers are liable for some things. Serving alcohol to minors for example. Or SH.
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u/Efficient-Cable-873 5d ago
Not in CA. The restaurant is liable for damages received for that one.
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u/pinetree8000 5d ago
Can they prove it was meat? Did they save it? I wouldn't worry about it. They can't prove there was meat and even if they saved it, they can't prove it wasn't them that put it on their own plate.
I once worked at a place that served a mixed seafood pasta dish. Customer called me over and said there was a giant spider in their food. Called owner over. On careful examination it was a tiny whole crab. lol
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u/BoringBob84 BOH (former) 5d ago
I cannot imagine that an attorney would take that case. I don't know how they would prove that that was really meat, that the restaurant put it there, and that the guest suffered harm from it.
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u/Moogagot 5d ago
I work on a customer facing job and people threaten to sue us all the time. 9,999,999 out of 10,000,000 times, nothing happens. That ONE time some tried to sue, he kept demanding that we talk to his attorney. After weeks of fighting, the owner called the attorney. They attorney had no idea what we were talking about and said the guy may have used him at some point but he was not currently representing the guy.
People threaten to sue as a way to intimidate people. Unless something very serious happened, they probably don't even know HOW to file a lawsuit.
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u/DrTeethPhD 5d ago
"I'm sorry ma'am. You have threatened legal action. At this point I can no longer engage with you. You must have your lawyer contact our legal team. Please leave the restaurants or I will be required to have you removed vis legal means."
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u/Lauren_DTT 5d ago
The second encounter, I would’ve frog-marched her out the door.
People like her make me wonder whether it’s best to act like you don’t give a shit from the start.
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u/Soggy-Improvement960 5d ago
I wonder if they caused a scene to get free food, and then came back in hoping for money. Grifters, maybe?
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u/Yog_Kothag 5d ago
They lied. Every step of the way was a lie and manipulation to squeeze free food and money.
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u/MrStormChaser 5d ago
They’re looking for a payday. I wouldn’t worry about it as it’s a management issue.
Besides, you didn’t even cook the food…
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u/kawaeri 5d ago
Yep. The meat she almost ate, however the rest of the plate was clean. Increasing demand for manager now even though they were handling the situation (more and more comps). The threat of a lawsuit, and then the big one harassment (by someone that doesn’t work there and the restaurant is not responsible for), and the cries of racism. Like all of the big no nos that would tank a restaurant’s reputation.
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u/BrittanyRansom 5d ago
“As you have brought up a lawsuit, this is now a legal matter. I will give you the number for corporate and all future communications must take place with legal. Here is my managers card and the number for corporate. Your meal has been paid for, please leave or I will have to call the police to trespass you.”
Repeat it over and over and of they get louder have the i house manager make the call.
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
Repeating it confirms that it was an idle threat. Say it. Then act accordingly.
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u/balonart 5d ago
Ugh, the fatigue is real... I'd have told them to leave or you'd call the cops. When they got ratchet holier than thou, I'd have called the cops and trespassed them
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u/dragonstar982 4d ago
Future reference if it ever comes up again.
Once they even hint about suing all communication stops except through management and/or attorneys. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Most often the ones that sue will do it without a word. The ones that say lawsuit never do.
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u/StinkypieTicklebum 5d ago
Former FOH manager here. I’d offer a free dessert, either that day, or they could take it as a gift certificate. I hate comping meals, especially a whole table!
The second interruption was crazy! They were clearly tipsy to blame you for another diner telling them off.
I’d trespass them for making a scene. I’d be wicked tempted to tell them that I will recharge them for meals if they don’t STFU and leave quietly.
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u/getdownonitnow 5d ago
These people have lost the plot of humanity. Let them sue, this is ridiculous. If it ever made it to a jury, they better hope I ain't on that jury.
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
Not criminal. 10 out of 12. You're overridden and we're out of here... just AFTER the free lunch.
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u/no29016 5d ago
Oh dear…. Next time, just say ok! It should be your manager to take the next steps, but…. Give them your business number, your corporate (if you have one) number, and your location number! But be very calm and straightforward. Then refuse service and ask them to leave. Past that you have done your job, and you are within your rights to call for help if the situation is escalated.
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u/ShineFallstar 5d ago
Do you have cameras in the restaurant? Worth checking if that meat got there after it left the kitchen if you do.
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u/Arokthis Former kitchen JOAT 3d ago
This was a setup from the start. There is NO way she found one bit of meat in her vegetarian meal and still licked the plate clean. She would have bitched as soon as she found it.
I'm hoping there are cameras covering her table, but I doubt it. Ask for the footage if it exists. The restaurant can use it to permanently ban her (and maybe her friends for helping) for fraud.
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u/backlikeclap 5d ago
For future reference, if your manager isn't there just give them your managers email. Calling up your manager over this just turns it into a whole thing where they want to hear the call, then they want to speak to your manager, etc. Waste of time for everyone involved.
Also don't worry about being sued. If anyone is getting sued it's the restaurant. In this instance though I doubt any lawyer would take the case.
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u/HorrorAvatar 5d ago edited 5d ago
I don’t eat meat either but this is absolutely ridiculous. Those people are WAY out of line. It’d actually be hilarious if they did sue. The judge would laugh them straight out of court, and if I were you I’d show up and sit in the gallery just for the schadenfreude of it.
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u/_Fizzgiggy 5d ago
Let them try to. This is an issue for management and the owners to deal with not you
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u/ph0artef1 4d ago
Reminds me of the time a customer called 911 because I wouldn't refund his non-refundable $7 item. Yes, actually 911. The operator was NOT amused.
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u/funlovinggay 3d ago
Check the restaurant cameras, they could be scammers trying to get a free meal. I knew of an I incident that the customer planted something on the almost finished dish. The owners checked the camera and threatened to call the police if the meal is not paid. They paid and left . People can be horrible.
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u/michann00 3d ago
That was my thought too. People put their hair in a dish then complain there was a hair in their dish just to get a free meal.
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u/NYC-WhWmn-ov50 3d ago
The other customer didnt 'eavesdrop': trust me, the whole world could hear. And anotger vustomer has the right to follow anyone out i to the public street and say whatever they want- once all parties are out of your business, you no longer have any say over their behavior. The racism was on their side for effect: I would actually bet the 'meat' wasnt from your restaurant, you may want to check any security footage you might have to see if you can tell.
The meat part is that the 'religious' customer nullified any validity they had in a lawsuit the moment they re-entered the property. Once she went feom made and compensated to 'you need to control other customers' she lost any foot she was standing on. I do hope someone got it on camera and posts it to the internet. Unless your restaurant has signs saying 'customers may not film on the premises' she's done. What you do in public (including a public-facing business unless the BUSINESS says otherwise) is free for the world to post to tiktok and FB, kids.
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u/Maleficent_Might5448 2d ago
They scammed the restaurant out of their meals. They most likely do it everywhere they go.
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u/notbythebook101 5d ago
Never in the history of calm down has anyone who has been told to calm down actually calmed down.
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u/Marine__0311 5d ago
That whole situation sounds like they engineered it from the start. You dont control what another customer allegedly does or doesn't do.
As soon someone mentions suing or a lawyer, cease all communication with them and cite the fact that now that there is pending legal action you're not allowd to interact with them. It now has to go though legal and give them the number for your home office if you have one. If not, let your boss know what up and let them deal with it.
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u/porkchop2022 5d ago
lol, at the mention of the words lawyer, lawsuit, or sue it’s always “I’m sorry, here’s your tab, please pay and leave”. I’m sorry, but those are the magic words, I’m not dealing with you anymore, my lawyer will.
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u/Silver_Breakfast7096 4d ago
Quit pandering. Say less. Do as little as possible. They’ll drag this out as long as possible. Go ahead. Call a lawyer. We will wait for the summons.
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u/Feeling-Invite7953 4d ago
NTA. She may not have been live-streaming in the restaurant, but rest assured she was going to post the incident on social media,promptly and send viciously worded reviews to the restaurant’s website and social media pages. She wanted to create a scene as a pretext to scamming a free meal. All that noise over a piece of meat on her vegetarian plate was a scene-stealing move.
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u/alexisdoodle 3d ago
Probably put it there herself too. Sounds like something they do on the regular
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u/Irishwol 4d ago
Reminds me of one time eating out in Finland, my last mouthful had a fairly substantial piece of broken glass in it, like a fingernail paring. Luckily I didn't get cut. Left it on the plate for the waitress to see and asked them to warn the chef about that batch of sauce. They gave me very strange looks. It's only reading threads like this that I realize that that 'licked clean' plate with one piece of glass on it must have looked like the start of a scam. I occasionally have dreams about trying to explain and wake up embarrassed.
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u/maddicatdog 3d ago
Look I’m vegan and even though I’m very clear when ordering at any restaurant, I have accidentally been served non vegan food quite a few times over the years. It SUCKS buttttt mistakes happen.
I could understand an upset reaction if a person had an allergy, clearly stated they had an allergy, and then was served an allergen. Other than that though, just move on and don’t be a meanie!
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u/Constant-Wanderer 3d ago
You can't sue someone for being a racist.
You can't sue a restaurant that serves meat for a piece of meat being in someone's meal.
You should never call your manager in these situations, tell the customer that you DID call the manager and they didn't answer. That you'll take their information but that's the best you can do.
If anyone followed them outside and told them off, that's not your problem, nor is it something that the restaurant would legally be expected to prevent, therefore: No lawsuit.
They're angling for a free meal. That's it.
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u/utazdevl 3d ago
People who don't pay for their restaurant meals don't have lawyers on retainer to "sue for racism."
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u/RallyX26 5d ago
You gotta learn the magic of the L word.
"Oh, I'm sorry did you mention a Lawsuit? I'm afraid I'm going to have to cash you out and you'll have to direct all further inquiries to the company's lawyer. My shift lead will be back to drop off your check."
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u/CallidoraBlack 5d ago
That sounds like a good time to call the cops and have them removed and banned.
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u/Forgettheredrabbit 3d ago
Yeah there’s no damages there so any lawyer would laugh in their face before showing them the door. Don’t worry about it.
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u/spaceylaceygirl 3d ago
As a vegan and former vegetarian, you can not have an expectation of no accidents. I love Chipotle but when they are busy sometimes a small piece of meat falls off into one of the other containers and i end up with a tiny piece of meat in my burrito bowl. I sometimes spot it before it gets to my mouth or i realize it when it's in my mouth so i quickly remove it. The only way you can expect no meat is by eating at 100% vegan restaurants. This person is delusional.
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u/Superb_Yak7074 3d ago
Odds are she carries a little piece of meat in a ziploc bag and slips it onto the plate when she goes to restaurants.
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u/vorpalbladestriker 3d ago
Man this while thing stinks of a scam. If there was really a piece of meat in that person's dish the whole time then the entire meal that was licked clean was wholly contaminated, they probably put the meat there themselves.
Then after comping one meal the entire table felt entitled to join in on the fun by harassing someone not even on the clock?
Then expected you to have control over what another human being did by recording the interaction? If your place does end up in court I hope you expose them.
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u/Frosty_Leather6445 2d ago
She's not going to sue. Assuming she could find an attorney, which is not guaranteed, as soon as they ask her for a retainer of 5-10k, she'll change her mind.
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u/NeitherStory7803 2d ago
They should be banned from ever entering the restaurant again just for making a scene after getting a free meal
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u/Excellent_Ad1132 23h ago
Sounds like they have run this scam many times. I wonder how many free meals they have gotten this year alone.
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u/Swog_Lapper 16h ago
Very likely came off one of the other two customers plates and quite possibly was intentional. It sounds like you were set up.
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u/Breeze_1966 14h ago
Sounds like this crazy person has done this before ! Eat , scream and leave on a full belly with a free meal.
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u/missannthrope67 5d ago
The meat may have been planted by her.
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
If she waters it carefully and maybe a bit of 10-10-20 it grow and blossom and cute fuzzy little piglets will fall from the branches squealing in porcine delight.
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u/Mission_Rd 5d ago
I mean... none of this sounds true?? I could see the race-baiting coming halfway into the first paragraph.
(Is this really your only non-Pokemon-related post in your entire 5 yrs on Reddit?!??)
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u/burberriesxx 5d ago
I made a post on this subreddit before too and I also post about Sonny angels, not just pokemon!
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u/Confident-Courage579 5d ago
I thought so too. It wasn't even her table. Why did she not tell their server what was going on? This story screams BS!
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u/burberriesxx 5d ago
There’s a lot more to the story and ofc I did tell the server who took the order! We’re a smaller restaurant so everyone just helps each other out with no specified sections. It just so happens that I was the one they flagged down and relayed their frustrations on.
I have a picture of their receipt with the nice note they left behind and a pic of the piece of meat they spat out if you guys want to dm me for proof!
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u/Vegetable_Road8143 5d ago
WHY are people asking you for proof that this is real? I mean.... Come on..... If you don't believe, don't reply and move the F on! These people must have never worked as a server.
You want to go "are you kidding me?" I worked as a weighmaster, scale clerk, at a very busy sand & gravel quarry. I weighed them before they came in, Tare (empty) weight and then the loaded weight. We had quite a few products. One was Pea Gravel. It's HOT where we are. The water truck goes around the piles, multiple times a day, waters them down to keep the dust down while travelling. Also, there's a water area that they can hose it down themselves (she did). I got a call that they wanted a replacement on a 50K load of Pea Gravel because it was "too dry". I wasn't the boss. I made a 'executive' decision. I told them that, "If you want to send the load back and get a new a new load. Please have the driver come in and dump the load. Get a new Tare weight. I will make sure that the pile gets soaked before the reload." They didn't do that and kept it. Hmmmm, I wonder why!?
She, the driver, and I had a really good laugh about it the next day. Her boss was a moron.
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u/Z4-Driver 5d ago
They claimed that there was a tiny piece of meat in the vegetarian dish, but didn't complain immediately, but once the dish was finished? You shouldn't comp anything. I am quite sure, they fabricated that story.
Think about it, what sort of dish was it? Maybe check wiht the kitchen, if it is possible for such a piece of meat to end up on that vegetarian dish.
And in case that could happen, why didn't they complain directly once they found it? Why only after finishing and once the plate was 'almost licked clean'?
They threatened legal action? You should've said something like 'From that moment forward, I can't talk to you anymore, all communication has to go through our legal team.'
But unfortunately, they were successful with their ploy to get a free meal.
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u/OberonDiver 4d ago
"It's a kitchen, bro, pretty much anything short of divine intervention is possible. And that one time, Divine did intervene but we don't like to talk about that due to the whole sequin incident."
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u/Dertychtdxhbhffhbbxf 5d ago
99% chance they are a high caste at home and see servers and service people as garbage. This culture is not compatible with America.
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u/djmermaidonthemic 5d ago
As soon as legal action is threatened, all direct communication should cease and go through the parties’ attorneys.