A few weeks ago my friend Kristin was planning this months GNO and set up a poll so we could vote between Trudy’s and something else. I picked the something else without ANY hesitation. I lost. They picked Trudy’s.
Please, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE a good Mexican Martini and Trudy’s does a FABulous job. Charlie and I were talking about going JUST for one (or three), not long before GNO was planned.
However, I’m not a big Trudy’s fan and I have good reason. They called me a FIRE HAZARD. Yes, you read that right.
It was about 10-11 years ago and Charlie and I decided to go out for a late dinner on NYE. We picked Trudy’s.
They were packed, but we came in at a good time. There were only 2-3 groups ahead of us. The wait wouldn’t be long. So we thought.
We waited. People were seated. We waited. People BEHIND us were seated. More people behind us were seated, and even thirty minutes later people that JUST came in were being seated and we WERE NOT.
I went up to the hostess stand and asked if we had been forgotten/overlooked and was informed that NO they had NOT overlooked us but were, in fact, waiting for an appropriate place to seat me because I was fire hazard and if there was a fire I would be in the way of all the people trying to get out.
We looked at each other with a “did she REALLY just say that?” look.
We informed her that if there was a FIRE, I WOULD BE LEAVING, TOO and she needed to seat us IMMEDIATELY or else we would be reporting her to a manager.
We got the BIGGEST corner table (you know, the one that can seat 8? 10?) and that was the last time I ever went back.
Oh. Wait. There was the one time I went on my birthday for a FREE Mexican Martini.
Courtney W. says
Wow…That is just all kinds of rude. We used to live on Burnet and went to Trudy’s on Sundays for brunch. We haven’t been since before I had little man. They were super rude when I asked for a table because my huge belly couldn’t fit in a booth. We had to go sit back at the front and wait for another 10-15 minutes. I refused to go back after that. I worked in restaurants from ages 18-23 so I know that they can come to work without all the bad attitudes. I don’t plan on going back either. Sorry you had to deal with that!!
Courtney W.´s last blog post ..Someone loves cookies!!
Priscilla says
There is no room for rudeness in the restaurant industry!
Courtney W. says
Exactly!! That’s what I think every time we go out to eat and encounter an attitude!!
Courtney W.´s last blog post ..Someone loves cookies!!
Lindsay says
Seriously! I would like to chalk it up to her own ignorance, but I suspect she was doing what she was told. Which of course means that the management there is inexcusably ignorant….I would have voted against the place, too, if I had heard this story in advance!!! To be honest, I was under-impressed myself…$5,50 for some chips and a tiny plate of guac…nah. But then again, I don’t drink so I’m guessing I missed their best menu choices! LOL!
Lindsay´s last blog post ..I found my Vietnamese food home at King Noodle!
Priscilla says
I’m not convinced it was her manager! It had never happened before – ANYWHERE and as far as I could tell she never left the hostess stand. I can’t imagine they’d tell someone in training that wheelchairs are fire hazards? Who knows, lol.
Evin says
If only we’d been friends back then! You coulda said “bitch, have you met my friend Evin??” hahahah Anyway.. That sucks that she was so thoughtless… I’d have reported her anyway.
Evin´s last blog post ..Today.
Priscilla says
HAHA! Yes, that would have been funny. I can see F-Bombs flying now.
Priscilla says
Oh and I did actually write a LONG bitchy letter. I don’t think I ever sent it and if I did they never wrote back.
Jenine says
Both your and Courtney W.’s (above) experiences are inexcusable. The hostess should SEE the people coming in for tables and make arrangements accordingly. In your case, she/he should have rearranged some tables or have them set up to rearrange when they became available. In Courtney W.’s case, it probably would have been obvious that she couldn’t have fit behind a booth and should have placed them at a table. This is their JOB. Realizing of course that things like this come with experience and maybe there’s a high turnaround for hostesses in the industry. I dunno.
Priscilla says
I’m guessing there is a high turnover, yes! There was no “moving around” that needed to be done. There never is, so that wouldn’t have been the solution. We passed people at the tables close by, that I wouldn’t even have had to zig-zag to get to. I’m not sure where she was intending to sit me, lol.
Melissa Rheinlander says
WOW!! I definitely would not have gone back either… yummy Mexican Martini’s or not!!
Melissa Rheinlander´s last blog post ..Deliscious Dish Tuesday #Recipe Link Up {7/3)