12/29/2017; 7:00 PM
(Let me preface by saying: I understand that as a 23 year old, it is incredibly embarrassing to go to the 99 Restaurant with your parents on a Friday night but...)
I was at the 99 on a Friday night with my parents (Hooksett, NH). We sat down at the bar and I ordered my usual (yes, I know - equally as embarrassing): a Sam Adams Boston Lager and a crock of French onion soup. My parents are regulars, so they were chatting with their favorite bartender (who is fantastic!) about her child.
I'm in one of my "people watching" moods. I notice the demographic to be much older, granted it is 6:30 at night. There are many folks in their apparent 70's and 80's. One particular man was struggling to walk, using his cane and the backs of chairs to navigate through the bar.
Here's where it gets rough:
The 99 Restaurant has an open bar/open kitchen concept where you can see the bussers, servers and cooking staff. One particular employee negatively caught my eye. He was probably in his late twenties, sporting a Danny Amendola t-shirt and black, gauged earrings. By his demeanor, you would have thought he was the Pooh-bah of Hooksett. We'll just call him "Derek" for the sake of the story.
Anywho, I witnessed something that we restaurant-goers know regularly occurs but choose to turn a blind eye to:
Derek drops a hard boiled egg on the dirty, road-salt-covered tile; Derek arrogantly laughs; Derek goes to the kitchen and says, "I'm sorry to do this to you guys, but I need a new one...too many people are watching."
Yes, Derek - I heard you, loud and clear.
Granted the kitchen was working incredibly hard, it made me raise an eyebrow. I watched him deliver the plated meal with the fresh egg to one of the elderly couples.
Now I'm watching Derek like a hawk, also noting that the manager and head chef are behind me settling a dispute of some sort. Not more than five minutes later, I watch Derek scoop sour cream with his dirty, bare fingers and plate it. This dish is delivered to another elderly couple.
I'm now officially disgusted. Look, I'm not trying to be a harbinger for public health and safety.... But come on, A MILK PRODUCT? Your BARE, GRIMY FINGERS?!!
I stagetalk a comment to my mom about what I just saw, knowing all too well that the managers are behind me. She also witnessed the egg incident and is equally appalled at how Derek literally just does not care. I watch as the the manager goes over to the condiment station. His back is to me, but Derek flashes a glance in my direction and proceeds to put gloves on. Justice!
As a manager, you have the ability to palliate the situation with your customers and employees. Unfortunately, this was not the circumstance:
I spent the rest of the time it took to finish my beer sitting in actual shock as the staff stood around in cliquey, middle school circles; gossiping, rolling their eyes, flashing glances at me and laughing at Derek's sanitary gloves. "Nice gloves!" one waitress mocked as she passed Derek, and then proceeded to smirk at me. The managers were very much aware of what was going on as Derek acted like putting on latex mits was equivalent to sporting a mascot suit to a fashion show.
We paid our tab and left silently, though I was extremely unimpressed with the lack of professionalism and maturity of a slew of employees.
In conclusion: I get that it isn't Gordon Ramsay's five star steakhouse. I get that it is busy. I get that we all cut corners at work. I get that working on a Friday night is less than ideal.
But both of those meals went to elderly couples with visible health impairments. It might not cause someone of my age and health any damage (besides the sheer knowingingness that my food probably just came from post-bathroom, unwashed hands or someone else's uneaten leftovers), but to those who have fragile immune systems ESPECIALLY in the dead of winter when it has been a consistent, negative temperature outside, I find this to be alarming and negligent for a "family establishment." Or for any person, to be frank.
99 Restaurant, if slapdash meals are what you're going for, you nailed it! But Derek, go home. read more