I have to say before I write this, that I really wanted this not to be true for the Ritz Carlton, and the Atlanta Grill. There were 5 of us, looking to have dinner in Atlanta after a day of sightseeing. We had been in town for tech conference the previous week.
So we arrive at the the Ritz Carlton and were greeted by two female hostesses and a male in his late 20's mid 30's (who I learned later was the manager of the restaurant). We asked to be seated and we were asked first if we had a reservation and when we replied no, we were told that they didn't have table inside that would accommodate our party of 5. We expressed that we really wanted to sit inside and we were told that all tables that would accommodate us were spoken for. One of the hostesses, who happened to be African American made it really clear that we couldn't be seated...and the manager said that he would make every effort to get us seated, despite the tables big enough to accommodate us being taken. We were okay with waiting as we were hungry and really wanted a decent meal.
Now from the time we walked up to the hostess podium, we knew immediately that there was something not quite right about this whole situation. So the fact that we were a group of 5 people of color, 4 women and one male...we were dressed in casual clothing...as we had just spent day of sightseeing around town...humid Atlanta!
So after about 10-15 mins, the manager came and got us and told us he could now seat us...now we walk through the restaurant to our table and I will say that there were MANY open, vacant tables and the restaurant was quite large. So we follow the manager to our table, which happened to be ALL the way in the back and it was the only table that was enclosed and had curtains...so not only was it secluded it was also DARK! Did we feel like we were put "in the corner in the dark, and way in the back"? Hmmmm!
So the waiter comes over and he introduces himself and it just felt condescending! Now I will give him the benefit of the doubt, he was Dutch and sometimes the culture difference can be different. So we were deciding on what we wanted, a waiter comes over with bread and drops it on the table...now there is a difference between placing a dish on the table and dropping it, so that the bread sticks fall onto the table. Now not only did he drop it, a breadstick falls off and he starts to walk away and I had to ask him to replace the one that a fell on the table...he responded as if I asked him for his first born!
We ordered drinks...one of our party wanted a drink that had cognac, now I don't know but I have been to a few bougie places and they always tell you what kind of cognac they have and give you a choice. We were at the Ritz Carlton, wouldn't you think that would be true here too? They brought her drink and the house cognac was Remy...she didn't care for it and sent it back. Assuming that Remy was her choice...she wasn't happy. Anyhow...it didn't get better with the wine, so let me just stop there on this one.
We ordered our food...and thank God...the food was good...let me say that we were all annoyed by this time and so we probably should have left, but I was starving and wanted to eat. Two of us ordered meals and the others ordered mac and cheese, and one didn't order. Food came and thank goodness it was amazing, so the one star is for the food!
I am writing all this because it doesn't matter how good the food is, if you aren't treated well. We all deserve to be treated well and not be made to feel like we are worthy of sitting at a table in the open and not hidden away like we were dirty or something! Or since we were all black, like we didn't belong there! It was definitely a feeling we all felt...
We ate and we paid the bill, we tipped as we normally would...and on the way out, I asked to speak to the manager. So the young man we met at the beginning came out. And so I told him what our experience was and I hate it when you are telling someone what our experience is, that they try to tell you that they don't mean for it to be that way...I just told you what it was!
So I have to just say that we were treated like we didn't belong, or that we couldn't afford to eat there....everyone at the table was a professional...3 of the 5 were software engineers...but we definitely felt like what they saw first was color! So the manager asked me what they could do for us...and so my reply was..."I didn't tell you all this for you to do anything but to do better...this is the Ritz Carlton, and you should do way better than this!"
So I hope that this isn't anyone else's experience, and I have to say I was very disappointed that in 2022 in Atlanta, GA...this still happens! And I didn't bother taking pictures of the food! read more