I did not want to make this post. However, I have left unanswered messages, including filling out the contact form on the website.
I flew in to MA for the weekend a few weeks ago. Brought a friend who had never been to the area. Stayed with best friends. These friends raved about Antique Table, as they had been going there for over a year, at least twice a month. So off to dinner we went.
When we arrived, it was clear my friends knew everyone who worked there. Friendly, family type atmosphere. We ordered appetizers, main entrees, four desserts, and drinks. The waiter was very attentive to us, and other waitresses stopped by. At one point, I "snuck" away to give the waiter my credit card and told him to add 20% for his tip. When I came back to the table, we continued to enjoy ourselves. At one point, one of the waitresses came by again to say "hi" and chat. My friend reached out to touch her back...however, since we were sitting down, he touched the top of her butt. After she talked to us at length again, she then left (my friend did not keep his hand on her, and she seemed fine, laughing and engaging with us). Immediately, my friend leaned over and told me he had "missed her back" as she came by our table and felt horrible and pulled his hand right away. I said I was sure she was okay because she stayed so long at our table and did not say anything. My friend wanted to find her and say he was sorry, but I, once again, thought it was not necessary because of the lovely conversation we had with her.
The waiter comes with the bill. I signed the almost $400.00 bill, and he left to process it. When he came back, the waiter proceeded to tell my friend what he did to the female waitress was inappropriate, which made her very uncomfortable. The four of us were a bit shocked this waiter would do this in front of the three of us. The waiter went on and on. My friend explained what happened and felt horrible about it. The two other people did not know what had happened until the waiter spoke to my friend at the end of the meal. We were very uncomforatble for our friend as he was clearly remorseful and totally embarassed.
What I wanted to tell the owner was the way the waiter approached my friend, in front of the rest of us, especially after taking MY money for his tip, should have been done differently. If the waitress, who my friends have known for well over a year, felt too uncomfortable to address my friend in person (which we could understand), the waiter should have asked my male friend to speak to him privately. The other two people at the table did not know what had happened, by mistake! My friend was very upset as this was clearly an accident. At the end of this uncomfortable discussion, in front of all of us, the waiter said, "we really hope to see you back again soon, and this is over."
I want to say again that this was something my friend never intended to do. I understand the waitress did not want to confront my friend (although all my training has been to address the situation right away).
My biggest issue is the way the waiter handled the situation. Humiliation in front of three other guests is not the proper way to handle this type of situation.
Since no one bothered to return my voice mails or the contact form online, I felt this post needed to be written.
Needless to say, we will never be back. read more