I haven't been to Chili's in years, and unfortunately, this experience reminded me why.
I'm giving 3 stars solely because my actual waiter Ian was amazing. He was attentive, friendly, and provided excellent service throughout our meal. If I were rating him alone, he would have received a much higher rating.
The issue occurred as my family and I were leaving. Chili's currently has a margarita promotion where certain drinks come in a souvenir cup that guests can take home. Before leaving, I specifically asked a waiter if the cup was meant to be kept, because if my memory serves me right, margarita were always in glass cups. He confirmed that it was indeed a souvenir cup.
After finishing my drink, which still contained ice and my straw, my children and I left the restaurant. As I was getting into my car--parked directly in front of the entrance--a waiter I had never interacted with came running outside and said, "Someone told me you took one of our glass cups."
I was confused and immediately showed him the cup. I asked, "Isn't this the souvenir cup that comes with the margarita?" Once he saw it, he apologized and acknowledged the misunderstanding.
While he may have viewed it as a simple mistake, the situation was far more embarrassing and upsetting from my perspective. I am a Black woman who had just finished dining with my children, paid a $76 bill, for two triple dippers, a Kids, chicken tender, and two margarita and was leaving the restaurant. Having a waiter run outside after me in full view of everyone entering exiting, and dining the building created an appearance that I had done something wrong. In today's world, where people are quick to record situations on their phones without knowing the full story, that was extremely uncomfortable and humiliating.
I went back inside and asked to speak with a manager. While the manager stated that the situation should not have happened, I didn't feel like he truly understood why I was upset. Instead, he repeatedly tried to explain the employee's reasoning and even offered me additional souvenir cups as compensation.
Respectfully, the issue was never about the cup.
I could have purchased every cup in the restaurant if I wanted to. The issue was being publicly approached and accused of taking something after I had just paid for my meal and was leaving with my children. The offer of more cups completely missed the point and honestly felt insulting.
The waiter who approached me also stated, "It has nothing to do with race." My response was that while race may not have been his intention, he doesn't get to decide how that interaction is perceived from my perspective. Seeing a waiter run after a Black customer in the parking lot can easily create assumptions among bystanders, especially when they don't know what is actually happening.
What disappointed me most was the lack of empathy and understanding from management. Instead of acknowledging the impact of the situation, they focused on explaining it away.
Mistakes happen. I understand that. However, professionalism matters, and so does how customers are treated when those mistakes occur. This entire situation could have been handled differently and more discreetly.
Unfortunately, this experience left a very negative impression, and it's one I won't soon forget. read more