Today's experience was extremely unpleasant and left us feeling shocked and disrespected.
When we entered the restaurant to dine in, we were holding a cup of iced coffee that was almost finished, with only a small amount left at the bottom. We clearly noticed the sign at the entrance stating "No outside drinks," and we fully respect that rule. This coffee was not something we brought in to drink inside the restaurant -- it had just been purchased elsewhere and only a small amount remained.
However, the server handled the situation in a very unreasonable way. She told us that we must either immediately finish the remaining iced coffee or she would take the cup away. This statement was honestly shocking. It is winter in Toronto, and the weather is cold -- how is it reasonable to demand that customers drink an iced coffee on the spot?
We understand that restaurants have their own policies, but having rules does not justify enforcing them without basic common sense or empathy. In a situation like this -- where there was no intentional violation and only a tiny amount of beverage left -- this could have been communicated in a much more respectful and reasonable manner, rather than in a near-commanding and unbelievable way.
This experience seriously damaged our overall impression of the restaurant and left us feeling offended. We hope management will pay closer attention to staff communication and customer service. read more