Not sure if racist or just bad service
We, a group of five Southeast Asians, arrived at one pm today to see lots of empty table. We were told by the maître d' that there is no empty table, even if we split into a group of three and a group of two, or even if we sit on a table for four with an additional chair. He said that all the table inside are reserved.
He didn't ask if we want the table outside. I was the one who asked about them and he said that someone will help us set the table outside. After 10 minutes, no one arrived although the restaurant was rather empty and there were at least three waiters on stand by, so we set up their portable tables on our own.
A waiter gave us the menu and told my friend who was wearing a hijab, "only the chicken and lamb is halal". My friend didn't need anyone to tell her what she can or cannot eat. In fact, she's a moderate Muslim who often eats in non-halal places that also sells pork. I told her, funny, it seems that they don't want us to spend our money here: telling us that there's no space while in fact there is, telling us that we can't eat lots of food here.
As we waited for a waiter to get our order (no one came after more than 10 mins), we saw other people entering the restaurant. As we sat right in front of the door, we could hear their conversation clearly. Some of them mentioned about their table reservation. However, there came a group of seven who were checking the menu, then asked "can we have a table for seven?". It was clear for me that they don't have a reservation.
I went in to talk with the maître d', how come he told us that there was no table available, while you just gave away the table you pointed out to us as "reserved" earlier to them? The maître d' went defensive, telling me that they have booked that table. In my whole life, I've never heard someone asking for a "table for seven" if they have reserved a table. They would normally say "table for John".
I am not really sure what made them discriminate us. We were not rowdy or drunk or wore anything indecent or inappropriate to the setting, I think (we wore jackets and long jeans -- just like the average people here for this kind of weather)
Was it because we are Asians (I saw another group of Asian not welcomed to sit inside so they sat outside, and all the customers inside are white, including the group of seven)? Or because one of us wore a hijab so you assumed that she would not order as it is a non-halal establishment (then, why don't you just ask if my friend would order or not?)? Or because we looked like university students and you have something against them (we are not students -- although we are often mistaken as one as we are in our 20s - early 30s)? Or because Asian customers tend to not order much alcoholic drinks so you see us as a low-revenue customer? Or because having Asian customers would make the establishment looks less high class (well, it's an Asian restaurant. I also have lots of white friends who do not see me as a lesser kind of human. So far, most if not all of the white people I met in Bristol are also very friendly towards us so, why, you, fellow Asian, treat us that way)? Or perhaps you just have inconsistent service level and the group of seven was lucky enough to get a better service, while we were just unlucky to get rude, unpleasant and defensive treatment? read more
