My wife and I visited this establishment twice before last Thursday's encounter-all three times together with our puppy, who is too young to be left alone long enough for us to enjoy a meal out. Both times prior to last Thursday's, we found the food to be good and the service accommodating and friendly, so much so that I left a comment on a post on this site trashing Port City in which I shined favorably on GOAT and wondered why, if the chef/owners could do such a great job at that restaurant, they couldn't do the same for Port City.
Thursday, I found out why and have lost hope that GOAT will remain as good as my first impressions showed.
The two previous times that we ate at GOAT, because we were with our puppy, we ate at the restaurant's outdoor seating, having entered it through the walkway at the side of the building.
Last Thursday, we did likewise, but, on arriving at one of several empty tables, we were informed by a waitress that dogs were not permitted. We were asked to leave.
I found the manager to enquirer about the sudden change in policy. He nformed me that the waitress was correct, but that it was not the fault or policy of the restaurant as to why dogs were not allowed at outdoor tables. Rather, I was informed quite emphatically, it was because the Town had not yet issued them a permit to have dogs at outside seating despite their efforts to get the permit. The manager told me that they were hopeful that the Town would grant the permit, but had no timetable as to when that might happen.
I thought this rather strange as I had never heard of such a permit and knew of no restaurant with outdoor seating accessible without going inside with the dog that did not permit dogs at outdoor seating. In fact l, I have noticed, almost all who have such seating are more than accommodating to their patrons, brining water and sometimes a small treat for thei patrons' dogs.
The next day, I called the Town Planning Department to see if there was truth to what I was told and, if so, to ask that the Town move the process of permitting along.
As you might guess, I was informed that the Town had no such permit requirement and that the restaurant was free to permit dogs at their outside seating as they chose. I was told that, to make doubly sure that there was no other governmental restriction on serving dog accompanied patrons outside, I should call the County Health Department.
I did as suggested. The Health Department confirmed that there was no permit needed for service of patrons with dogs at outside seating and that it was strictly up to the restaurant as to whether they would serve patrons with dogs.
Having been so informed by the two governmental agencies responsible for regulation of restaurants and issuing of permits for the operation of restaurants in Cornelius, I called the restaurant again and again spoke to a manager. This time, after learning from me that what I had previously been told was debunked by the Town Planning and County Health Departments, the manager informed me that the real reason was that the restaurant has an open kitchen and that, because of this, allowing pets at outdoor seating would create a "food heath issue."
When I pointed out that we never came anywhere near the open kitchen or anywhere else inside the restaurant to get to the outdoor tables, the manager stated with all the bluster and self righteousness that he could muster, that even though patrons with dogs would not need to pass near the restaurant's open kitchen, his wait staff who would be serving the outside tables would. He stated that it was that which would create a health issue. More BS on top of the BS that I was served the day before.
While I have no issue with restaurants setting whatever policies and serving whatever food, drink etc. that they think appropriate for their establishments, I cannot accept being served lies and BS.
More, I cannot accept the effort to adopt a policy that the owner clearly knew would be poorly received for no legitimate reason or purpose and then attempt in bad faith falsely to lay blame for that foolish, arbitrary policy on the Town government rather than admit that the policy was theirs and theirs alone. The word cowardly comes to mind.
I have no doubt that the middle management involved here were carrying out the directions of clueless upper management and that they made up their false, ridiculous stories about their superiors' ridiculous policy because they had nothing else to offer when charged to enforce the policy on unsuspecting patrons like my wife and I.
It is this type of mismanagement that makes Port City Club a place to bypass. I expect that it won't be long before that same poor basic management will do the same for GOAT Pizza. My wife and I certainly won't be back. Perhaps, this is what accounts for the inconsistent reviews, some good, more than a few meh, on this post. read more