The hotel provided vouchers for breakfast to this restaurant. The first day I was very excited to eat there. The waitress was not very friendly and seemed to have passed me over to another server. It was about 5-10 minutes before they asked me what I wanted. Once ordered, I ate my food which was ok. The scrambled eggs were runny and the bacon was very salty. I chalked it up to being what Florence people enjoy for breakfast. The issue came when I needed to order orange juice. It took them 15 minutes to refill my cup. And when they brought it, it was only half a glass. So I then assumed that Florence is low on oranges or something to that nature then I left.
The second day I came for breakfast I waited 20 minutes before the male server (as I now assume the female server had a problem with me (as I am African-American). He came and apologized and took my order. This time I quietly observed the service provided to all the other patrons dining. I noticed how the female server welcomed everyone when they came in. She checked on the progress of their food. Whereas I was never attended to other than to take my order.
Like the day before, I ordered a glass of orange juice. When the female server brought the drink it was already half full and I immediately asked her for a full cup. She rolled her eyes, grabbed the cup and filled it to the top. She did not assist me anymore during that service.
Frustrated, I ate my food and still listened to how others were treated in the restaurant. I needed some butter for my croissant. I waved the female server down and she said yes...while not even stopping to hear my question. So I waited until she came back to my table and asked for butter. She bought it and laid the saucer of it down on the table harshly.
At this point, I asked the male server to come to my table. I asked him if it was hard to get orange juice in Florence. He didn't quite understand my question so I restated it. This is when the female waiter came over to hear what i was asking. The male waiter said no they have lots of orange trees. So I then asked why was it difficult to get more orange juice, and all he really exclaimed was that the orange juice was fresh squeezed.
I left it alone at this point. I'm a solo traveler in another country and never assume I have the same rights and equalities in another country as I do in the US. So I
finished my food and left.
This review is to show that the breakfast was sub par, and the wait staff either overworked, and non attentive. But specifically as I observed as an African-American traveler, there were disparities in service provided to me verses to other guests. read more