Slammers has a reputation in Columbus for supposedly being a welcoming and inclusive LGBTQ+ space…read more Unfortunately, after my experience on Halloween, I left feeling completely disrespected and questioning whether it's the safe, community-oriented space it claims to be. I understand it was one of the most busy nights of the year, but the way my friend and I were treated is flat out unacceptable.
While my friend and I were standing in a corner talking, a male employee threw a cup of vomit into a trash can behind us.* The vomit splattered onto our backs and clothing. Because the bathroom lines were so long, we had to go out to our car to clean ourselves off.
What happened next was worse than the accident itself.
When I went back inside to report what had happened, the manager's first response was, "I'm sure he didn't throw it at you." Whether it was intentional was never the issue. An employee handled human vomit carelessly, and customers ended up covered in it. Rather than acknowledging that reality, I was dismissed.
As the conversation continued, the response became even more frustrating. When I pushed back, I was met with a sarcastic "What do you want me to do about that?" At that point, I had just been splattered with human vomit by an employee. I wasn't asking for free drinks, free food, or compensation. I wanted someone in management to acknowledge that it happened and take it seriously.
Instead, I felt like I was repeatedly being told that my experience either didn't matter or wasn't worth addressing. There was no apology, no acknowledgment, no mediation whatsoever from THE MANAGER of this establishment.
The situation escalated further when another employee yelled at me because I was near the original scene of the vomit which I wasn't aware of. I was more focused on texting my group of friends that we were leaving and to see if they had other ways of getting home. It was dark and this was one of the only lone spaces in the patio. I hadn't even realized I was near it, and a another female employee yelled at me saying "If you're so concerned about the vomit, you wouldn't be standing in it." She then tried to kick me out after I saw the male employee who threw the vomit, and confronted him. She yelled at me saying "hey he's a hard working man, leave if you're going to treat staff like this." Honey, nobody is denying anyone's hard work on a busy night. Something disgusting and unacceptable happened to my friend and I because of a staff member. I am defensively standing up for myself because everyone has denied our experience so far. Again, the focus seemed to be on arguing with me rather than addressing the fact that staff had just gotten human bodily fluids on customers.
Ironically, the employee who actually threw the cup was the only person who handled the situation appropriately. When I spoke with him, he sincerely apologized, took full responsibility for his mistake, and even gave me his name. I don't intend to drag him personally because he owned what happened. The people who made the experience truly awful were the other staff member and manager who repeatedly dismissed, deflected, and minimized the situation.
Mistakes happen, especially on a busy night. I understand that. What matters is how a business responds when those mistakes affect customers. Getting vomit splashed on us was bad enough. Being met with sarcasm, defensiveness, and a complete lack of accountability from the women on staff afterward is what guarantees I won't be returning.
I left feeling less upset about the accident itself than about how I was treated after reporting it. No customer should have to fight to be taken seriously after being covered in someone else's vomit. A simple apology, some accountability, and basic concern would have gone a long way. Instead, I left feeling gaslit, dismissed, and unwelcome.
*Note: I only mention the genders of the staff involved because it provides context for the interactions I experienced.
