My friend and I are long-time Epic pass holders and stopped into the Summit Bar yesterday excited to celebrate closing day with a simple glass of champagne.
From the moment we walked in, Lindsay seemed visibly irritated by our presence. It took her several minutes to stop chatting with her coworker before even acknowledging us. What followed was, without question, the most unprofessional and hostile interaction I've ever had with a member of waitstaff. As someone with 14 years of experience in hospitality, I cannot fathom speaking to another human (let alone a customer) the way she spoke to us.
From the start, she made it clear she had zero interest in basic courtesy. When we asked if they had champagne, Lindsay rolled her eyes dramatically and snapped, "No. There's no champagne, it's closing day obviously" with zero effort to offer an alternative or even be remotely polite.
I then asked if they had rosé, and instead of answering, she mocked me and said "What did I just say? Do I need to spell it out for you?" Her tone was sharp, sarcastic, and clearly intended to belittle. I was stunned by the level of her condescending tone.
I quietly noted that rosé is an entirely different beverage and asked if the mid-mountain lodge might have any. That's when she cut me off, scoffed and barked "How would I know what they have down there? I clearly don't work there, I work up here." She said loudly, sarcastically, and with a smirk; as if humiliating guests was her personal form of entertainment.
The escalation didn't stop there. When we asked for her name due to how unnecessarily hostile and loud she was becoming, she covered her name tag and said she wasn't required to give it.
Then, in a moment so childish and inappropriate it left us speechless, she snapped her fingers at us like we were dogs and aggressively pointed toward the door shouting "You need to go. Now. Get out! Leave!" repeating herself over and over, loudly enough to draw attention from everyone in the lodge. Other guests stared on, appalled and confused.
We walked outside visibly shaken up when another guest said he saw her name tag said Lindsay and that he was stunned by her treatment towards us. We thanked him and decided to ride down to mid-mountain.
Thankfully, the bartender down there greeted us warmly, no theatrics, no attitude, just kindness. She poured our celebratory drink with a smile, showing that the issue was never our request, but rather the person behind the Summit Bar. We told her what happened, and she was visibly appalled. She apologized on Lindsay's behalf, confirming her name to us as well.
To Northstar management: Lindsay should not be representing your mountain in any capacity. Her behavior was disgraceful; deliberately rude, needlessly aggressive, and in direct contradiction to the high standards Northstar is known for. I understand that everyone can have an off day, but this wasn't that. This was targeted, unprovoked hostility toward two polite guests asking basic questions.
One toxic employee like this can seriously undermine the reputation and goodwill you've spent years building. I sincerely hope this is addressed appropriately, because no guest should be treated the way we were. read more