|
The casual and hip restaurant industry in Vancouver isn't for the thin-skinned. It's a meat-market, a place to choose your fantasy. Such establishments often attract the chachi contingent, the ginos, the various ethnic pride gang members (and their orange-skinned girlfriends,) the unkempt and lonely alcoholic businessmen, the gortex-wearing yuppies, the local coke dealer(s) and of course, the cougars.
These restaurants don't profess to be monasteries; however, they aren't brothels either. When alcohol starts flowing, the line separating the two can become blurred.
Here's an example: a businessman - a usual customer for lunch - arrived one night for dinner. Splashed across his face is a lubricious look-- like that of a frat boy surrounded by drunk sorority pledges. "Can I have that table in the corner, babe?" My friend, smiling from behind the desk replies "of course!" Followed by a high-pitch giggle suitable for a sitcom laugh-track.
Before leaving the restaurant he reaches across the hostess desk, grabs my friend's face and kisses her. Turning defensively, she dodges the kiss leaving saliva on her cheek. Her sense of violation is tangible. The man recoils: "I didn't mean to do…that."
What is the 'that' which he is referring to?
Restaurants, inherently, permit patrons to adopt any persona they choose. The restaurant is both a place of anonymity and of regularity, of paternalism and theatrics. Employees gladly step into the Lolita role with the hopes of earning good tips by maintaining the fantasy these types of men are paying for. The question is: where is the line drawn between "great" customer service (illusions included) and employee abuse? As an employee, must you put yourself in degrading situations? Is the line crossed with something as innocuous as hugging? Maybe. Surely, though, the line is drawn at mouth-on-mouth kissing.
Further exemplifying this lewd behavior is another regular customer. After snorting cocaine in the bathroom and getting drunk, he recounts tale after tale of his sexescapades: "so I was havin' this orgy right?! It was with these strippers. Strippers love to have fun, and we're goin' nuts and then I notice that this guy is going down on me and you know what?! I liked it! Do you wanna join me and my friends for an orgy? You look like a good time…" He is much more vulgar than this dialogue reveals. Nevertheless, he's permitted to conduct himself this way because he injects thousands of dollars a month into the restaurant. In such cases, once clearer lines fade to gray when money is involved.
How can a restaurant of this nature balance the dignity of their employees and the desires of their customers? The answer may seem obvious, but whether or not that solution considers the employee's integrity, well that's another story.
|
