Calling all restauranteurs! Is there a proper procedure for dealing with unwelcome guests?
Last night we dined outside at a patio restaurant when a freakish thing occurred: a full grown rat, the size of a small stuffed toy, weaved in and out of several tables filled with diners.
The rat looked straight out of a Gotham City sewer, and shy he was not.
At first sight of the rodent, the restaurant’s host shrieked like a banshee, but then collected himself, and tried to lure the critter off the premises, to no avail.
At that point the waitstaff, realizing that their overt reaction would cause a panic, tried to act as if nothing happened. Still, they were looking right and left in the dimmed lighting, trying not to step on the rat, as it scurried from table to table.
Some customers shrieked and gasped. Others seemed blissfully unaware of what was happening. As for our table, we were exchanging rat puns while vowing never to return (“They’re out of chocolate cake? RATS!”).
Later, after we left, we got into an argument: what should the waitstaff have done to minimize the impact of the rat? Should they have tried to catch it? Should they have ignored it (as they did miserably)? What was the right thing to do?
If you or someone you know works for a restaurant, we would love to know what advice you would have given to the waitstaff and management?
16 Responses
Restaurant GM here. The only thing to do is to get the rat out of there. You can’t ignore it. Yes it may cause a scene and it would turn guests away. But to leave it be and allow it to rummage around the guests is unbelievably disrespectful to them.
Rats love cheese so I would’ve put Celene Dion’s box set on a platter and set it by the dumpster. Problem solved.
Actually that is (mostly) false and ANY type of cheese is unhealthy for rats, their for is a misconception and would not work. (Just because mice like cheese and rats look fairly similar to does not mean that rats would like cheese)
The only thing you can do is realize you are both living creatures, and since you were outdoors you were kinda in his territory me thinks. Those situations are rare and I think the GM has the best solution.
This happened to us at a nearby restaurant and the staff acted like it was normals nod did nothing which freaked me out more. To me acting like sewer rats are a common sight at your restaurant is not the best way to handle it. Asist us in moving inside while you get rid of the rat assuring us that freak events happen and you’ve got it under control. Same goes for panhandlers, sudden downpours, etc. Act like it never happens but it will be taken care of. We did not return to the blasé rat restaurant and the story was shared with local friends.
Matt C is spot on here. Disrespect is the right word. Unfortunately, Atlanta has one of the largest and most virulent rat populations in the United States, Any alfresco dinning area in-town is subject to this happening, and is no reflection on the restaurant, but that is not what anyone wants to hear when you are eating. How a restaurant handles it, is more of a reflection on the establishment. If you have an eagle eye, you can spot rats all over town at night. It can be unnerving, but a fact of life of living in a big city.
Shotgun! wait…maybe that illegal in the city. I got it–lighter fluid and matches! Hmm, that could be problematic as well. what a conundrum…
Ok I got it : Determine who on the restaurant staff is going to chase after the rodent, and then have the MOD tell that person, IN FRONT OF ALL THE GUESTS, and while the rodent is running around: “I told you, NO PETS! Now catch him and take him home!” Genius. Pure Genius.
I like that!
Yes!
calupio,
High five my friend. That’s hilarious 🙂
Get a gun and start shooting at it.
Obviously they should catch it and immediately add a new special of the day to their menu.
Maybe the restaurant could adopt a cat?
You only thought you were eating chicken…
Well…..since I am in the pest control industry my suggestion would be the employee should immediately contact the manager. The manager should have addressed the issue with the customers and offered some form of complimentary appetizer, drink etc. and let the customer know they would contact their pest control company to address the problem right away. The manager should then contact the pest control company immediately to see if they are receiving rodent control and if so the frequency needs to be increased. Outside situations are very hard to control. These pests travel from one location to another. Every restaurant should have a rodent control program in place.