[andyt]

$1:

Usually, when a waiter refuses to serve someone at a restaurant, customers complain. In this case, customers cheered.
The waiter in question, Michael Garcia, has been receiving goodwill and friend requests on the restaurant’s Facebook page since word spread that he stood up for a child with special needs.
Garcia, who works at the Houston restaurant Laurenzo's, was waiting on a family, regulars with a 5-year-old child, Milo, who has Down syndrome. The server said that another family at the restaurant commented on Milo’s behavior, which Garcia described as “talking and making little noises." Garcia moved the complaining family to another table, but they were still unhappy. "Special needs children need to be special somewhere else," the father reportedly said.
The waiter then took a stand. He told FoxNews.com that such talk is ignorant and is due to people's fear of the unknown. "My personal feelings took over," he said, leading him to tell the father, "Sir, I won't be able to serve you.” The family left the restaurant.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/ ... nance.html

I hate it when parents let their little ankle biters run amok (Unless it's specifically a restaurant for kids) but this doesn't sound like that at all. Just a kid being a kid and other people being ignorant. I knew a woman who had a brain damaged son, talked loud and a little funny, and some of the hateful looks we got were just incredible. I always enjoyed his company, because he was always happy and thought my jokes were funny.

[2Cdo]

andyt andyt:

I hate it when parents let their little ankle biters run amok (Unless it's specifically a restaurant for kids) but this doesn't sound like that at all. Just a kid being a kid and other people being ignorant.

Agree 100%. The ignorance of some people never ceases to amaze me, but it's good to see that the other patrons showed some class and the restauraunt didn't fire the waiter.

[Jonny_C]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

Agree 100%. The ignorance of some people never ceases to amaze me, but it's good to see that the other patrons showed some class and the restauraunt didn't fire the waiter.

I applaud Garcia's action.

Garcia was ambiguous about the restaurant management's reaction. But they'd be nuts to fire him after the publicity this action got.

One thing bothered me, as it often does - the use of the word "hero". Garcia was called a "hero waiter". The word is sadly over-used these days.

[2Cdo]

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

One thing bothered me, as it often does - the use of the word "hero". Garcia was called a "hero waiter". The word is sadly over-used these days.

Absolutely it is overused everywhere to the point that it doesn't mean anything anymore. People use it to describe actions that are not heroic, but, are simply the right things to do.

[BartSimpson]

Sorry to piss on the party, but where we were not there I'm kind of wondering what really happened.

See, the first thing I did was to check out the restaurant:

http://laurenzos.net/dinner-menu/prime-rib-au-jus.html

US$42 for a New York steak indicates to me an expensive steakhouse and not a Burger King.

Yes, yes, I know, "But Bart! This little boy was SPECIAL!"

Right.

If I ran into him at a Burger King I'd smile and go along with his cute little antics just fine.

But running into him at a place where the tab is probably going to run $75 per person? Sorry, folks, but when I pay that kind of coin for a fancy dinner I expect to have a little ambience with the experience.

Not that I'd make a big deal out of a kid who was just making cute little noises...who would? But I suspect that this kid was doing much more than that and it does beg a couple obvious questions:

1. WTF is the family thinking taking the kid to a fancy steakhouse if the kid cannot behave appropriately? Do they also insist on taking the kid shopping in the Fine China department of Neiman-Marcus?

2. Given that the kid is impaired, what purpose was served in treating him to a $75 dinner when he probably would have been happier at Burger King eating a burger for $6 and having the run of the play area? Seriously, I imagine the kid was bored out of his mind at the steakhouse.

3. Out of respect for the rest of the diners would it be out of line for the waiter to have taken the kid's family to a private room so they could have their dinner the way they wanted it and so everyone else would have the experience they were paying for?

Sorry for saying this when I know it's going to offend some people, but it needs to be said and I'll guarantee that some folks will make their dining decisions accordingly and they'll skip Laurenzo's for a fine dining experience when the place has apparently chosen to kiss off their 21 point Zagat rating in favor of becoming a family dinner house. In which case their price point is about 50% higher than it should be.

[Jonny_C]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

Not that I'd make a big deal out of a kid who was just making cute little noises...who would? But I suspect that this kid was doing much more than that...

You "suspect". Why not suspect that the father of the other family is a boor? It might be just as possible.

$1:

1. WTF is the family thinking taking the kid to a fancy steakhouse if the kid cannot behave appropriately?

Was there any mention of the boy behaving inappropriately?

$1:

2. Given that the kid is impaired, what purpose was served in treating him to a $75 dinner when he probably would have been happier at Burger King eating a burger for $6 and having the run of the play area? Seriously, I imagine the kid was bored out of his mind at the steakhouse.

His family might be well-heeled. Maybe the lad had a burger and fixin's - $13.49 - and a glass of Coke. Maybe you're making altogether too many assumptions.

$1:

3. Out of respect for the rest of the diners would it be out of line for the waiter to have taken the kid's family to a private room so they could have their dinner the way they wanted it and so everyone else would have the experience they were paying for?

Another assumption. Who says the lad was actually disturbing anyone else?

$1:

Sorry for saying this when I know it's going to offend some people, but it needs to be said and I'll guarantee that some folks will make their dining decisions accordingly and they'll skip Laurenzo's for a fine dining experience when the place has apparently chosen to kiss off their 21 point Zagat rating in favor of becoming a family dinner house. In which case their price point is about 50% higher than it should be.

So fine dining is inappropriate for families with kids?

From the Laurenozo's home page - "At Laurenzo’s, we take pride in being one of Houston’s best Prime Rib restaurants and providing the type of family dining our visitors have come to love."

Man, you gotta think a bit more before posting something like this, and not run with your assumptions.

[Brenda]

$1:

"Special needs children need to be special somewhere else," the father reportedly said.

Asshole adults should just stay home if they don't want to be "bothered" by others. I hope this asshole eats with his mouth closed.

Btw, the waiter is not a hero, he just did his job. A fantastic job, none the less.

[raydan]

Sorry Bart, if you want a quiet dinner, you stay at home and cook.
Never expect calm, peace and quiet in a public setting.

[Brenda]

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

From the Laurenozo's home page - "At Laurenzo’s, we take pride in being one of Houston’s best Prime Rib restaurants and providing the type of family dining our visitors have come to love."

Besides that, they have been dining there since before the kid was born and they are regulars.

[Hyack]

Family dining says it all, whether it's Houston’s best Prime Rib restaurant or Chuck E Cheese, you pay your money and take your chance. On the other hand, if they tell you they provide an intimate and romantic ambiance, I wouldn't expect to hear any unwanted noise, kids yelling or anything else.