DO restaurateurs have the right to refuse to serve a certain type of customer? Earlier this week, an Australian restaurateur banned customers who adhere to a vegan diet from his establishment.
A move that has resurfaced the controversy around eateries banning specific profiles, which, until now, has mainly centred around restaurants that have decided not to welcome small children.
The latest episode in the saga started making the rounds Tuesday. The chef of the Fyre restaurant in Perth, on Australia's west coast posted a warning on his Facebook account stating that he was banning vegans.
Reported by Perth Now, the radical decision was made by the restaurateur, following comments made by a customer who had chosen the only vegan dish option on the menu.
While the complainant described the dish as "okay but not that filling" and was "shocked" by the price, she also urged the restaurateur to give more thought to animal protein-free options to meet the growing demand from meat-free consumers.
The customer expressed their conviction that "restaurants [be able to] accommodate everyone" and that if the restaurant doesn't "get with the times" it would likely go out of business.
This digital altercation gave rise to numerous comments on Facebook, while the restaurant's Google rating was reduced to one star following a flood of reviews.
However, perhaps there really is no such thing as negative publicity as an article in the Daily Mail outlined that the decision did not disrupt the restaurant's business, with the restaurant even counting more bookings this week than usual.
Beyond stigmatising vegan customers, this controversy made headlines around the world and highlighted the extent to which restaurants taking a stance to not cater to certain groups of customers has become a recurring issue lighting up social media and discussion forums.
Earlier this year, it wasn't vegans who were denied access to an Italian eatery in New Jersey, but rather children!
Spotted by webzine Eater, the restaurant introduced a policy indicating that children under the age of 10 would "no longer be permitted to dine" at the establishment, on the grounds that it was "time to take control of the situation" due to "noise levels, lack of space for high chairs, cleaning up crazy messes."
Children running around the restaurant was a "liability" from the point of view of Nettie's House of Spaghetti, whose decision generated a host of reactions on social networks.
Many customers were quick to applaud this stance, agreeing with the stance that restaurants are no place to bring small children. Others noted that food can only be enjoyed in a "good atmosphere," suggesting that an atmosphere with children present can't be pleasant.
A torrent of comments followed the publication, to the extent that Nettie's had to disable the ability to comment on the post on Facebook. Proof that the subject is a hot topic.
While banning children from restaurants may seem shocking to some, implementing such a policy hasn't put a dent in the reputation of the Italian restaurant: both on Google and Yelp, Nettie's has a respectable four-star rating.
According to local newspaper the Asbury Park Press, this measure has had an "overwhelmingly positive" response. The restaurant still welcomes as many people as before, and makes no secret of the fact that it turned away a couple with a stroller...
And it's by no means an isolated case. In Singapore, a restaurant decided in August 2022 to introduce a surcharge for customers accompanied by children deemed to be "screaming" or "uncontrolled."
What could be likened to a fine remained symbolic, however, as it was set at S$10, or around RM34.88. But the existence of the "fine" raises questions.
The new policy was introduced following complaints from customers whose experience had been disrupted by overly boisterous neighbours and the restaurant pointed out that it had good intentions of providing "a comfortable dining experience for all guests," outlined a story in Channel News Asia.
In France, too, the idea has been broached. Last December, the daily media L'Alsace reported on a sign seen at the entrance to a winstub (a typical Alsatian restaurant) in Ribeauvillé.
The sign on the door read "No children, thank you," despite the fact that the restaurant hosts guests in a family atmosphere.
The controversy made waves in the media around the year-end holiday season, when many families visit the Christmas market and combine the outing with a festive meal in a restaurant.
However, as the subject in itself isn't totally new, back in 2018, French daily Le Parisien interviewed a legal expert from UFC-Que Choisir who indicated that a restaurant owner in France could not refuse to serve a customer, including a young child.
Of course, there's a difference between "banning" customers and refusing to "cater" for specific dietary regimes that require significant customisation of menu items. So it appears that the debate remains set to go on for some time. – ETX Daily Up, June 23, 2023
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