It’s Okay to Have Mice in Restaurants
My wife just came back from eating dinner with friends at Buffalo’s Restaurant in Buffalo Grove, IL. The story she told me shocked me. Here’s the recount of the story…
Her and her friends were eating dinner when one of them noticed a mouse dart out from in between a couple of booths. They called over the waiter who said “that’s cool.” He then asked them what they would like him to do about it. My wife requested that the waiter tell his manager immediately. When the manager finally came over to their table, he stated “All restaurants have mice whether you see them or not. I can take care of your bill, but there isn’t anything else I can do about it.”
Competely grossed out, my wife and her friends all left.
Is it normal in the restaurant industry to be completely ambivalent to the fact that having mice in restaurants in plain view of customers is not only a threat to public health but is also bad for business? Remember what happened in NY several months ago?
January 14th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
It definitely puts public health at risk!
My niece and i just had dinner (as in just about 2 hours ago) at Wild Ginger located at 51 Grove Street, New York, NY 10014. And you guessed it, we saw a mouse!
When the server came back after I informed him they have a mouse in their restaurant, he said, “We’re giving you 50% off.” The server and manager approached it differently as compared with Buffalo’s Restaurant in IL, as Wild Ginger’s (1) server immediately informed their manager without being asked, (2) manager offered a 50% off (uhm, great, right?), and (3) the server and manager approached us politely and did not take pride of the presence of mice in their restaurant. But it doesn’t change the fact that they have a mouse (most likely mice!) in their restaurant and have put our health at risk!
Is it okay to have mice in restaurants? Definitely NOT! So, I immediately called the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and reported the restaurant. Now, how fast DOHMH will act on it is another story.
I am sending this information to my family, friends and colleagues and make sure no one from my network goes to that restaurant!
It pays to check DOHMH’s website on restaurant violations before going to one, something I did “after” my first experience of seeing a mouse. What does DOHMH’s website report about Wild Ginger? Not vermin proof, presence of mice, etc., etc. with a total score of 24! Oh well, I learned the hard way!
January 14th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Yikes!!!
At least the server and the manager made an attempt at good customer service.
I totally agree that it’s unacceptable. Good thinking forwarding this info to all family, friends, and colleagues. That’s the best way to combat these things. When their business drops, all of the sudden making the place vermin proof will become a huge priority.