GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — The Coast Guard Festival brings in thousands of visitors to Grand Haven every year. A Facebook post from a popular brewery up north is sparking a conversation for local businesses all over the state about treating restaurant staff with respect.
"It's a big week," said Chris Weavers, Owner and Manager of JW's Food & Spirits in Grand Haven. "In fact, it's our biggest week."
On Thursday, Short's Brewing, based out of Bellaire, Michigan, posted a reminder to customers, saying that they won't tolerate being mistreated and that wait times are to be expected during the busy summer season for all restaurant and hospitality employees.
The post has since gone viral, and Weavers said she was inspired by the post and it really made her think.
"I shared it right away," she said. "And I thought, alright, this is something that I need to review with my managers and discuss with them that there's a threshold of rudeness."
"I've always been of the mindset to kill them with kindness, and make sure they leave happy," Weavers explained, "but sometimes they get a little over-the-top."
"And there's got to be a point where we can firmly and calmly say no more," she added.
Weavers said she's never had too bad of a situation, and is grateful for that but always tries to tell her employees that there's a balance.
"They need to recognize if somebody is super out of line, just hangry," she said. "And really just gauge the severity of it so we know how to move forward."
Scott Ellis, with the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association saw the post too.
"It's sad that the industry has had to come to this where they feel they have to say, hey, we're gonna stand up for ourselves," Ellis said.
"Society has become more angry over over time," he added. "And I think the way they treat people on a regular basis and what they expect has just really gone down the drain."
Ellis said he's noticed it become more often that people feel they just have the right to talk disrespectfully to wait and restaurant staff.
"In general, I've noticed that people are shorter-tempered," Weavers agreed. "I think it's just everything that's happened over the last couple of years with the pandemic, and now the stress of inflation, but that doesn't make it right for people to take it out on others."
"We are obviously having trouble getting people to work in this industry so we're short-staffed," said Scott Ellis. "And not only that, we're also short on goods, and prices are through the roof."
"So the people that are there working are the ones who truly want to work hard and do good," he added. "So it's always important to keep that in mind."
"I always like to remind patrons to take a deep breath, be patient when you go places, understand that they are working with skeleton crews, and and just enjoy the moment," Ellis said.
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