I complained to the manager of a restaurant this weekend

[Courtesy Flush]

I don't think I've ever complained at a restaurant before, but I did this weekend.

I was having dinner in a nice French Quarter restaurant with my wife, and I went to the mens room before our order arrived. In the restroom, there was a man in a stall, apparently taking a crap. I heard him pull up his pants and buckle his belt, then he emerged. It was one of the kitchen staff, judging by the uniform. He left the stall and walked straight to the rear exit, to the kitchen... apparently unaware there was a lavatory in the room! I stood there like Seinfeld in the Poppy episode, stunned that kitchen staff would do this in the presence of a customer, and in a nice restaurant!

Of course I wasn't pleased with this, but then another staffer entered from that same back door, and took a piss, then ALSO left without washing his hands! Sheesh, doesn't anyone wash their hands in this place???!!!

I returned to my table to find that my food had arrived. I didn't want to tell my wife about it, so I politely ate my meal, keeping an eye out for anyone who looked managerial. Then I excused myself and had a private talk with the manager. "Are you sure they weren't cleaning the bathroom?" she asked. Nope. I know when someone's taking a crap, and there were no cleaning supplies. "That should never happen here!" she insisted, and said she'd take care of it.

The manager made a point of bringing my check to me personally, waiting until my wife was away, and she said she had taken care of it. To be honest, I have no idea what that means, sisnce I didn't identify the Poppys.

My meal was not pleasant. I'm sure the food was well prepared, but all I could think about was a kitchen full of unwashed staff.

As I said, I'm not one to complain to managers, and I don't know if it did any good this time, but I don't think I want to return to this place. There's plenty competition in New Orleans, and I won't suffer from not returning to this place.

[HEyHEY]

1. Maybe they used the sink in the kitchen for some reason

[JVS]

3. Yeah, what good is washing in the restroom when you need to touch the icky door...

to get out anyway? Better to wash in the kitchen

[HEyHEY]

4. I worked in a kitchen

And never used the bathroom sink. I always used the huge one with crazy pressure and really good soap that was in the kitchen. Got my hands a shitload cleaner too I bet. And I always used it before I got back to work.

[BikeWriter]

8. An employee should CLEAN the doorknob if they think it's nasty!

[JVS]

9. But that would leave less time for scratching yourself and handling people's food

[BikeWriter]

11. Yeah, really!

[Courtesy Flush]

7. I thought of that

But what a bad idea... using the bathroom in front of customers, and leaving without washing. Even if they wash elsewhere, it leaves a very bad impression.

[Shakespeare]

10. It's state law in most (if not all) places that employees must wash hands in the bathroom.

For obvious hygeine reasons. Talking to the manager was absolutely the right thing to do--food-bourne illnesses like e coli can be transmitted by someone who didn't wash his hands, and I think we've all seen from recent headlines just how serious such an outbreak can be.

[BikeWriter]

12. Yes, it can seriously KILL you!

[yewberry]

2. I'd say you did the right thing.

Keep in mind that every kitchen must have at least handsink, and most places require that staff use that handsink when returning to the kitchen from anywhere. So, they may have just been trying to avoid washing twice.

HOWEVER, no restaurant staff should ever, ever leave a bathroom without washing, even if they going to use a different sink. It looks terrible and is gross.

[Pithlet]

5. Good for you.

There was a hepatitis-A outbreak in this area years ago from restaurant employees not washing their hands. Not washing your hands after using the bathroom is disgusting enough, but to see a restaurant worker do it... :puke:

[BikeWriter]

6. At a local spot, I noticed a child beating his flip flops on tables...

and service areas. I had paid for my order, but told them I wanted my money back. I asked whose child it was and was directed to the manager who was chatting with customers. I went home and filed a complaint with the Health Department! I haven't seen her again.

[Left Is Write]

13. I would have left. I'd have told my husband, told the manager, and refused

to pay for an order I was now not going to eat.

There's no excuse for their not washing their hands. None.