Customers Called 'Fat Girls' on Restaurant Bill

[Aunt Spiker]

You didn't read the story, the fat girls was on a receipt, obviously they were served.

Yes - I think that was the point. That's how I read it, anyway. *If* they weren't served *because* they were fat *then* they might have a discrimination suit.

In reality: they weren't treated differently (denied service) because of their weight - they were just described as being fat = rude but not discriminatory.

 

[Rapunzel52]

no doubt but it seems everyone who is a large makes that excuse. I tend to be rather skeptical

Agreed, while those conditions do exist, most people who are overweight are so because they take in more calories than they burn.

 

[hiswoman]

IT WAS FUNNY...

Obesity isn't because of "glandular" issues or things that are beyond anyones control.

Wanna bet? It most certainly can be. Try having an underactive thyroid in addition to nearly non-functioning adrenal glands, necessitating the use of steroids, which are known to cause weight gain, and see how it affects your appearance regardless of how little you eat. Not everyone who is overweight, even very overweight, is a glutton. :roll:

 

[ChrisL]

400 pounds is really, really obese. I don't understand how someone could get SO large unless they have a medical condition, referring to what is in TD's post.

 

[Tonawanda]

You can sue, but not likely you would win. If they refused to serve them because they were fat, they might have a discrimination suit.

You didn't read the story, the fat girls was on a receipt, obviously they were served.

I read the story.

What I said in my post: If they refused to serve them

 

[ChrisL]

Wanna bet? It most certainly can be. Try having an underactive thyroid in addition to nearly non-functioning adrenal glands, necessitating the use of steroids, which are known to cause weight gain, and see how it affects your appearance regardless of how little you eat. Not everyone who is overweight, even very overweight, is a glutton. :roll:

Steroids make you appear "puffy" too.

 

[hiswoman]

Steroids make you appear "puffy" too.

Yes they do. Very puffy in fact.

 

[DiAnna]

It was rude and poor customer service, but people don't have the right to not be offended :shrug:

Maybe not. But the customers have a right to not return to the restaurant, to tell all their friends not to patronize the establishment, make the insulting way the restaurant treats its guests public, so others may decide not to patronize the restaurant... in other words, it's a customer-oriented business. If such businesses make a habit of offending their paying customers, they will soon be out of business.

Which is why when the restaurant owner discovered what had happened, she was horrified, mortified and deeply apologetic, assuring the public that this behavior was not condoned and would not be tolerated. And why she gave the three rightfully-offended women a free meal.

 

[Red_Dave]

We're not speaking French or Spanish, we speak English. In the US, calling people fat does carry negative connotations.

And, based on your statement, "lose some ****ing weight", you could use some work on your English.

Why does it carry negative connotations other then if its associated (broadly correctly) with dysfunctional behavior? If so then there is a solution to that.

 

[Bodi]

Unfortunate to say the least. Actually, it's downright crude.

Prejudice is alive and well when it comes to overweight individuals, but especially girls.

I don't know about a lawsuit, but I certainly wouldn't have a problem with the firing of the person responsible.

Firing? Depends...

When I worked in that industry we trained employees to stay away from ANY physical description and to write something just descriptive about clothing. Long flower dress or Angels baseball cap along with their name. I could walk up to any reciept, see long flower dress with a Mrs. Jones on it and go up to Mrs. Jones, greet her by name and ask how she was, if I could assist her, etc.

 

[Fenton]

Wanna bet? It most certainly can be. Try having an underactive thyroid in
addition to nearly non-functioning adrenal glands, necessitating the use of steroids, which are known to cause weight gain, and see how it affects your appearance regardless of how little you eat. Not everyone who is overweight, even very overweight, is a glutton. :roll:

The VAST majority are over weight because yes, they over eat/and or live a sedentary life style. Glandular issues account for about 3% of obese people.

Its a sign of the times as this Country becomes more and more hedonistic and people become more and more self centered.

Over eating is a selfish and self destructive habit and when these people DO start to experience health issues because of it they then make it their families problem and societies problem as their health issues account for a disproportionate amount of health care cost.

Its not a human rights issue and its not bigotry to tell them the truth.

Sometimes its not how little you eat but when you eat it and if you want to lose weight expend more calories than you take in and NEVER eat junk food or high calorie snacks again.

 

[DiAnna]

It's a little disappointing to see the topic has changed from the behavior of the servers mocking their customers, to basically whether the customers deserved to be mocked. Would we be having that conservation if the server had noted "Retards" for a table with special needs children? Or "gimps and cripples" for a table of wounded war vets? Or "geezers" for a table of elderly men?

Bah.

 

[TurtleDude]

400 pounds is really, really obese. I don't understand how someone could get SO large unless they have a medical condition, referring to what is in TD's post.

in her case it was mental issues precipitated by rape

 

[TurtleDude]

It's a little disappointing to see the topic has changed from the behavior of the servers mocking their customers, to basically whether the customers deserved to be mocked. Would we be having that conservation if the server had noted "Retards" for a table with special needs children? Or "gimps and cripples" for a table of wounded war vets? Or "geezers" for a table of elderly men?

Bah.

probably not because in those cases there is NO DOUBT of lack of choice

the fact is most fat people are fat because of their own actions

however, the danger of bashing those who cannot help their condition is a huge risk

but I know plenty of people who are porkers because of their own lack of self control and I have no sympathy for people like that especially when they demand others accommodate their obesity

 

[hiswoman]

The VAST majority are over weight because yes, they over eat/and or live a sedentary life style. Glandular issues account for about 3% of obese people.

Its a sign of the times as this Country becomes more and more hedonistic and people become more and more self centered.

Over eating is a selfish and self destructive habit and when these people DO start to experience health issues because of it they then make it their families problem and societies problem as their health issues account for a disproportionate amount of health care cost.

Its not a human rights issue and its not bigotry to tell them the truth.

Sometimes its not how little you eat but when you eat it and if you want to lose weight expend more calories than you take in and NEVER eat junk food or high calorie snacks again.

Yes, there are folks out there who are obese simply because they refuse to make changes to improve their health. However, one cannot tell who "chooses" to be overweight vs those who have a medical reason for their appearance simply by looking at them, and it is absolutely unacceptable to treat someone with such contempt just because of your personal prejudices. This goes for any physical imperfection, not just obesity. You wouldn't make fun of someone who is bald due to chemotherapy, even if their cancer was caused by their own bad habits (smoking, etc.). Don't judge someone till you've experienced what they're going through.

 

[Fenton]

Maybe not. But the customers have a right to not return to the restaurant, to tell all
their friends not to patronize the establishment, make the insulting way the restaurant treats its guests public, so others may decide not to patronize the restaurant... in other words, it's a customer-oriented business. If such businesses make a habit of offending their paying customers, they will soon be out of business.

Which is way when the restaurant owner discovered what had happened, she was horrified, mortified and deeply apologetic, assuring the public that this behavior was not condoned and would not be tolerated. And why she gave the three rightfully-offended women a free meal.

And thats the last thing they need, obliviously.

More food free or otherwise. How about 3 one year long memberships to a health club or a free visit with a dietician.

In Houston there is this wierd occurence happening. Everywhere you look these little dialysis places are popping up in strip malls.

So I asked my older Sister why ( 25 years as a RN ) and she said Type 2 diabetees takes out your kidneys pretty quick, and it is indicative of the huge increase in Type 2 Diabetees accross our nation.

Its not funny anymore, type 2 diabetees is starting to actually crop up in kids and is approaching or already is at epidemic proportions.

The receipt ? Yea thats funny but the restaraunts response ? Stupid.

 

[ChrisL]

The VAST majority are over weight because yes, they over eat/and or live a sedentary life style. Glandular issues account for about 3% of obese people.

Its a sign of the times as this Country becomes more and more hedonistic and people become more and more self centered.

Over eating is a selfish and self destructive habit and when these people DO start to experience health issues because of it they then make it their families problem and societies problem as their health issues account for a disproportionate amount of health care cost.

Its not a human rights issue and its not bigotry to tell them the truth.

Sometimes its not how little you eat but when you eat it and if you want to lose weight expend more calories than you take in and NEVER eat junk food or high calorie snacks again.

This is true. No one can deny that our country has a problem with overeating, eating junk food and obesity.

 

[Tonawanda]

You can sue, but not likely you would win. If they refused to serve them because they were fat, they might have a discrimination suit.

you can discriminate for a good reason, a bad reason or no reason at all as long as its not an ILLEGAL (ie race sex, gender, national origin, age or disability) reason. Being a porker is not a protected status nor should it ever be

You can refuse to serve a porker at a restaurant because they are a porker? I don't know about restaurants, but I think being a porker does have some protected status.

Weight Discrimination Laws Laws in Place

Michigan is the only State with law prohibiting discrimination against overweight peopleEnacted in 1977. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination practices based on 10 categories, including weight.
Cities
Washington, DC: the Human Rights Law includes “personal appearance” in its protected categories.
San Francisco, CA: the Human Rights Commission added “weight and height” to the municipal code to ensure that pro-grams, services, and facilities would be accessible.
Santa Cruz, CA: the municipal code on discrimination includes “height, weight, or physical characteristics” as protected categories.
Binghamton, NY: the municipal code on discrimination includes “height, weight, or physical characteristics” as protected categories.

Urbana, IL: the municipal code on discrimination includes “height, weight, or physical characteristics” as protected categories.

Madison, WI: the municipal code on discrimination includes “height, weight, or physical characteristics” as protected categories.

Legislation Awaiting Action

Nevada Bill AB166 awaiting action adds “Physical characteristic” which means any bodily condition or physical attribute of a person that is a result of birth, injury, disease or natural biological development, including, without limitation:
(a) Height;
(b) Weight; and
(c) Physical mannerisms beyond the control of the person.



NAAFA-Laws in Place

 

[ChrisL]

Yes, there are folks out there who are obese simply because they refuse to make changes to improve their health. However, one cannot tell who "chooses" to be overweight vs those who have a medical reason for their appearance simply by looking at them, and it is absolutely unacceptable to treat someone with such contempt just because of your personal prejudices. This goes for any physical imperfection, not just obesity. You wouldn't make fun of someone who is bald due to chemotherapy, even if their cancer was caused by their own bad habits (smoking, etc.). Don't judge someone till you've experienced what they're going through.

It is a really cruel thing to do, and the server MUST have known the ladies would be able to read what he wrote.

 

[justabubba]

It's a little disappointing to see the topic has changed from the behavior of the servers mocking their customers, to basically whether the customers deserved to be mocked. Would we be having that conservation if the server had noted "Retards" for a table with special needs children? Or "gimps and cripples" for a table of wounded war vets? Or "geezers" for a table of elderly men?

Bah.

ok, i'll comply with your expectation:

"Retards" for a table with special needs children

probably would use 'assisted adults' or 'assisted children' instead
of course, i have an advantage, i serve three designated tables, two dozen assisted adults, every monday and have to be able to distinguish them to an ever changing corps of volunteer servers

"gimps and cripples" for a table of wounded war vets

'purple heart table' might be a better, more PC designation to identify those patrons

geezers

'silver hair table' might work, unless they are bald geezers like me

african-American couple with the cute kid

would be 'black couple with the cute kid'

wet back thugs

probably 'latino guys'

homo table

'table of well dressed and attractive gay/lesbians'

 

[TurtleDude]

I am sure some want porker protection laws

but i oppose them I believe private businesses have an absolute right to serve whom they please. As Diana noted, if you make stupid and biased decisions you may well cost you business. and that is the price and punishment you should pay if you discriminate against good customers for stupid reasons

 

[Wiseone]

I read the story.

What I said in my post: If they refused to serve them

Why would you say if when its quite clear there is no if in that regard.

 

[Tonawanda]

Firing? Depends...

When I worked in that industry we trained employees to stay away from ANY physical description and to write something just descriptive about clothing. Long flower dress or Angels baseball cap along with their name. I could walk up to any reciept, see long flower dress with a Mrs. Jones on it and go up to Mrs. Jones, greet her by name and ask how she was, if I could assist her, etc.

Good Policy

 

[ttwtt78640]

probably not because in those cases there is NO DOUBT of lack of choice

the fact is most fat people are fat because of their own actions

however, the danger of bashing those who cannot help their condition is a huge risk

but I know plenty of people who are porkers because of their own lack of self control and I have no sympathy for people like that especially when they demand others accommodate their obesity

But in the name of "fairness" obesity, as a health concern, is no longer to be considered for establishing medical care insurance premiums; PPACA allows consideration of only age and smoking. Yes he can!

 

[RepublicanMcDuc]

Can't believe there is any debate over this. Yes, the women are morbidly obese, and they obviously need to lose lots of weight, but the whole reason why people go to a restaurant is to enjoy a nice, relaxing meal. If the restaurant fails to provide that in any respect (and getting labeled fat on a receipt is probably going to ruin the atmosphere for fat people), then it has failed the customer. Firing the guy responsible and offering a free meal are to be expected.