It doesn’t usually pay to throw your job title around, even if you are very busy and very important.
The classic line that “the customer is always right” fell on deaf ears to a restaurant manager in Kansas recently, who has penned a clever response to an unhappy would-be diner on review site “Yelp”.
The dinner-time fracas began when a lawyer, working late with her husband in the city, called Voltaire restaurant to place a take-away dinner order.
The restaurant informed her that they didn’t do take-out, which prompted the woman’s husband – also a lawyer – to get on the phone.
“It was made REPEATEDLY clear in the conversation with your husband that he is a lawyer,” the restaurant manager wrote.
“Let me provide the following analogy/role reversal... it may assist in clarifying your request.
YOU: I want to hire you to handle my divorce.
ME: But, I'm a tax lawyer.
YOU: I don't care... I want you to handle my divorce.
ME: Sorry, but I don't practice that form of law.
YOU: Just handle my divorce, I'll pay you... it will be fine.
ME: I don't feel comfortable providing my services as a divorce lawyer, as I am a tax lawyer. You won't receive the service you are wanting or that I am willing to provide.
YOU: Well, I travel to NYC often, and in NYC, Tax lawyers handle my divorce litigation all the time. I don't know what the problem is. I've told you I'm a chef, right?
ME: Well, that's nice sir, but I really can't help you. It goes against my business practice.”
After going viral, the review has been removed from Yelp, although you can read the full text of the initial complaint and the restaurant’s response here.
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The dinner-time fracas began when a lawyer, working late with her husband in the city, called Voltaire restaurant to place a take-away dinner order.
The restaurant informed her that they didn’t do take-out, which prompted the woman’s husband – also a lawyer – to get on the phone.
“It was made REPEATEDLY clear in the conversation with your husband that he is a lawyer,” the restaurant manager wrote.
“Let me provide the following analogy/role reversal... it may assist in clarifying your request.
YOU: I want to hire you to handle my divorce.
ME: But, I'm a tax lawyer.
YOU: I don't care... I want you to handle my divorce.
ME: Sorry, but I don't practice that form of law.
YOU: Just handle my divorce, I'll pay you... it will be fine.
ME: I don't feel comfortable providing my services as a divorce lawyer, as I am a tax lawyer. You won't receive the service you are wanting or that I am willing to provide.
YOU: Well, I travel to NYC often, and in NYC, Tax lawyers handle my divorce litigation all the time. I don't know what the problem is. I've told you I'm a chef, right?
ME: Well, that's nice sir, but I really can't help you. It goes against my business practice.”
After going viral, the review has been removed from Yelp, although you can read the full text of the initial complaint and the restaurant’s response here.
You might also like:
Lighter side: Hilarious on-the-job fails
Lighter side: “F- it, I quit”: TV reporter’s dramatic goodbye
Lighter side: Graduate channels David Brent