I am a good girl, I am. However, on Friday night, I was thrown out of Frankies at 457 Court Street. What did I do to deserve this treatment? Was I drunk ? Was I loud or behaving badly? Did I refuse to pay? No, nothing like that. So, what was my offense? I lingered a bit too long at the table with some of my friends.I haven't gone out all that much lately, and getting three of my girlfriends together for a "girls' night out" is becoming increasingly difficult as we all juggle a million things at once. So I was particularly looking forward to the evening. Since Frankies does not accept reservations for less than five, one of my friends showed up half an hour early to make sure that we were going to get a table. As we all trickled in, we had a drink at the bar and another drink at the table once we were seated.
We were having a wonderful time catching up on our busy lives as parents, daughters and wives. The food was good, the company superb and fun was had by all. After we had finished our dinner, the waitress brought the check. We left it sitting there for a little while as we finished our drinks and our conversation. After settling the bill, we dared to stay just a few more minutes. I had already put on my coat and we were all ready to leave momentarily when the young maitre d' who had seated us, came over and told us in no uncertain terms:
"Ladies, you will have to leave now. There are people waiting for the table."
We were stunned. The lovely evening had come to an abrupt end. Like scolded children, we got up and followed him towards the front door. As he let us pass, my friend Martha and I turned to him and told him that this was pretty uncool and that he had been impolite. He didn't flinch.
This is the first time this has ever happened to me, ever. I am sure that in the past, I have occupied a restaurant table longer than the staff would have liked. Usually, simple hints are sufficient to indicate that its time to leave. My friends and I were on our way out. As I mentioned, I had already slipped on my coat. At the most, we would have taken an additional 5 minutes before we would have left on our own. No doubt, it is the maître d's job to keep things moving and to squeeze in as many seatings as possible for maximum profit. But when a restaurant resorts to throwing out their customers (and that was exactly what happened here), that is just plain rude. It also shows poor business judgment. Instead of returning with our husbands in a larger group, that place will never see us again.
Update:
This is an account from one of the other members in our party:
After enjoying a nice dinner at Fankies last Friday night, the maitre d came over and told us flat out that we had to leave because people were waiting for a table. He basically threw us out. Granted that we had been there for awhile, but we had also waited some time for the table ourselves, paid a triple-digit check and were just getting ready to leave. In fact, one member of our group had put on her coat. There are ways to impress on customers that other customers might need a table without being nasty. I suggest that Frankies give some etiquette training to certain members of its staff.
[ where: Court street, Frankie's, 457 Court Street, Brooklyn]
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25 comments:
Oh my. At the very least, a "I'm so sorry, Ladies. We have a full house tonight, and we need your table. Could I help you with your jackets?"
Okay, so maybe that's a bit much, but describing it as being "scolded" is exactly what it feels like. Court Street has gotten a bit big for its britches, I think.
When I lived in the area (pre-insane rents), businesses WANTED you to linger to encourage returns.
That's exactly it. It was the blunt way in which he did it that was so rude. As though he was saying : " All right, now we have your money. get the hell out..."
I prefer to give my money to restaurateurs who respect their customers a bit more.
But this isn't Brooklyn anymore.
It's Manhattan.
I have found Frankie's to be rude in in their general attitude about seating and serving, I thought possibly it was because we are "older". Maybe because we are older we have antiqued sense of service. The food is OK, but it's very noisey as well and we decied not worth the attitude so we stop going month ago.
I am glad I am not the only one feeling that they are out of line.
As far as Brooklyn becoming like Manhattan, I am getting that feeling more and more....
I probably would have said something to the maitre if something like that had happened to me (the older you get, the more you will take a stand for yourself). On the other hand, I don't know if it would be worth the effort, but if I were you, I'd write the owner a nice little letter (I'm really into writing letters of complaint when I'm not happy about something and I usually get a response with apology or other satisfactory outcome). If the maitre's attitude is reflective of the owner, you probably won't get anywhere. I personally hate the attitude I encounter in many of my neighborhood's newer establishments. Just remember...arrogance is the downfall of many...and what goes around always comes around. DOn't go back; they don't deserve your patronage.
I think most certainly not go back, but I think you are right. I will send a letter to the two Franks who own the place. Maybe they don't know how their staff treats the customers, but most likely, they encourage such behavior.
I happened to live near to Frankie's and my partner and I frequented them right from the start - they were great back in the beginning! But then the Bridge and Tunnel crowd started coming in from Manhattan. Now we can never get a table except for a 45 minute to an hour wait. While I am grateful for their earlier good service, now I would rather just go to La Petit Cafe or PJ Hanley than wait for a cramped table. It is a shame they no longer really serve the neighborhood.
Tam
I feel for you but i think the food is worth it no? Maybe you go to the owners and get it straight.
I just updated the post and added the comments from a member in my party that night.
Was the food good? Yes, we all enjoyed it. But was it good enough to put myself into the same situation twice? I don't think so!
A very similar thing happened to me at Frankie's about a year ago. I remember the food being very tasty, but being ushered out left me with the impression that it's not a relaxing place to eat, and I haven't been back.
The traditional way to clear a table that has been lingering way too long, from when I worked in good restaurants, is to invite the party at the table for an after diner drink, coffee, extra desert ECT at the bar or another table on the house. If they are really done imbiding you can offer them a rain check for a drink/glass of wine/dessert on their next vistit. All with great sensitivity and explanation.
To Anon 1:15
You are right. That would have been a very polite and sensible way of handling the situation. I would not have minded that at all and neither would my friends.
Amy,
sorry it happened to you, too. But I am glad to know that it wasn't just our group that they chose to boot out of their restaurant.
my first and last experience at this restaurant (two years ago) was at a party celebrating my friends' marriage earlier that day. we were treated exactly as you describe. we had also spent quite a lot of money and had been there since before the dinner crowd began arriving. several of us were very upset and let the staff know it, but clearly this seems to be their normal treatment of customers. i'll never go there again and will discourage friends from patronizing them as well.
I understand that the person that asked you to leave was abrupt and what he said could have been more tactful but geez..get over yourself! This is a small place and turning over the tables in a reasonable amount of time is necessary to make a profit. I have eaten there many times at less busy hours and sat for a while after the meal without feeling unwelcomed but if you are there in prime time it is rude for you to linger overly long.
What's overly long? I honestly don't think our stay was unreasonably long.
We ordered at least two drinks each, had coffee and payed good money...
In exchange, all I am asking for is some respect and to feel welcomed in an establishment.
Obviously, others have had the same
experience with Frankies.
In Italy, and Frankie's claims Italian roots, the table is yours until you decide to leave. People there take forever to eat and converse. It's a way of life and culture. Conversation and friendship is the entire point of eating out with friends.
The staff at Frankie's would be well advised to gently ease people out who are done, done eating and talking, not shove them out.
I'm sorry that happened to you.
I can't tell you how many times I've stood around waiting for people like you to leave so that I could have my turn to eat. Nothing angers me more than a group of people who just sit around after everything has been consumed and paid for. New York is not Europe, things move faster here in case you haven't noticed. Waiting tables is also a profession in Europe, so spending as much time as you want at a table doesn't mean your server goes home with less money in their pocket. Ever think of that? Why couldn't and your friends have gone to a bar to finish having a night out? By the way, the more you occupy the table, the less money the restaurant makes, eventually driving them out of business. Then you'll overstay your welcome someplace else until they go out of business. Think of someone BESIDES yourself. It just might make you a better person.
People like me? Hmmm!
I have waited for tables at restaurants too. As a matter of fact, we waited for a table that night. We had a drink at the bar which was revenue for the restaurant. I am sure that the people waiting after us did the same. And we know what the profit margin on drinks is! (We left a nice tip for the bartender who also needs to make a living)
Frankies is not a cafeteria and shouldn't expect people to eat and get the h*ll out. They are trying to create a certain atmosphere for which the customer pays a fair price. The atmosphere is shattered the moment their staff becomes rude.
Frankies is overrated anyway; The last time I went there was maybe two years ago, and I refused to return after waiting forever, receiving crappy service and mediocre food (in relation to the wait time).
I for one, also do not mind when people take their time while I'm waiting. If I go to a restaurant and see that it doesn't look like I'll get a table, I go elsewhere. I mean, it's New York - it's not as if there aren't hundreds of other places to eat.
Whenever friends want to go to Frankie's, I suggest PJ Hanley's instead - the food is okay, the beer is great and the people there are much nicer.
Say no to Frankies!
Agreed - Frankie's BLOWS.
Double and triple agree: Frankie's blows super big time and for long periods of time.
This is the neighborhood now - it's not bridge & tunnel coming in to dine - it is the old bridge & tunnel that live here now. And writing either owner will be of no value - where do you think their staff learn it from? You will never get an attitude from Le Petit Cafe. Frankie's expansion will not make them nicer, just become more arrogant and entitled. The real Italian food diners know where to go to get a good meal. Frankie’s is lame, rude, intrusive to the neighborhood, Not even from NY State, and only exists to keep the new-comers to Brooklyn satiated with mediocre food. Does no one else know how loud their backyard dining area is to their neighbors, and how often they open & close their rusty, squeaky gate no less than 10 times a night after midnight - AND the volume of staff as they haul out all of the wine, beer and whatever else glass bottles - again AFTER midnight? Not to mention the noise of their contracted garbage trucks that arrive at 2am and wakes everyone up. The shock is going to be the price that they will have to fork over in new lease expenses for not getting prior approval from building owners before beginning their expansion. And all of the fines they will be served with for walking food through two residential gardens to the lame new comers to the area. This is a sad state of affairs in south brooklyn - no one is originally from here any longer and it should be called little tribeca and this pathetic point.
The two owners think who they are, when they first came around they were very nice , and then they started to change. First before i get started they forced the dry cleaners out and the owner who was a very nice lady had her business and her only means of income taken from her. Then the construction started and then all the noise forced the tennants out and of course the owners of the property didnt care,because they dangled money in front of them.Then they took over the sidewalks with their bikeracks.Now you cant park anywhere because of their customers and workers they forget how to be neighbors and that some of us have lived in this neighborhood before they were born. Here is my advice go back to the two frankies that i met when you first came around before you started to make the money because what goes around comes around
::Sigh::
I keep writing to you all - You need to start patronizing the places that made the neighborhood what it WAS, before all the newbees made it what it IS - Little NYC.
People came from NYC after work on on weekends to enjoy the area, they loved it so much they moved here, then they wanted to change it into... NYC! So now it's more like the place they left than the place they came to enjoy.
Again: The Red Rose, Casa Rosa, Marco Polo, even Sam's (where they're known for being cranky).
These are the places you need to start going back to.
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