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The pandemic has validated, what many already knew, we live in an uncertain future and constantly changing present. Chew On This is a conversation thought starter for shifting how we think first, to transform what we do. Here we ask how might we navigate to look for what’s not there yet while learning to co-exist with what comes next? Let’s get started…
In this issue we chew on public behaviour.
This is a Google review written by Susan Radojevic, our Founder, about her recent experience at Bentley’s. An established restaurant in Canada’s Shakespeare town of Stratford, Ontario.
We decided to ‘Chew On This’ because as catalysts for mindset shift, we help you navigate an uncertain future in a constantly changing present, and as businesses reopen, we too are curious about Susan’s comment…
‘In today’s marketplace it makes me wonder can any business,
especially a restaurant, afford to be so dismissive and careless.’
We would like to hear from you. As a patron how have you handled disruptive public behaviour? As a business owner, how do you handle an out-of-control individual or group? Or are you a waiter/waitress stuck in the middle and is unsure of what to do? Just so you know, Bentley's has yet to reach out to Susan.
Visit: Bentley’s
Bentley’s Google Review by Susan Radojevic
As much as I wish I could, I cannot echo the positive reviews on this site about my dining experience at Bentley's! Afterall the hospitality industry has had to manage these last few years; it truly saddens me to write this review. ☹ By writing it, it is my hope management sees it as a gesture of support rather than a criticism that they feel they must defend.
Temporarily being in Stratford for business I was invited to dine here last night. After 2-plus years of lockdowns, ongoing safety protocols and immunocompromised people, in my life, that I would like to protect. I am super selective how often, where and with whom I dine out with.
While it was wonderful to see the restaurant open and busy, it was equally disappointing to see the lack of public decorum on display. Additionally disappointing was the non-action taken, by Bentley’s personnel, when called upon to address the problem we were having.
Our party of four was seated in a booth at the back of the restaurant and it’s back exit. When I joined my party, already seated, there was no one sitting in the large section against the wall near us. Our meals arrived and we were able to have a conversation where shouting was not a prerequisite. By the way, the Black Bean Burger was not the best. It was very dry and fell apart on the also dry bun. The daily soup was okay.
Shortly after we finished our meal, a few people were seated in the large section mentioned previously. That’s when the room octave increased by fifty decimals. As more people joined the party, the noise level kept increasing to the point it was hurting my ears.
When our waitress finally came back to remove our dishes, that were sitting there for some time, we mentioned the noise level and asked if there was something she would do about this. She just smiled politely.
In today’s marketplace it makes me wonder can any business, especially a restaurant, afford to be so dismissive and careless.
There were many moments when we couldn’t hear ourselves talk and our conversation turned into a shouting exchange. I woke up this morning to a hoarse voice as a result of the shouting I had to do to be heard by my fellow diners in my booth.
I should mention I walked over to the party’s table and asked politely if they were aware their conversations could be heard by everyone. I asked, is it possible to keep it down a bit? Sadly, my request fell on deaf ears and their response was to increase the noise level.
At one point, the waitress said she could move us. We declined. We weren't the ones disturbing the diners around us.
We didn’t understand why the solution was to move us.
Throughout the entire unpleasant experience our party had, no one from the restaurant walked over to speak to the group of rowdies. A group that made the dining experience at Bentley’s for the rest of us unforgettable…and not in a good way!