Etiquette Tuesday: Channeling My Inner Gordon Ramsey
©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood
The last time I was in the city I had the bright idea to visit Doug E. Fresh’s spot in my neighborhood. Mistakes that will not be made again start with this one. Doug E’s Fresh Chicken & Waffles is supposed to be a casual dining spot inviting the majority of their guests to carry out their food. The problem with this is they should be serving a 6-course white linen service meal at the speed they operate. Picture this: I arrive to an empty restaurant on a Sunday afternoon where the waitress and cashier must have been in the midst of changing shifts. The lady that was leaving refused to take any additional orders because her shift was over and the other lady was in the middle of her afternoon meal while tending to her little one that was there. Now I am all about family and breaks but really?! You are at work! This is your job! Maybe those phrases do not arouse any concern or heighten the state of responsibility for some, but they should. Le sigh.
As five more guests joined me in line at the restaurant with one couple eventually telling the cashier they would come back 30 minutes later, I began to channel my inner Gordon Ramsay. This was an absolute kitchen nightmare and I knew if Doug E. Fresh walked into the restaurant at this moment he would have reprimanded a few folks for this bad etiquette. Having success in the hip hop industry for over 20+ years does not come from not knowing how business should operate. I know the hip hop industry calls for a different type of approach and attitude than the restaurant industry, but this is not the attitude for the restaurant/service industry. If Doug E. Fresh Chicken & Waffles wants to remain in the restaurant game to parallel the years of success of its owner, it is going to have to do a complete 360 turnaround from their current approach. On top of the service, the fried fish did not make the cut either. Smh (*Translation: Shaking My Head).
Category: Etiquette Tuesday, New York, restaurant reviews, Reviews, Travels
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
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