Good letter, Stan. I just wanted to add that I was at a 94th Aero Squadron restaurant in St. Louis or Kansas City, so it has to be a chain.

Please let us know the results!

Great Job!

I liked the way you explained the situation and then dropped the bombshell of possible discrimination. I know whoever reads it is going to get a knot in his/her belly!

So, I'm reading along-weighing each and every word and then
this..."a rotund blond" I suddenly pictured someone named Helga
with a Swedish accent!:D

Stan,
Great letter. I was thinking of the Denny's incident too (I hated Denny's before that ever happened, but that clinched it).
This is somewhat OT but how do you pronounce your last name? I mean what syllable is the accent on? I can't get it to roll trippingly off my tongue. :)

Great letter, Stan. Very well put.

I myself have only written a nastygram like that once... I was at a wedding reception (at the Ritz-Carlton Boston, no less!) where we got such incredibly rude service! For instance, the waiter did not even approach our table to offer us champagne. He just assumed we were all underage. :mad: I was 23, my husband was 24, and at least two of the other people at our table were 21+. Apparently it never occurred to him that he could card us. :rolleyes: And when my husband called the waiter over and asked him to serve us, the waiter poured him a glass and then walked away!!

I really stuck it to them in my letter. Among other things, I told them that I was planning my own wedding (which was true) and that NWIH would it be at the Ritz-Carlton! :D

Hope you hear back from them and the matter gets resolved to your satisfaction.

Thanks everyone. Your support is greatly appreciated. I received a letter from Specialty Restaurant Corporations, which I thought owned the actual chain, but actually only owns the Maryland 94th. The representative did want to get ahold of me, and she did sympathize with what happened.

I haven't receieved notification form anyone else, but to know there are some people that are aware of this makes me feel a lot better.

Funny, I just started that job with the University, and it's an office/shirt-and-tie job (the prz of ADPi works with me). Well, I've never had a job like that (I've always been a CSR, custodian or "sales associate", but everyone keeps telling me how professional my correspondence is. Heh, must be the journalism.

33girl, it's pronounced Man(like the male)-Gin(NOT like the drink, a silent G)-Din(1st half of dinner).

So, you can see why Tristan Mangindin is now Stan Mangindin.....one tough name is bad enough.

BUMP

Update for those interested:

I recieved an e-mail from the 94th in Maryland (right after their coporate office e-mailed me). He expressed dissapointment too, and offered assistance. Since the actual 94th here in San Diego hadn't responded, he got into contact with them.

*So, the manager at the 94th Squadron sent me this:

Dear Mr. Mangindin:

Thank you for your email regarding the unfortunate experience you had here on Sunday, December 21st while waiting to be seated for brunch with your family. I offer my sincerest apologies for what happened, and certainly understand why you would be so upset for having to wait as long as you did for a table after having made a reservation with us. I spoke to both of the hostesses who were working that day, and I assure you it was absolutely not their intention to come across as rude or disrespectful to you or the others in your party. Due to the busy holidays and the very high volume of guests (both reservations and walk-ins), we placed ourselves in a position of being extremely overbooked, causing a stressful situation for staff and guests alike. All of us feel horrible about what happened and would offer to do whatever we can to try to make amends to you for your disappointing experience.

Your past loyal patronage is very much appreciated, and we hope that our good relationship with you in the past not be ruined by this one unfortunate experience. If you will allow us to try to win you back as satisfied guests, please call me personally at your convenience so hopefully we can put this incident in the past and work to regain your trust and patronage for the future. As a start, I would like to offer Champagne Brunch for Four as our guests at a time of your choosing. Just contact me so I can make the arrangements for your visit personally and ensure that every detail of your visit is perfect.

Again, I thank you for taking the time to express your very valid complaints, and I sincerely hope that you will give us the opportunity to make amends to you for this very unfortunate incident.

Cordially yours,

(name withheld).

*So, after talking to my family, I sent him this:

Mr. ******,

I appreciate your time to finally address my complaint. I apologize for not responding sooner, but we have been trying to figure out what to make of the entire situation.

With that in mind, we realize the entire circumstances behind what happened that day, and realize that it was a very tense environment. However, to be blatantly told "you are next" only to hear several more parties being called to their table felt like a complete slap in the face. Had we had heard that it would be "just a little bit longer", it would not have been such a hassle. But we were outright lied to, and to recieve such treatment shows me that they knew exactly what they were doing.

However, we do not feel like it is an issue that should be carried any further, and although we feel that any apology your employees make would not be sincere, we feel that yours is, and since all we wanted was an apology we consider the matter closed now.

We were there to enjoy both the food and the atmosphere, which we gladly would have paid for. With this in mind, we are not interested in a free meal.

We no longer feel any ill feeling towards the restaurant, and we will not attempt to persuade our colleagues into not doing business with you, but at the same time, my family and I feel that we should no longer patronize your business.

For what it's worth, please have a happy new year, and thank you again for taking the time to respond.

Now THAT'S class!

Very classy response!!