restaurant dress codes: reasonable or pretentious?

having a little debate about this in my mind...

alright, here goes. i went out to dinner with a buddy of mine, at a place called houstons. houstons is nothing special. the food is pretty good for the price -- ranging from $14 to $35 a plate. the restaurants vibe and atmosphere is pretty relaxed. we love to go, eat some decent food at an acceptable price, and chat it up.

since we are from new orleans, we just were coming from a saints parade (just like everyone else in the restaurant). naturally we were decked out in team apparel -- and team hats. baseball caps.

a big guy is about to be seated with his wife, and the hostess tells him "i'm sorry sir but could you please take your hat off in the dining area? we have a strict dress code". he says "no problem at all" and takes his hat off. naturally, i'm outraged.

here's my issue: i understand that restaurants have their dress codes and what-not. i respect their right to enforce these dress codes. but seriously? this is a ******* uppity steakhouse, not emeril's. who gives a **** if this guy wears his hat? who are you to tell this guy to not wear his hat?

i understand if you're trying to create a specific look for your clientele and all of that nonsense, but to actually tell someone to take their hat off? what happens if i don't? will you throw me out? throw a paying customer out for...wearing a baseball cap? whats the cutoff here. if some 9 year old kid is wearing a hat, do you tell him to take it off? whats the cutoff age? if the kids 13, do you tell him to take it off? what if a kid is 14 but looks 18, what happens when you tell him?

i mean seriously...i certainly have a cynical mind....but am i the only one asking "who gives a ****?" when it comes to these unreasonable and pretentious restaurant dress codes?

you make food. i eat food. i pay you for food. the end.

You don't wear a hat at dinner. Jeez, kids these days. My father would have knocked the ******* thing off of my head.

I think a better question is "who actually wears baseball caps?"

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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I think a better question is "who actually wears baseball caps?"
Real Amurkans?

If you're asked to remove a hat by the hostess there, I think that you ought to do so. Complain all you want, but it's their restaurant that you are patronizing; play by their rules or leave. Yeah, and that whole "don't wear hats indoors" thing.

i think your mum never taught you proper manners

You would think with this economy you could come in nude just for a burger, and fries.

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

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having a little debate about this in my mind...

alright, here goes. i went out to dinner with a buddy of mine, at a place called houstons. houstons is nothing special. the food is pretty good for the price -- ranging from $14 to $35 a plate. the restaurants vibe and atmosphere is pretty relaxed. we love to go, eat some decent food at an acceptable price, and chat it up.

since we are from new orleans, we just were coming from a saints parade (just like everyone else in the restaurant). naturally we were decked out in team apparel -- and team hats. baseball caps.

a big guy is about to be seated with his wife, and the hostess tells him "i'm sorry sir but could you please take your hat off in the dining area? we have a strict dress code". he says "no problem at all" and takes his hat off. naturally, i'm outraged.

here's my issue: i understand that restaurants have their dress codes and what-not. i respect their right to enforce these dress codes. but seriously? this is a ******* uppity steakhouse, not emeril's. who gives a **** if this guy wears his hat? who are you to tell this guy to not wear his hat?

i understand if you're trying to create a specific look for your clientele and all of that nonsense, but to actually tell someone to take their hat off? what happens if i don't? will you throw me out? throw a paying customer out for...wearing a baseball cap? whats the cutoff here. if some 9 year old kid is wearing a hat, do you tell him to take it off? whats the cutoff age? if the kids 13, do you tell him to take it off? what if a kid is 14 but looks 18, what happens when you tell him?

i mean seriously...i certainly have a cynical mind....but am i the only one asking "who gives a ****?" when it comes to these unreasonable and pretentious restaurant dress codes?

you make food. i eat food. i pay you for food. the end.

Oh snap, in for possible ownage.

Sounds all right to me, just hat, not like they're forcing jacket and tie without telling you ahead of time...

to clarify -- i came in with a saints baseball cap on, removed it before even talking to the hostess, and thus was never asked to remove my hat.

it's not the notion of taking off the hat to eat dinner that's being challenged here. it's having the gonads to ask a patron to remove it before you'll seat them.

I can't believe the OP is outraged.

"you make food. i eat food. i pay you for food. [i don't know how to hit the shift key to capitlize]. the end."

You sound like a caveman.

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

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to clarify -- i came in with a saints baseball cap on, removed it before even talking to the hostess, and thus was never asked to remove my hat. it's not the notion of taking off the hat to eat dinner that's being challenged here. it's having the gonads to ask a patron to remove it before you'll seat them.
If somebody squatted down to *********** in my living room, I would have the gonads to ask them not to do so. Wearing a baseball hat inside is the same thing.

Originally Posted by teddieriley

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I can't believe the OP is outraged. "you make food. i eat food. i pay you for food. [i don't know how to hit the shift key to capitlize]. the end." You sound like a caveman.
Why would I type like this? I'm not writing a term paper.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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If somebody squatted down to *********** in my living room, I would have the gonads to ask them not to do so. Wearing a baseball hat inside is the same thing.
LOL, awesome. that logic is patently marsupialed.

I don't think its improper to ask for someone to follow common courtesy, in this case- removing one's hat indoors... unless of course if its some religious/cultural thing and in this case, unless you REALLY worship the saints, isn't an issue. This is also true with cases of a diner being asked to remove an offensive article of clothing like a shirt with a swastika on it.

relax.

i understand the gripe. but what can you do? it will only eat away inside of you.

i had a doorman at a restaurant (whether intentionally or unintentionally ) snub my wife trying to come through the door , after he had happily greeted all the others in front of her and kept the door open for them.
what can i do? i just looked at him and said what's your problem? opened the door myself for my wife and we laughed it off. had a great time.

there will always be someone or some entity trying to get you to get riled up. lose another stomach lining cell. whether intentionally or unintentionally. dont let them do that.