“Don’t book a table if you’re going to disrespect our staff.”
The owner of a restaurant in Manchester has defended an autistic member of staff after customers asked if they could not be served by him while dining on the premises.
Mike Jennings, the owner of Grenache restaurant in Walkden, Manchester, admitted to being “astonished” when customers shunned an autistic staff member on a recent visit to the restaurant.
45-year old Andy Foster, who is autistic, began working in the restaurant recently and although Jennings said that there was no problem with his service, the customers said that they didn’t want to be served by him and asked Jennings why he would hire someone like him.
So moved were Jennings and staff at the restaurant that they took to their Facebook page to express their outrage in a post that went viral late last week.
A subsequent post said that Andy himself was “astonished by the response” to what happened and “sends his best wishes” to all who expressed their support.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, meanwhile, restaurant owner Jennings said: “The customers seemed to have a problem with him, even though his service was good.
“I explained that he suffered from autism and their response was that they didn’t want to be served by him.
“They asked me why I would give him a job in a restaurant like ours. I couldn’t believe it.”
“The incident really knocked his confidence and we had to take him to one side and let him know that we certainly didn’t feel that way, Jennings added.
“All we care about is someone having enthusiasm and passion. The rest we can teach.”
Commenting on the episode, Andy Foster said: “I always feel that it’s automatically my fault and I go into defence mode. I always think I have to apologise.
“When I apologised to the customer she made such a fuss.
“The other table I was serving left a big tip so I knew it wasn’t me.
“I try not to take it personally because it has happened so many times in the past I have just got used to it.”
Main image via Facebook/Grenache Restaurant
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