Patrick Maguire at jmcurley reports on what he and another manager decided to do when a customer put $20 on his table and told the waitress he'd deduct a dollar for every mistake she made. You may recall this particular restaurant has some conditions on its menu, including:
The customer is NOT always right. However, the respectful customer is always right, and the asshole customer is always wrong.
Just don't be a douchebag.
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Comments
wow, classy joint
By anon
Tue, 07/31/2012 - 8:40pm
I'm pretty sure I've only been to establishments where that kind of page is not only completely unnecessary, but would be highly offensive.
Don't knock it before you try it
By Kaz
Tue, 07/31/2012 - 9:08pm
Having recently been to jm Curley, I can say without a doubt that it is an excellent restaurant with a really great staff that cares a lot about their business. They also serve one of the best burgers you are going to find in this city.
Did you even read the link?
By anon
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 9:55am
Not only that, they called the jerks on their "fun game" and got many apologies and a decent tip without much further drama.
THAT, my friends IS a classy joint!
Good for the people at jm Curley.
By issacg
Tue, 07/31/2012 - 9:38pm
This the first I've heard of this place or their "law and order" points, but I must say that I am not put off.
If the world worked they way that I think it should, I might have been. Since it doesn't, and given some of the unbelievable stuff that I've seen people do/say to wait/bar staff, I admire the fact that these folks are telling the dbags of the world right up front that they're not going to get away with the crap that they do elsewhere.
I have had a hand in running a small business, and I have always been clear about one thing: I will take a reasonable amount of crap from clients/customers, but I absolutely, positively, will not suffer those clients/customers mistreating or otherwise acting inappropriately toward my staff.
Maybe this is their modern iteration of Curley's famous no-woman-is-going-to-scrub-floors-on-her-knees-in-City-Hall-while-I'm-mayor thing. In any event, good for them and for this particular guest, who, according to the post, seems to have genuinely seen the folly of his ways and did something pretty close to the right thing thereafter.
I could never work in the 'hospitality' business
By anon
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 7:12am
I'd go medieval on the first ahole to cross my path, I don't care who they are, who their daddy is, etc. I guess it takes a certain kind of person to work these jobs. That's not meant as a slight or insult.
Ditto
By johnmcboston
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 12:04pm
I don't know how servers do it. I would have dumped a pitcher of water on his head and given 1 dollar back while saying 'oops'.
I did it all through college. It's miserable.
By Nancy
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 3:46pm
Have you ever seen Reservoir Dogs? Mr. Pink? That's how most customers are.
I may or may not have accidentally tripped a dbag when he was leaving the restaurant after hassling me for two hours. It was so long ago, who can remember?
Ironic..
By anon
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 11:30am
Customers need to be "respectful" but the establishment can be disrespectful to the customer by using crass language on the menu. Guess that's one place I don't need to worry about checking out.
I think they'll live.
By Sally
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 12:35pm
Haven't been there yet but have heard nothing but good things (they make their own pastrami? I'm in). It's clearly a young, casual place, not L'Espalier, and I think anyone who's watched an episode of SNL can handle the language. I read the menu when it first opened and thought it was hilarious, and I'm hardly a spring chicken
The manager did the right
By Whit
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 2:20pm
The manager did the right thing and I love him for it! But I have to agree that the instant I saw that on the menu I would walk out and I won't ever go there now that I know about it. I think it's dumb and cutesy and has a faux Boston-attitude that I find, not offensive exactly, but at least embarrassing.
I would think that a lot of
By Finn
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 10:57pm
I would think that a lot of older people going to a show like 'Billy Elliot' at the Opera House, or some other venue like the Paramount, both just around the corner from this place, would find the word 'douchebag' on their menu somewhat off-putting, or is this place catering only to the 'yah-bro' set?
Heaven to betsy!
By anon²
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 2:25pm
got ya knickers in a bunch, don'cha guv'na?
I'm all for this. Places where patron are disrespectful and dickish to the staff, tend to also be disrespectful and dickish to other customers. They cause scenes, and they shouldn't be welcome.
I once was at a buffet and saw a fat man, his fat wife, and their fat son piling dish after dish into their fat mouths. They were probably on plate three before we ever were seated. They were just finishing desert by the time we were done, and he called the manager over. Wanted it all comped because the "food was terrible!", after eating easily 5 times that of a normal family himself.
I almost went over there and kicked him out myself. Felt bad for the poor manager.
I don't understand your
By Whit
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 3:02pm
I don't understand your response. Because you saw fat people eating a lot one time and they didn't want to pay for their food, some restaurant in Boston should accuse their customers of possibly being assholes in a printed box on the menu?
Who's accusing?
By anon²
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 5:48pm
They state don't be a douchebag. That's not accusing anyone of anything. It's laying down the rules.
Are you implying no shirt signs are accusing you of going in shirtless?
Guess I'm not understanding your response....
Be fair
By Sock_Puppet
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 4:14pm
Maybe they had to try it all to make sure it was all terrible.
Unrelated anecdotes!
By fairlee76
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 5:09pm
I love 'em!
I once went to the Pizza Hut buffet in Dover, NH. It was awesome.
Aw, muffin.
By erik g
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 9:30am
I'm sure they'll miss your self-aggrandizing narcissism terribly. Meanwhile, the blog post (which you obviously didn't read) details a manager handling a bad situation very skillfully, and demonstrated both a respect for his employees and a willingness not to overreact to a momentary lapse of etiquette from a guest. That is so rare a jewel that I'm going to head down there this weekend to check them out myself.
If you want recommendations
By Kaz
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 1:16pm
If you like heat (nothing like eating a whole pepper, but a good kick), try the Hemingway Heat cocktail. I was also told by the couple next to me that the Mister Bubbles cocktail was very good.
The burger on the menu is one of the best you're going to find in Boston. They also do 7 different dishes as specials that change every 2 weeks I think the bartender said (a burger, a meal, a seafood catch, a snack, a PB&J, a cookie, and a popcorn). The popcorn is always free. The specials all sounded good but I wanted to try the menu burger first.
I also got the bacon peanut brittle appetizer as a dessert. It tasted good and freshly made.
I'll definitely be going back.
I used to fantasize about this
By anon
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 12:02pm
I used to supervise a swimming pool, where we had to add 30 rules on top of the Board of Health rules because our patrons were so obnoxious and inept.
I always told everyone that if I had made the #1 rule "Don't be an asshole," we wouldn't need the other 30.
That's the new Golden Rule
By CraigInDaVille
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 3:47pm
Unfortunately, common sense is not that common...
Ironic pt. II
By anon
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 2:22pm
It all boils down to the old adage "what you give is what you get." I'm sure they'll do just fine without me, but you can't ask for respect if you aren't giving it, and profanity and "cutting edge" trash talk of the day isn't going to cut it for my money. I don't really care about profanity, I don't take my kid to Bukowski's so their constant tourette like dropping of the F bomb on any surface they can fit it on doesn't bother me, although I find it kind of boring. Bottom line? If you want to make money, you ought to be inviting. Chik-Fil-A could use a crash course on the matter, and so can lots of places. I don't need to be told to be respectful, and those who do aren't going to be swayed by a blurb on a menu.
it DOES matter that
By anonism
Wed, 08/01/2012 - 5:35pm
it DOES matter that jmcurley's uses poor language in their menu. I'm sure they have plenty of satisfied customers who are OK with it, but it's truly lame.
Hey Anonymous Morons...
By anon
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 12:21am
...Law & Order on the jm Curley menu and website is tongue-in-cheek and funny. Read the whole thing (below) before you judge. Yes, it puts customers on notice that experienced restaurant people are running the show, but it's also fun. Lighten the fuck up, Francis. Oh sorry, is that too harsh for you????
Law & Order: http://www.jmcurleyboston.com/Law_Order.html
That's right, Francis
By Sock_Puppet
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 7:33am
Don't be a douchebag at Curley's. Be a douchebag on UHub.
Why cater to the lowest common denominator?
By merlinmurph
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 8:26am
A lot of comments here have questioned the language on the menu and have made valid arguments that the menu may offend some customers. OK, I'll buy that.
But, do we always have to cater to the lowest common denominator? Do we always have to try to please everybody? Of course not, that's how things get so bland. That's why most of the franchises have mediocre food at best - because they're trying to please everybody. It's inevitable. Don't make the food too spicy hot, somebody may not like it. Don't go too wild, someone may not like it. You end up with crap.
I like straightforward, and this place appears to be very straightforward. If you read the menu and don't like the 'tude, then please feel free to leave. Simple. I'm sure the owners considered the consequences of their actions carefully when writing up the menu.
As for me, a guy living in the burbs, I'm going to keep this place in mind the next time I'm in Boston. My kind of place.
You're absolutely correct. It
By Whit
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 10:39am
You're absolutely correct. It is the perfect place for you. I would argue that a place with a menu containing the word "douchebag" caters very much to the lowest common denominator.
I Would Argue...
By Matt, N End
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 12:37pm
That anyone who actually finds douchebag on a menu to be offensive probably would have more fun at home any way. So have fun not going there. Enjoy NCIS!
Ironic pt. III
By anon
Thu, 08/02/2012 - 12:39pm
You know what, here's a great comparison. I walk into their establishment and tell the bartender, waitstaff, owner and manager(s) not to be assholes, etc. Of course, I'm a friendly guy, and I'll smile when I say it. I'll be dressed appropriately, respectful of their clients and staff. Heck, if you know me, you know I've got a great sense of humor, a regular laugh-riot. I even watch Portlandia, The Simpsons and listen to Zappa, so those credentials are hard to argue with (that's a joke there, folks.) I do use the examples to point out that I'm not easily offended. I just think there are better places for words like "d bag" than on a menu, unless you're serving them with a side of fries.