50's Prime Time Blunder

[canoe86]

I'm sure it was a person trying to branch out a bit on the comments. Instead of just 'elbows off the tables', etc.

I think if a person goes into this restaurant knowing the situation and atmosphere, understanding is in order. It would be different if it happened say at Artist Pointe, right?

BTW, I lost my father 3 months ago, and that would not have offended me in the least. It isn't like they can know EVERY situation.

I think a whole lot of folks need to lighten up and quit looking for reasons to be offended.

 

[aenelson]

This is why I will NEVER go to 50's. I am sorry there is a difference in being funny, and being tactless. I really do not care if others think it is ok to go around saying whatever they please, but I would rather the waiter watch what he says then have a child cry because they miss their parent. It is just not cool!

 

[canopynut66]

I find it sad also when you go to a resturant for the fun and they do nothing, we went to whispering canyon recently for the first time, I booked it for the simple fact my youngest ds loves ketchup and I wanted to see his face when he asked for some, well he asked for some ketchup, our waiter walked over to a table, got 1 bottle of ketchup and put it on our table, I was sooooo disappointed.

that is to bad as we went and my adult sister is so annal and she ask for ketchup and I swear must have been at least 30 bottles of it coming from every where. it is the servers some just better than others. we had a blast there

 

[yankeepenny]

The nuclear family of today is vastly different from yesterday.
How are other family units treated at this place?

I personally would feel uncomfortable at this place.

-just my penny's worth.

 

[mommylovesdisney]

Geez, what would they do if my cousin and her partner were there with their kids? ask which one was the "man" so they would know which gets the bill?
THAT would go over well...but I suppose in the 50's, you wouldn't dine in public if you were gay, right?

Here's something to think about: depending on where this cafe in the fifties is located, there could be separate entrances, bathrooms, sections for people of different races, but of course Disney would never do that! But it's okay to make a sexist remark because it's the fifties??

How is SEXISM any better than RACISM?

I have never been and likely will never go because it doesn't sound like my cup of tea.

 

[havaneselover]

My husband recently left us and I'm taking my 5 and 7 year old to wdw in december and eating at 50s. I would hate for someone to say something like that in front of them as we're trying to get on with our lives and enjoy a family vacation as a family of 3. I'm not someone who is easily offended, but I am protective of my children's emotions and that sounds very insensitive to me.

 

[TheRatPack]

The nuclear family of today is vastly different from yesterday.
How are other family units treated at this place?

I personally would feel uncomfortable at this place.

-just my penny's worth.

That's what I was just sitting here thinking....a jab at someone not eating their veggies is one thing, getting elbows off the table....etc are all within the line of funny and if you didn't like their comment well you can ignore it and continue eating...etc.

But I think that comments on your family unit should be avoided...there are too many different family structures out there today and I think that the comment the waiter made was very inappropriate.

We have quite a sense of humor in my family so we usually roll with the flow. That being said, we have 3 adopted children (different heritage) and so you can imagine what comments we've gotten (everything from me cheating on DH-yep...thanks for calling me a 'ho, being married before-that doesn't even make sense...they are younger than my birth children LOL, the water being dirty...etc) and we try to brush them off. But still, people need to know where to draw the line....I think comments or remarks about families are off limits unless they are kind compliments that were well thought out LOL

 

[tlbwriter]

But anything has the potential to painful now doesn't it? Maybe the shirt the CM is wearing looks like the one Dad used to wear, or maybe that TV show they're showing was his favorite, maybe (and this is a joke people...) he choked to death on string beans.

My condolences to those who have lost love ones, but do you avoid turning on the tv because the television shows have dads ( or moms or kids) in them?

You are comparing apples and oranges. It's one thing to see something that reminds you of a lost loved one. That happens, and I would never expect anybody to try to prevent it. But this guy didn't wear something that looked liked Dad's favorite shirt. He deliberately pointed out that there was a man missing. As someone else said, nagging you about eating your veggies is funny. Nagging you about your husband/father being absent is not.

A lot of people are using the word "offended." I do not personally find this offensive. I simply think it could be very hurtful, and I would be surprised if that's something WDW wanted to promote.

(My solution would be to simply take the CM aside and explain the situation and ask him to take another tact)

Then I guess you agree that it was appropriate to do something.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I think the o.p. has a right to be offended. I think the comments should be kept impersonal. I sincerely doubt that in the 50's anyone would have been so crass as to say something like that. It's possible to be funny without being hurtful.

 

[Disneyhope]

Is pointing out that there is no man at the table something that waiters historically did in the fifites? I think not. The litmus test is this - was the joke that funny in the first place? My opinion is no. A not-so-funny joke with a high propensity to offend plus historically inaccurate behavior = find new material.

 

[topmonkeygirl]

I have to say that almost any comment could be found offensive by someone. Lighten up people.

Agreed. Everyone is so eager to take offense to things. It was suppose to be a joke, nothing mean or nasty was meant by it.

I wish everyone had to work customer service for at least a month just to see what we have to go through with the general public. We are treated like crap pretty regularly then we're suppose to care about the next customer, please. I just want to get you in and get you out ASAP before I do something to offend you, God forbid I offend you. That's why customer service has gone down hill, because the public thinks they can treat us any way they want and then expect stellar customer service.

Lighten up people, service may improve if you do.

 

[tlbwriter]

I wish everyone had to work customer service for at least a month just to see what we have to go through with the general public.

LOL! Why on earth would you presume that we have never worked in customer service? I have, and that's why I know they can do better than this. Of course it wasn't meant to hurt anybody's feelings. That's why he needs to be informed - because he didn't think it through, or didn't know any better.

 

[emmabemmainc]

Agreed. Everyone is so eager to take offense to things. It was suppose to be a joke, nothing mean or nasty was meant by it.

I wish everyone had to work customer service for at least a month just to see what we have to go through with the general public. We are treated like crap pretty regularly then we're suppose to care about the next customer, please. I just want to get you in and get you out ASAP before I do something to offend you, God forbid I offend you. That's why customer service has gone down hill, because the public thinks they can treat us any way they want and then expect stellar customer service.

Lighten up people, service may improve if you do.

Good customer service has NOTHING to do with what he said. Stupidity did. He had absolutely no idea what their situation was, so why say anything at all?

I worked in retail for many years--I get having people be rude to you. However, that never meant that I had a free pass to hurt someone's feelings. Just because one person may have been rude to me, doesn't mean that I get to say something stupid to the next person who comes in.

Common sense, people. Use it.

 

[TisBit]

I actually enjoy the fact that the OP didn't take offense or get hurt, but wanted to say "what if". You know, this restaurant is supposed to be fun with a lot of slapstick 50's dogma stuff. It is obvious from the decor to the uniforms and is pretty well known.

I think, many what if I went to WCC and they brought me 20 bottles of ketchup but my brother used to work at a ketchup plant and got killed by bottles falling on him.

If people don't like this style of restaurant, just move on to another style, don't ruin it for the rest of the world! As for the people going to WDW to get away after a loss, are you looking to have a sober experience and not laugh, then again, go to signature dining, not theme'd dining with a blunt humor style.

 

[tlbwriter]

If people don't like this style of restaurant, just move on to another style, don't ruin it for the rest of the world!

Ruin it for the rest of the world? That's awfully dramatic. I think a lot of people do like this style of restaurant but think it should all be in good fun, and not something that's going to hurt people's feelings. I'm having a hard time figuring out how just a tiny bit of sensitivity to someone's situation is going to "ruin it for the rest of the world." Maybe I live in a different world than you.

 

[Motherofboys]

Good customer service has NOTHING to do with what he said. Stupidity did. He had absolutely no idea what their situation was, so why say anything at all?

I worked in retail for many years--I get having people be rude to you. However, that never meant that I had a free pass to hurt someone's feelings. Just because one person may have been rude to me, doesn't mean that I get to say something stupid to the next person who comes in.

Common sense, people. Use it.

I agree with this post 100% Common sense, common courtesy - really is that too much to ask for?

It's not about being easily offended (I will admit, I had no idea that PTC has "blunt humor", I thought it was just goofy stuff like the eat your veggies stuff), it's about using good judgment and tact......this schtick wasn't even funny at all, I can't imagine who would think those comments were funny?

No one's saying they should end the antics, just that they should think about what they are saying and if it is within the realm of acceptable humor (i.e. not inappropriate comments about gender, race, weight, marital status, etc).

 

[TisBit]

Ruin it for the rest of the world? That's awfully dramatic. I think a lot of people do like this style of restaurant but think it should all be in good fun, and not something that's going to hurt people's feelings. I'm having a hard time figuring out how just a tiny bit of sensitivity to someone's situation is going to "ruin it for the rest of the world." Maybe I live in a different world than you.

OK, a tiny bit of sensitivity to a known issue is one thing. But yes, if you make this restaurant politically correct so as not to offend anyone ever, then yes, the rest of the world (ones with a sense of humor) loses the ability to go there and have fun.

I have been there with someone who didn't enjoy it, well, they know its not for them now. If you are too sensitive or having issues, this restaurant isn't for you, move on and don't ask them to change it for you.

 

[emmabemmainc]

Ruin it for the rest of the world? That's awfully dramatic. I think a lot of people do like this style of restaurant but think it should all be in good fun, and not something that's going to hurt people's feelings. I'm having a hard time figuring out how just a tiny bit of sensitivity to someone's situation is going to "ruin it for the rest of the world." Maybe I live in a different world than you.

ITA. While I generally love the humor at 50's PT, I'd rather have it not brought to my dd's attention (and everyone else's around us) that her father is a deadbeat. She lives with that fact every day, but on vacation, I'd like her to not be reminded of it.

 

[TisBit]

I agree with this post 100% Common sense, common courtesy - really is that too much to ask for?

It's not about being easily offended (I will admit, I had no idea that PTC has "blunt humor", I thought it was just goofy stuff like the eat your veggies stuff), it's about using good judgment and tact......this schtick wasn't even funny at all, I can't imagine who would think those comments were funny?

No one's saying they should end the antics, just that they should think about what they are saying and if it is within the realm of acceptable humor (i.e. not inappropriate comments about gender, race, weight, marital status, etc).

Actually, if the waiter told me I had to pay for the next table for whatever reason, etc etc...yeah, its kinda funny. Some people will be offended when they are told to eat all their vegetables or not put their elbows on the table, saying "I paid this much to eat here, I will do what I want"....this is the atmosphere here!

Not sure when PTC became such a hot issue and why if it is so offensive, why it is still packed!

 

[emmabemmainc]

OK, a tiny bit of sensitivity to a known issue is one thing. But yes, if you make this restaurant politically correct so as not to offend anyone ever, then yes, the rest of the world (ones with a sense of humor) loses the ability to go there and have fun.

I have been there with someone who didn't enjoy it, well, they know its not for them now. If you are too sensitive or having issues, this restaurant isn't for you, move on and don't ask them to change it for you.[/Q

Now it's the patrons fault--they are too sensitive. Nice.