Hey, there! Log in / Register
Local eatery announces: No, no, a thousand times no!
By adamg on Sun, 10/09/2011 - 9:50am
A roving UHub photographer who used to frequent Victoria's Diner reports:
Reading the weekly specials board on the way in, we decided the new owners don't want much business and certainly aren't getting ours.
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Hmm
I have celiac disease and a toddler, so it's nice of them to let me know I'm unwelcome before I even walk in, I guess?
Unattended?
Did you want to abandon your toddler in the diner? I guess you would be unwelcome. The only rule about children is that they can't be unattended.
Heh
No, I don't have a car, so we get around with her in a stroller, which is also banned.
I'm not mad; it's a private business and all that. It's just good to know it's not the place for me!
Yup!
Yes, it is good. Bye bye now.
No strollers
Um no strollers doesnt mean you aren't allowed to own one. Its means you dont have the right to push one into the dining room. They obstruct paths and your special little one can manage without it while you eat.
I'm on my way there NOW!
Despite the annoying misuse of quotation marks (which annoys me more than the sign itself), I've had more meals ruined by unattended toddlers and screaming children. I've also BEEN a waitress, yes, in Boston and in New York and good for them for putting up front, outside, for all to see so the waitpersons don't have to take the abuse in the form of a low tip. Good for them!
Entitlement
Look, the anti-stroller crowd can have Victoria’s Diner. It’s all yours. But what amuses me is how quick people are to scream Entitlement whenever they are inconvenienced by someone else. I understand that living in a city means that sometimes I am going to be inconvenienced by other people’s needs. Who's entitled here? If you don’t want to be bother than move someplace with less people.
No business?
why? Cause you can't follow a common sense set of rules?
Unbelievable
I can't understand what they were thinking when they posted this. Not a place I want to go to anymore.
Good
sounds like someone stuck up like you isn't a person I'd like to share a place like this with.
The customer that complains and puts up a hissy fit is 99% of the time WRONG. Go be a crybaby somewhere else, entitled douche.
Good of them to set forth
Good of them to set forth clear expectations for their customer service. I wonder if they stick to it. I wouldn't blame anybody who stopped to read that sign if they turned right around, and neither should they.
That idiot sign...
wouldn't fly at a Jersey diner. Passive aggression is for "casual dining establishments." Actual aggressive aggression by wait staff and management is the hallmark of a great diner.
Victoria's always seemed more like a TV diner set and less like an actual diner. Their spineless "sass" can take it walking.
South End?
I wouldn't use that description for the no-man's land between Boston Medical Center and Edward Everett Square. Officially I think the area is called "Newmarket" but most people wouldn't recognize that name.
(Miss M, where does the sign say anything about gluten?)
It doesn't say anything about gluten
But it does say no crying. So people like Miss M would not be welcome there.
My goodness
You are so clever! However did you come up with such a zinger?
One of the problems is that
One of the problems is that they are demonstrating that they aren't interested in being accommodating, so it implies that they'll be obnoxious when you ask them about ingredients and allergies. Another problem is that they allow no substitutions, which is relevant, because there may be no single dish that isn't gluten-free without substituting one thing for another (or at least getting a bad deal because you have to say "hold the onion rings", and you get nothing instead of the onion rings).
Not the South End
Some businesses in Newmarket Sq. give their address as Roxbury. I always thought the place was in Dorchester. Since both were once separate towns, if you really care where it is, it could be established. Hey, there's one NO they forgot to list: No referring to this place by its initials.
Based on the original border
Based on the original border it's in Roxbury, although the thing about that is that most of that area is landfill and was originally the South Bay which split the South End from South Boston. (Thus the name of the shopping center.) The South Bay was one of the last things to be filled in, so it doesn't really have all that much historical backstory to it.
"No substitutions," which
"No substitutions," which makes me nervous about their willingness to leave gluten off a plate or out of a dish.
I'm really not upset about it. There are many, many places I can't go anymore. Most of them don't put it on a sign on the door, though. Honestly, it might be better for my small intestine if they did.
As a celiac, I like honesty
Too many times I've gone to places where they've turned up the 'nice' volume to 11 about how they can accommodate me. It's usually because I'm with friends who want to go to that place.
And in the end, I wind up eating small plates of sides, or getting glutened, or end up learning I really can't eat anything there once it's too late. (I've also been vegetarian 20 years, diagnosed 3 yrs ago..can't go back to meat)
I would actually appreciate seeing the sign at the Victorian Diner. I think it's hilarious - have a sense of humor!
Then, I would simply ask if they can cook my eggs in a pan and leave out the toast. If they can't, I'd understand, even if I'm a little frustrated by a longer wait for food. It sure beats getting sick.
Last night I got glutened at a vegetarian restaurant that offers gluten free bread and some gluten free deserts. Some places add a few items to a menu but don't train the staff, or they just put on appearances of being gluten free because there's also a lot of people who cut out gluten as a diet fad, now. I don't know how I feel about that.
Substitutions
Are not the same as omissions. I'm sure they would be happy to leave off the toast! Most restaurants would rather accommodate a food allergy than have a customer get sick.
To be honest every rule I
To be honest every rule I support maybe the MBTA should adopt them.
Am I Crazy?
I thought it was funny and tounge-in-cheek
seems like a SENSE of humor is needed
what one of those is a problem ?
No swearing for some I guess.
Glad to see a place were all ethnic groups and the gay community have supported for years is still saying NO PREDJUDICED TOLERATED in their list.
For THAT I will be going soon to support them.
There's a problem here?
Anyone who has a problem with that board should eat somewhere else. Me, I've been eating there since my Dad took us there when he was driving cab and it can get a little wild in there late nights.
Reminds me of when Buddy Rich used to say to his audience "Got any requests out there? Any? Good,because we don't play requests, it's my band".
^^^ THIS ^^^ Anyone who has a
^^^ THIS ^^^
Anyone who has a problem with the rules is the very reason why the people, yes people, who run this place were driven to make the sign in the first place. The culture of servitude unique to America only serves to drive the insane level of entitlement people seem to have.
Good riddance. I'm sure without folks who find these rules to be a unacceptable degree of 'roughing it' can go find another place to gentrify and find new fellow human beings to treat like garbage.
Travel to Europe, Asia, anywhere and see what 'service' means over there!
dvdoff?
did your grandfather know your dad was taking you into this neighborhood? lol.
Cute, but overlooks one fact
The food at Victoria's Diner has steadily gone downhill since an ownership change a couple of years back. They might add, "No challenging Boston's reputation as a lousy diner town."
No Competition
I suspect the licensing board grants precious few requests to become all-night, or even late night, eateries. So Victoria's can feel free to tell customers off and still have a pretty good lock on business.
The best breakfast in town
I love this place, the new owners who just bought the place are really nice and care about Victoria's Diner. I love the improvements they have made already to the place and to the food. I don't take offense to the sign which by the way is not there anymore - it is still a great place to go and be with friends, family and children!!!!
"Diner" in name only
The new owners first stop must have been an Applebee's.
Maybe I should try this place out
Although I've passed this place many times I have never gone in. But none of these rules would keep me out. In fact, I'm thinking it sounds like a good place to have breakfast.
Rules for the overnight
Rules for the overnight crowd, hopefully.
I've seen a lot of nonsense there with the late night/early morning crowd.
Most of these rules make sense.
If the place is crowded on weekends mornings I can understand them not wanting strollers inside.
Can't the SUV strollers be locked up like bikes?
If you folded up a non-selfish stroller and put it undet your table I can't see a problem.
Speaking of pretentious SUV strollers
Did you ever notice that the pretentious SUV strollers serve not only as a space-hogging conveyance for a baby (or the dreaded ones that hold two or three babies), but as a sort of traveling storage unit for every possession the stroller owner has? There are shelves and compartments on these things holding cups, snacks, books, clothing, umbrellas, shopping bags full of purchases, and miscellaneous other items. Like a flea market on wheels.
To much unnecessary crap
When I was a kid we went places and brought nothing with us, and we liked it. It's not like these people are leaving home for an overnight stay somewhere.
however
Back then you didnt have gameboys, game machines, toys, dvd players..
Also, dont forget that half the crap on that stroller isnt for the kids, its for the moms. Their purses, shopping bags, etc.
And then
And then there are the charming people who take the baby out of the stroller so it can be loaded with more items, groceries, etc, as the baby teeters along. This can be seen frequently on the city streets.
but baby might be
but baby might be uncomfortable in a flimsy fold up stroller!
"Urban Assault Stroller", or
"Urban Assault Stroller", or "Babyprow". Clears pedestrians right off the sidewalks!
Lighten up people
It's called "sardonic"
No cell phones might mean actually being present!
If nothing else merely the fact that the owners don't want cell phone chatter in the restaurant gets my dollar.
I see no problem here...
the owners are outlining their expectations front and center so all the entitletards and those that believe that the world revolves only 'round them get the message. The list is really not unreasonable. I think it was meant to be a bit tongue in cheek. Too bad those with, shall we say, delicate sensibilities don't seem to have a sense of humor!
I do think this is also
I do think this is also tongue and cheek too. And geared more toward their overnight guests than the day ones. Overnight guests can be pretty rowdy and annoying.
And YES to the stroller thing. This isn't a 'anti-kid' thing, its a safety thing. Much like on the T, these land-yacht strollers take a TON of space. I can't imagine being a waitress in a restaurant where you have an arm full of food trying to navigate around one of these things. I don't think its a "ban" on them, rather than a 'just because you have a stroller doesn't give you the right to take up the entire aisle with them' sorta thing, so fold'em up. And yes I've been inside Victoria's Diner, and its pretty small inside there, and Yes I wouldn't want my waitresses to weave around a huge-ass stroller with an arm full of food.
And many of the rules are just common sense and common courtesy ones, like the cell phone one. Its not that they'll kick you out for having one on the table, but its to prevent the folks who camp out, do business, eat, and chat on the phone for the entire meal. Basically its saying, if you need to make a call, go outside, away from patrons..
And the no substitutions just prevents giving away more costly food for lower prices. In today's economy with food prices going up, a 'plate' of items (i.e. Cheeseburger plate w/ fries and Cole Slaw) is priced accordingly, when you start in with swapping out things (like Onion Rings for the fries) the price changes. Its just to protect the price points. It also stops overly complex orders, where there's so many substitutions its nothing like what the original menu item was.
Again, its nothing against people with food allergies. You're suppose to tell your server before you order (see the signs that are everywhere now?), plus if you have a food allergy, much like not liking something, you're not going to order something that contains something you're allergic too. For example, I don't like Cole Slaw (its gross), and I just don't eat it. I don't like that I'm paying for it, and wish I could get something else, but I just send it back with the empty plate.
And maybe if you have ciliac's disease, eating a place where a 'side of pancakes or toast' comes with every order... it might not be the most idea place for you. (much like having a vegetarian eat at a burger place!)
celiacs would like to eat somewhere, though
When I'm on a night out with my friends and we're hungry, it really sucks to sit at a table with friends who all can eat but you - oh, and outside food isn't allowed, obviously. Who the f-ck knows why celiac is on the rise, but I think that offering gluten free options could be a wise business decision for some places.
Sounds like an awesome spot to me!
I want to check this place out now, sounds awesome to me! If you have a problem with this list, I'm *glad*, because now I can go somewhere without looking at a bunch of sour pusses saying "me, me, me". I wish the MBTA would adopt all of these rules too.
I don't see anything
Against bring in a service dog. I so loving guessing what unpleasant infraction is behind the creation of such a passive aggressive lengthily screed.
No separate checks
An idiotic rule that only hurts them.
Having worked in the food sector before, creating separate checks is remarkably easy. Every damn computer system has the option to separate the checks before or after ordering.
Do they still tally up by hand? Even easier.
Every business knows that once a table is done, its best for them to leave so the table is available for new customers.
Guess what Victoria, when you have 6 people passing around the bill trying to figure out who owes what, and then wondering why the total doesn't add up....well, this process can last 10+ minutes.
Give them separate checks and they sign and they leave in 2 minutes.
Yes Yes Yes
I LOVE that sign and I definitely WILL be eating there.
They have a sense of humor and actually all the things that bother them bother me too.
Especially people who think I need to hear their cell phone convos when I'm trying to eat.