Too bad Seinfeld is off the air. I can see George playing CChaplin. Should the Soup Nazi play the deli owner?

CChaplin, some crazies manage to thrive in the restaurant business.

True story. Flo, of Flo's Restaurant fame in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, who is now deceased and her daughter runs the restaurant, was crazier than a loon. She had a reputation for throwing people out of her restaurant.

One evening a bunch of us were eating there and my girlfriend who was finishing up her MFA was showing us her theater exercises by doing the Whale Call and A Chicken Lays An Egg.

This was November and no one was in town. Flo got pissed at us and threw us out of her restaurant.

Now there were at least 16 of us who had dinner and drinks and she just threw us out without paying the bill.

This was normal Flo behavior.

The restaurant is still in business and as far as I know thriving.

Forgot to add, this was 1988.

I sort of hope the owner of Famous is crazy. That would make me feel more compassionate.

While I think that there's something behind the scenes here -- meaning that the FAMOUS(ly) irate owner probably had something that was scalding her other than your coffee moment -- I do feel that the kind of behavior you experienced was inexcusable. THere is such a thing as "giving a person the benefit of the doubt" and I do try to believe that the customer is always right." My beliefs would probably become strained under the weight of a very expensive entree or very, very expensive bottle of wine, but in the case of a $1.86 cup of coffee, I'd probably let it slide.

Sorry you missed out on the brotherly love part of Philly.

Along with the soup Nazi in NY, we have the coffee Nazi in Philly.

We've talked all around it, I can't believe no one has come straight out and said it already:


No coffee for you!

Philly citizen here. I have to say that the deli owner was out of line yelling at you, ccchaplin. Afterall, you are the customer and the customer is always right in the restuarant biz.

Many restaurants give free coffee/tea/hot chocolate to customers waiting for a table. Heck, even Olive Garden gives customers free wine samples and cheese on busy Friday and Saturday nights. The owner should have let it go, but maybe this lady didn't have any management/people skills.

I never return to restuarants where I am treated badly, no matter how good the food is.

I have never eaten at Famous Deli, by the way.

HOld on a sec here...Olive Garden is a restaurant ?!?! Who knew ??

Because I am skeptical of anyone that uses their first post to trash a restaurant, I called the restaurant.

There is another side to this story. The side of this chaplin causing a scent..screaming at the owner's wife and leaving a tip of two cents.

Customer's came to the support of the restaurant and were glad to see this guy storm out.

It is unfortunate that people like this can so easily tarnish a restaurant's reputation.

Very intersting Dick.

Yes, there are always two sides to a story.

Thanks for the update!

It's fascinating that you called the restaurant and they reported that they were happy to see this "guy" storm out. I am a woman.

...the plot thickens. ;;)

you called the restaurant?

Well, is anyone else going to call?

Dick, you really called the deli?

Anyway, I would never NOT eat at Famous because of ccchaplin. I would go and see for myself.

There are two sides to every story. Roshamon.

You know the Famous 4th Street Deli isn't the best place to eat in Philly under any conditions. The service was always a little brusque although it changed hands a year or so ago & I haven't been there since that time.

More importantly, didn't a long-time poster get permanently banned last year for the exact thing that Dick did? That is, call a restaurant in order to allow them to confirm or deny certain statements made about their establishment. Very interesting.

Y'all have time to call a restaurant to verify a post?!!! Golly I want your lives...or maybe I don't.

"Y'all have time to call a restaurant to verify a post?!!! Golly I want your lives...or maybe I don't."

Har. And I want a life where being hassled about a cup of coffee is a "nightmare" and the "worst experience of my life in a restaurant."

Very good point, Suki. Not only did
Dick claim to commit the same "offense" that got Patrick banned, it sounds like he may not be on the up and up. It was clear to me from one of the earlier posts on this thread that CChaplin is a woman.

GT, I understand your point about the $1.86 adding up. But, on the other hand, that cup of coffee doesn't actually cost the restaurant $1.86. And my feeling is that making a fuss over it is penny wise and pound foolish if it winds up costing them customers.