Taste of New York

Today, a couple co-workers and I went to Taste of New York (TNY) for lunch. Its a new pizza joint in down-town Sioux Falls. Ordinarily, such trips as this are not worthy of writing about, however today it was.

In an effort to avoid the painfully unnecessary details that preceded the events that ultimately transpired, I'll give you two key pieces of detail that are relevant: Brian's cheese pizza was burnt, and I was in the restroom when the first offensive was launched.

Picking-up with me returning from the bathroom, the mood at the table had clearly changed since I had left. I asked what was up, and Gochal said that he'd explain later, that he just wanted to leave. SO, we all got up, and started to the door.

As I approached the counter to settle our tab, the manager called out to Brian, who was leaving the building peacefully at this point, and said, "The next time you want a free lunch, go to the food pantry!"

I was stunned. Totally didn't see any of this coming.

Brian, understandably upset, shot back, "are you f'ing kidding me?" Which was all the manager needed to launch into another salvo of back-and-forth with Brian. Ultimately, Brian left saying, "good luck with your next job, 'cause you won't be here long."

Having not yet paid, I was waiting awkwardly with Brock while the manager fumbled with my card. This was the point at which things got VERY uncomfortable for me.

Brock asked if she had any tooth-picks, she did not, and was very quick (and rude) to tell him. At this point, Brock says nothing.

As she continued to ring-up our bill, and riff against Brian to Brock and I.

"Your friend has a problem," she said at one point.

After several of her salvos, Brock finally pipes-up and says, "I think two people may have acted inappropriately today." He said this in a very non-confrontational tone, the kind of tone you use when you're trying to correct your grandmother about how old you are.

She proceeded to riff against Brian and Brock, at which point Brock and I simultaneously turned to each other and said, "maybe only one person."

She finished taking our money and promptly asked both Brock and I to leave.

I have never, in all my life, witnessed customer service like this. Not only did she alienate a customer who had a legitimate grievance, but proceeded to alienate two paying customers who had DONE NOTHING WHATSOEVER.

I will never be back there again.