A server at a sports bar was left in shock after a customer tried to grab her septum ring.
The incident was detailed by the server and original poster (OP), Reddit user shloopshlope, who recounted how she had approached a table to greet the diners, and made eye contact with a man she guessed to be around 50 years old.
However, without warning, the man reached towards her face "in a pinching formation".
"I didn't realize at first what he was doing, until his hand was near my chin," the OP noted. "I RECOILED, unable to hid the utter confusion, disgust, and genuine horror on my face. This man, his eyes locked on mine, asks, 'What's that? Something to pull on?'
"Utter and visceral shock. I work in a sports bar. I've had weird comments, gross stares, and uncomfortably rejected people. Never has a grown man tried to pull on my facial piercings in front of, get this, his wife and children.
"I had no words that wouldn't have gotten me fired. I turned and walked out back, the pale horror on my face. Coworker asked what happened, and my screaming started. 'cause what else do I do?
"We all had a solid laugh about it, and I went back out, said something like, 'Anyways! What can I get you?' and served them like it never happened. His poor daughter was mortified."
Reddit users were quick to weigh in, with many sharing similar experiences in the service industry. One remarked, "If a customer touches the face of a server (or attempts to), that customer should be walked from the restaurant and told not to come back. Full stop."
Another user described an incident where a man rubbed his hand up their arm and under their sleeve to see their tattoos. "I froze for a second and then violently slapped his hand away and screamed, 'DO NOT TOUCH ME.'" They recounted how their manager promptly removed the customer and his wife from the premises.
In an update, the OP noted that her management team would have likely removed the customer if she had reported the incident. However, at the time, she chose not to escalate it. "If it happened now, I 100% would not tolerate it," she added.
Harassment in the Service Industry
The experiences shared in the Reddit thread highlight a larger issue of harassment faced by restaurant workers.
According to Formisano & Company, women in the service industry frequently encounter inappropriate comments, unwelcome advances, and physical harassment. "Many women in hospitality feel pressure to tolerate inappropriate behavior for the sake of their tips or job security," the company stated in a blog post.
A survey conducted by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United found that more than 60 percent of female restaurant workers reported experiencing unwanted sexual behavior from customers. However, many incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation or lack of managerial support.
Industry experts emphasize the importance of empowering staff to respond to such situations. A report by Gloria Food outlines best practices for dealing with difficult customers, including setting firm expectations and ensuring that management backs employees who experience harassment.
Newsweek has contacted shloopshlope for comment via Reddit.
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