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[Joel Was Right]

A British family has been banned from staying at a chain of luxury hotels after allegedly requesting not to be served by "people of colour" at a Florida resort. The demand, allegedly lodged by the family on arrival, has emerged in a claim by a Haitian-born waiter against the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Naples, Florida. The family, named by the hotel as the Morgans, are said to have checked in on 29 February.

According to the writ, the hotel – at the direction of its managing director, Edward Staros – recorded on its computers the "preference" that the family not be served by "people of colour" or staff with "foreign accents". The note reportedly added: "This couple is very very prejudice". The claimant, Wadner Tranchant, 40, a naturalised US citizen who has worked at the Ritz-Carlton for 15 years, said that on 12 March the hotel "instructed the serving staff regarding the stated prejudice of the Morgan family" when they reserved a table in the restaurant. Tranchant's attorney, Michael McDonnell, told the Guardian: "As a lawyer you are required to conduct an investigation before taking a case, and we have done that. There are a number of witnesses to support his story."

Tranchant is still employed at the Ritz-Carlton despite his lawsuit against the hotel chain, McDonnell said. The lawsuit seeks more than $75,000 (£49,000) in compensation for Tranchant, who was "humiliated, embarrassed, frightened, intimidated, subject to undeserved shame and suffered severe emotional distress". No date has been set for a hearing. The hotel has 20 days from when the lawsuit was filed on Tuesday to submit a formal response.

The Ritz-Carlton's website promises "world class restaurants and impeccable service" at its Naples property, a 450-room waterfront hotel with panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico, two heated swimming pools and two golf courses designed by the former world No 1 Greg Norman where rates start at $439. Tranchant's claim states that staff in the restaurant were advised "through its computer notification system and word of mouth" of the family's "stated prejudice", and that as Tranchant began to serve them "he was prevented by his supervisors from doing so because they did not want to be waited on by a black person".

The lawsuit adds: "Other employees also encountered similar treatment on multiple occasions", with "such conduct so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person in [Tranchant's] position would find the work environment to be hostile or abusive".

The Ritz-Carlton group declined to say whether any staff had been disciplined, but confirmed the family had been contacted and "banned from staying at any Ritz-Carlton hotel". Vivian Deuschl, a company spokeswoman in Washington, said the hotel "does not tolerate or condone discrimination of any kind by its employees or visiting guests." Bruce Seigel, the hotel's director of marketing, added: "The hotel has very strict policies in place to prohibit discrimination and harassment and we take very seriously any allegation of discrimination or harassment."

The case provoked a flurry of comments on US websites. "The hotel should be fined heavily … and the money given to a charity that helps fight racism," was one view.

"Those beastly boors from Britain should have been given the boot the moment they made their bigoted request," noted another blogger.

One New Yorker posted: "I know this may sound wrong, but I have to side with the hotel on this one. They're simply doing what they're supposed to and honor the old adage about the customer always being right."

Source: Guardian

Interesting that despite their "prejudice" being even recorded on a database, it was the waiter himself who had to make a complaint.

 

[StriKeVillain]

Damn, permabanned at the Ritz. :lol

 

[Ridli]

There's a pun about Ritz here, I just don't want to risk it.

 

[spiderman123]

wow man .....what a way to fuck up your vacation.....:lol

 

[WiaRS]

Edit: Nevermind. Should have read a bit more closely.

 

[I <3 Memes]

So wait....why is he suing the HOTEL?!

One thing that always gets me with these lawsuits is the "suffered severe emotional distress" part. No, you just got embarrassed; everyone does from time to time and you should not get paid money because of that.

I'm glad they got banned from the hotel, but this waiter is making it hard for me to feel sorry for him.

They weren't banned from the hotel until after the lawsuit. The Ritz-Carlton (Naples) complied with their wishes and probably would have continued to do so for any future guests without the lawsuit

Edit: The article does read a little backwards from the situation as it really happened so I can see why you would be confused.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

The twist is, the british family was black.

 

[Slayven]

I wonder if they were good tippers?

 

[Joel Was Right]

The twist is, the british family was black.

It all makes sense now

 

[Slightly Live]

Edit: Nevermind. Should have read a bit more closely.

Damm you, I was about to point out your lack of reading abilities. =\

 

[Siebzehn50]

Glad that they got banned in the end but why the hell was the hotel going to cater to them in the first place?

 

[Door2Dawn]

The twist is, the british family was black.

 

[Baki]

The twist is, the british family was black.

 

[Kafarabo]

i like to lick big staffs

 

[Nakazato]

The twist is, the british family was black.

SMH

 

[Wilsongt]

A British family not wanting to be waited on by people with foreign accents... Wat.

 

[Enosh]

The twist is, the british family was black.

that's a joke right?

 

[Veritas_]

Glad that they got banned in the end but why the hell was the hotel going to cater to them in the first place?

$

 

[Bentendo]

Would an American accent be considered foreign to someone from the UK? 0_0

 

[Rich!]

Would an American accent be considered foreign to someone from the UK? 0_0

Well, I'm english.

And yes it would be foreign - if an American was here in our country. If I was over in the USA, I'd be the foreigner. It's a fairly simple concept that these guys in the OP don't seem to be able to grasp. :lol

 

[giga]

What’s with the source quoting comments from random bloggers and commenters near the end?

 

[SouthernDragon]

send them a bunch of young cubans

they couldn't tell the difference

 

[reddmyst]

One New Yorker posted: "I know this may sound wrong, but I have to side with the hotel on this one. They're simply doing what they're supposed to and honor the old adage about the customer always being right."

He might as well said, white is right.

 

[Bentendo]

Glad that they got banned in the end but why the hell was the hotel going to cater to them in the first place?

Haha, because when you stay at the Ritz you may end up paying thousands of dollars, which is a lot of money. When I deal with customers I get people complaining about Mexicans, Chinese people, and, oddly, Canadians all the time. I just go with the flow, smile, and try to change the subject without offending them. I've even had a customer claim that Chinese people serve babies at restaurants. . After she said that I just said "wow, that's terrible".

When you don't own a business the term "the customer is always right" may not mean much to you. But when you do or your family does, then you will change who you are depending on the person. You will agree with them regardless of their opinion. Even though when it comes to politics I literally don't care, I've become both a democrat and a republican. Supported both Obama and McCain.

But the Ritz did go out of line there. :lol

 

[BlackGoku03]

The twist is, the british family was black.

You have to be joking.


I've lived in Enlgand for 5 years. I had one incident of racism but that was it. Generaly, every place I lived in Europe was pretty accepting of my skin color. Reading this is certainly a shock to me.

 

[Rich!]

You have to be joking.


I've lived in Enlgand for 5 years. I had one incident of racism but that was it. Generaly, every place I lived in Europe was pretty accepting of my skin color. Reading this is certainly a shock to me.

Yeah. I live in a pretty much predominately white area of England (I have a lot of chinese/british-chinese citizens in my area though strangely), and I've never known anyone to be racist for as long as I've lived here.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Would it have been racist if they'd wanted a solely black staff?

 

[Akainu]

You have to be joking.


I've lived in Enlgand for 5 years. I had one incident of racism but that was it. Generaly, every place I lived in Europe was pretty accepting of my skin color. Reading this is certainly a shock to me.

Except when it comes to soccer.

Haha, because when you stay at the Ritz you may end up paying thousands of dollars, which is a lot of money. When I deal with customers I get people complaining about Mexicans, Chinese people, and, oddly, Canadians all the time. I just go with the flow, smile, and try to change the subject without offending them. I've even had a customer claim that Chinese people serve babies at restaurants. . After she said that I just said "wow, that's terrible".

When you don't own a business the term "the customer is always right" may not mean much to you. But when you do or your family does, then you will change who you are depending on the person. You will agree with them regardless of their opinion. Even though when it comes to politics I literally don't care, I've become both a democrat and a republican. Supported both Obama and McCain.

But the Ritz did go out of line there. :lol

That's called being spineless.

 

[The Faceless Master]

There's a pun about Ritz here, I just don't want to risk it.

crackers?

 

[BananaBomb]

That's called being spineless.

I think it's something more along the lines of making money.

 

[numble]

Haha, because when you stay at the Ritz you may end up paying thousands of dollars, which is a lot of money. When I deal with customers I get people complaining about Mexicans, Chinese people, and, oddly, Canadians all the time. I just go with the flow, smile, and try to change the subject without offending them. I've even had a customer claim that Chinese people serve babies at restaurants. . After she said that I just said "wow, that's terrible".

When you don't own a business the term "the customer is always right" may not mean much to you. But when you do or your family does, then you will change who you are depending on the person. You will agree with them regardless of their opinion. Even though when it comes to politics I literally don't care, I've become both a democrat and a republican. Supported both Obama and McCain.

But the Ritz did go out of line there. :lol

Where do you work? Xbox Live customer service?

 

[Stumpokapow]

Would it have been racist if they'd wanted a solely black staff?

and while we're at it, isn't it outrageous that there's no white history month

 

[Deleted member 1235]

.

 

[crazy monkey]

and while we're at it, isn't it outrageous that there's no white history month

and while we are at it your gif dog has five limbs?

 

[DonMigs85]

Meh, "the customer is always right" shouldn't fly anymore in today's world. We had a greedy customer who demanded an Alienware Area 51 with an overclocked Core i7 980X to replace his 1 1/2 year old Dell XPS 730 with a Core i7 965 OC under warranty. What an over-entitled asshole.

 

[Bentendo]

That's called being spineless.

No, that's called a family who is broke wanting a customer who is about to pay $50 for something to be happy.

 

[Ether_Snake]

 

[ronito]

If you don't know
where to go to
why don't you go
where no coloreds work?
Putin' on the Ritz!

 

[Foxy Fox 39]

Customer isn't always right. At my job we frequently tell certain racists or unruly customers not to come back. And we've been turning profits while other retailers aren't.

The rule is the customer is mostly right.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Meh, "the customer is always right" shouldn't fly anymore in today's world. We had a greedy customer who demanded an Alienware Area 51 with an overclocked Core i7 980X to replace his 1 1/2 year old Dell XPS 730 with a Core i7 965 OC under warranty. What an over-entitled asshole.

was he going to pay for it? if so, why the hell are you bitching?

 

[Door2Dawn]

He might as well said, white is right.

If it's all white, it's all right!

 

[DonMigs85]

was he going to pay for it? if so, why the hell are you bitching?

you kidding, bub? He wanted it all for free for his "troubles", despite it being his first warranty service. He's already getting an upgrade from a Radeon 4850 to a 5870, and faster RAM (1066 to 1333). And yet he makes a huge fuss about getting the overclocked 6-core CPU. He was already gonna get the non-OC'd 980, but his logic is that since the 4-core i7 965 in his old PC was factory overclocked, the 980 should be too. (even though the plain 980 still outperforms his overclocked 965).
If we need to replace a computer with a different model under warranty, we just have to at least match the specs of the old one, but this guy just keeps whining for freebie upgrades.

 

[Akainu]

No, that's called a family who is broke wanting a customer who is about to pay $50 for something to be happy.

I'm sorry, but if you are willing to ignore that you can't stand racist, but then are willing to appease them just because you want their money, you are spineless.

 

[BradleyUK]

The twist is, the british family was black.

You joking, right?

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

you kidding, bub? He wanted it all for free for his "troubles", despite it being his first warranty service. He's already getting an upgrade from a Radeon 4850 to a 5870, and faster RAM (1066 to 1333). And yet he makes a huge fuss about getting the overclocked 6-core CPU. He was already gonna get the non-OC'd 980, but his logic is that since the 4-core i7 965 in his old PC was factory overclocked, the 980 should be too. (even though the plain 980 still outperforms his overclocked 965).
If we need to replace a computer with a different model under warranty, we just have to at least match the specs of the old one, but this guy just keeps whining for freebie upgrades.

WTF?(quoted for hilarity).

 

[Siebzehn50]

You joking, right?

Christ people, of course he was joking

 

[Bentendo]

I'm sorry, but if you are willing to ignore that you can't stand racist, but then are willing to appease them just because you want their money, you are spineless.

First off, I should clarify that they never have actually been racist, but more-so nationalistic. I have so many customers complain about the "Made in China" stickers on our products. I'm not in the position to call them out on that, and I think mentally I'd be unable to do that. You might, okay, but don't call someone spineless because of that.

If someone comes in and starts using the "N" word then yes, I'll ask them to leave. But when it comes to something like wondering "why we're shipping products to Canada when we should keep the money" (actual quote) I don't see the need to argue it. Again: I never agree with it, and usually I just let them ramble on because for the most part it's not only harmless but kind of amusing. :lol

 

[Hung Wei Lo]

I've even had a customer claim that Chinese people serve babies at restaurants. . After she said that I just said "wow, that's terrible".

ruh-oh...secret's out!:lol

 

[Medalion]

I read this title as Family demand White STUFF

Family that does blow together, sticks together

 

[nyong]

He might as well said, white is right.

I figured the black family wanted to be served by whites out of a sense of "revenge" or something. I guess it could be a 'better-service' thing, though? Anyone have a longer link, preferably with the waiter's claims?