University of Virginia Library

FIJI Fiasco

At approximately 8:30
Saturday night, October 7,
1972, my date and I were
seated at FIJI Island
restaurant which is located on
the first floor of the
Downtowner Motor Inn in
Charlottesville, Virginia.

We were courteously treated
until I told the waiter that we
did not wish to order a full
meal, just desert and coffee.
The waiter frowned, took the
drink list, and walked away.
After several minutes, the
waiter returned and I ordered
bananas flambeau, coffee, and
tea. Again the waiter frowned,
this time he said something in a
foreign language and walked
rapidly to the kitchen. Shortly
thereafter, he returned, said
they were too busy to serve
that, picked up our menus,
and walked off.

I understand that they were
busy and this was perhaps not
the most convenient time to
fool with two customers who
would not run up a large tab.
However, as the restaurant is
open to the public and offers a
menu from which I made the
selection, I feel that I should
expect to be served. Nowhere
do they specify that a
customer must order enough to
arrive at some minimum
charge, or order "x" number of
courses before they will serve a
customer.

I have never heard of a
restaurant that refused to serve
customers after seating them
because they are too busy.
Indeed, I have long labored
under the illusion that
restaurants preferred to be
busy.

In short, I feel that my date
and I were treated in neither a
courteous nor businesslike
manner. If FIJI Island does
not wish to serve bananas
flambeau, they should take it
off their menu.