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Is the Belgian Cafe a hotbed of injustice? Tom Peters say no.
thebelgiancafe.com Awhile back, Meal Ticket received a message brazenly titled "Injustice at the Belgian Cafe!" Since we've never really thought of the unassuming Tom Peters- and Fergie Carey-owned beer bar (2047 Green St.) as a font of inequity, we decided to read on. The email came from an individual who stated she was an 18-year-old senior at Central High School; she went on to chronicle, in great detail, a "very noteworthy and alarming experience" she had at Belgian. Basically gist: The staff refused to serve her and her 16-year-old sister dinner — no drinks, just dinner — because both of them were underage. An excerpt: So my sister (16 years old) and I enter the restaurant ... We ask for a table for two, in the dining room. The hostess then agrees to seat us, but first asks to see ID. We quickly explain that we will not be drinking, as we are not of the legal drinking age. This does not seem to satisfy our hostess, who asserts that this is a "restaurant policy." I then explain to the hostess that my sister and I live in the neighborhood, and have eaten here a few times before, unaccompanied by adults. OK, so our waitress scowls and agrees to seat us. ... Our hostess then excuses herself and we peruse the menu. Flash forward 5 minutes. Our waitress returns and, ever so kindly, asks us to leave the restaurant because she has checked with her manager, and we indeed must be 21 to eat there. Baffled and outraged, we inquire as to the reasons for such an absurd policy in a restaurant (not even a pub or bar!). Our hostess offers an excellent explanation: because they are a Belgian beer cafe, and thus, they serve beer. (Doesn't every restaurant with a liquor license serve beer?) At this point, I am livid, and slightly embarrassed. I inform my waitress that she should have double-checked the policy before seating us. As we get up to leave, I explain to my waitress that I am 18, old enough to obtain a bartending license AND to serve alcohol, and that most restaurants in Philadelphia serve beer (although maybe not 250 overpriced options!) I think back to the 2-year-old I was seated next to and laugh. The hostess then says that to eat at the cafe, I must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Legal guardian? I am 18, and have no legal guardian! She goes on to state that the policy must be in place because Belgian "must not want to waste a table on those who will not be spending large amounts of cash on alcohol." thebelgiancafe.com We approached Peters with the email and he responded right away. The rule barring this girl and her sister from eating at Belgian, which Peters concedes should have been better articulated in this incident, was not implemented in-house — it comes down from on high, aka the PLCB. In basic terms, the law states that, unless accompanied by a parent/guardian, an under-21 individual cannot be served anything at a restaurant or bar that chalks up more than 50 percent of its sales from alcohol. Belgian Cafe, which offers a dozen drafts and a bottle list topping 200 choices, meets that more-than-half criteria; therefore Peters is not legally authorized to serve unaccompanied minors, even if they just want to eat. "I turn away unhappy potential guests at Monk's on this issue, and we have a sign posted that delineates those rules," says Peters, who has since hung an identical since at Belgian, as well. (He's implemented the policy at Grace Tavern, too.) "They tend to be angry with the establishment instead of with the PA Legislature. [But] my hands are tied and we cannot legally make exceptions." It wasn't always this way — in the early years of Monk's, they sold more food than beer, both in literal quantity and in dollar value. But as the bar's popularity grew and Belgian beer prices rose, the numbers changed and that under-21 policy kicked into effect. eJ Posted 2010-06-16 12:56:11
Is the Belgian Cafe a hotbed of injustice? Tom Peters say no.
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| thebelgiancafe.com |
So my sister (16 years old) and I enter the restaurant ... We ask for a table for two, in the dining room. The hostess then agrees to seat us, but first asks to see ID. We quickly explain that we will not be drinking, as we are not of the legal drinking age. This does not seem to satisfy our hostess, who asserts that this is a "restaurant policy." I then explain to the hostess that my sister and I live in the neighborhood, and have eaten here a few times before, unaccompanied by adults. OK, so our waitress scowls and agrees to seat us. ... Our hostess then excuses herself and we peruse the menu. Flash forward 5 minutes. Our waitress returns and, ever so kindly, asks us to leave the restaurant because she has checked with her manager, and we indeed must be 21 to eat there. Baffled and outraged, we inquire as to the reasons for such an absurd policy in a restaurant (not even a pub or bar!). Our hostess offers an excellent explanation: because they are a Belgian beer cafe, and thus, they serve beer. (Doesn't every restaurant with a liquor license serve beer?) At this point, I am livid, and slightly embarrassed. I inform my waitress that she should have double-checked the policy before seating us. As we get up to leave, I explain to my waitress that I am 18, old enough to obtain a bartending license AND to serve alcohol, and that most restaurants in Philadelphia serve beer (although maybe not 250 overpriced options!) I think back to the 2-year-old I was seated next to and laugh. The hostess then says that to eat at the cafe, I must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Legal guardian? I am 18, and have no legal guardian!She goes on to state that the policy must be in place because Belgian "must not want to waste a table on those who will not be spending large amounts of cash on alcohol."
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| thebelgiancafe.com |
This same scenario happened to my boyfriend and I a couple years back when we both had yet to turn 21 too. I remember being really embarrassed and pretty confused because we had just wanted some lunch and to try Monk's great burgers/fries/mussels etc. I remember coming home and finding something similar as the explanation above on the internet and having a kinda of 'oooooh' moment... I just wish that the hostess would have explained it like that to us in the restaurant, and not made us feel like toddlers being denied a seat at the 'grown ups' table. So in that respect, I can understand how the girl above felt, but she should've realized there must have been something more going on.
I really enjoyed reading this, what a great post! Also, PA liquor laws are LAME AND ARCHAIC.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by CrustyZombie, blank. blank said: RT @mealticket: Customer accuses Belgian Cafe of gross injustice; owner Tom Peters is like "uhh naw" http://bit.ly/boMtXV [...]
This is a pretty big letdown based on the title of the story. Why even post it? I mean, it is pretty cool that Belgian Cafe follows the law in PA, does anyone know any other establishments that enforce these laws?? @poncho, not letting under-21s into bars is a pretty common law in the United States, not some PLCB BS. @eJ, if you aren't drinking at Monk's, you aren't missing much, and the hostesses give everyone attitude, not just those under 21.
I've been to the Belgian Cafe though and it isn't really a "bar." The waitress was incorrect though, you don't have to be accompanied by a legal guardian or parent, merely someone 25 or older who can serve as a "proper supervisor." I am from Nigeria and I know the law better than the waitress!
he's the only one who enforces that. i've been eating alone at restaurants/bars that serve liquor in this city since i was 16. never had a problem anywhere else except for monks. that's great that they're following the rules, i guess? to tell you the truth, i'd be pissed if i were her and at her age as well.
I dunno about injustice. But what I do know is that Monks is up there with the most overpriced and overrated bars in this fair city. There is no questions that the attitude of the hostesses, servers and bartenders is putrid. That you are always in someone's way. That they charge $8-$12 for beers that can be had at $6-$8 at many places. That their burger is small, but decent and nothing more. That ownership hasn't cleaned, nor put a dime into this place in at least 10 years. And that their fries are a gateway drug to all of this mishegoss. Kidz, there are innumerable better options in this town: Resurrection, North 3rd, Silk City, Standard, SPTR, Kraftwork, Varga, JB's, et al. If you're stuck in center city - try Ladder 15. The food is eminently more satisfying at all of these locations and they are more or less attitudeless.
Oh and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Good Dog. One of the top burgers in the city. Heck, although not really a fan, Misconduct is far more economical, yet gatronomically comprable, option than Monk's.
[...] Somebody accuses the Belgian Cafe of underage injustice, and the Belgian Cafe responds. [...]
[...] Is the Belgian Cafe a hotbed of injustice? Tom Peters say no. :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philade... [...]
[...] whiskey. Trust us.Oh an if you’re 18 or younger, and you just want to go eat, be sure to read this article from Meal Ticket.0 Responses to “Speaking of Fergie’s, How Did The Belgian Cafe (And, [...]
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