Diner And Coffee Shop Temporarily Closes Business Doors Due To Rude Customers

Jul 29, 2022 by apost team

The Golden Rule is: treat others how you would like to be treated. One cafe in Wisconsin tried to show its community how to be kind by closing its doors. Skinny Vic’s Diner and Coffee shop, located in West Bend, Wisconsin, decided to take matters into its own hands after its workers endured less than ideal working conditions due to rude customers. 

Being short-staffed, the diner and coffee shop had to endure working with just four workers, no dishwashers, and no hosts to seat guests. Working tirelessly to keep up with business demands, the workers started to endure customers that were impatient and rude. The owner of Skinny Vic’s Diner and Coffee Shop, Vicki Lehnerz, couldn’t bare to watch her employees lose confidence and self-esteem from customers. She was willing to send a large message to the community about kindness, even when it hurts her and her business. However, Lehnerz, believed that having her employees treated respectfully and fairly was more important than losing business or money. 

The owner decided to post her business’s experience on Facebook, where she shared her frustration with the world wide web. With over 1,000 impressions, 300 + shares, and many comments, her message was received. Having re-opened since her shut down, it is safe to say that customers in West Bend, Wisconsin, won’t give her diner and coffee shop staff any disrespect. The owner shared that closing her doors wasn’t something she wanted to do; however, her staff’s mental health was more important than making money. Read on to see how this owner handled shutting down her business to protect her staff.

In an interview with KETV, the owner shared, "Every day is crazy maybe because we're so short-staffed.” "We don't have a dishwasher. I don't have a busser. I don't have a host," she added. 

After being so short-staffed, Lehnerz said that her staff started to suffer while dealing with customers. "The fact they have to be snapped at. Just the small snide comments, the rude comments, it breaks them down," Lehnerz said. She explained that she didn’t want to close her doors, but she had to. She also said this decision wasn’t an easy one to make. 

"It makes me want to cry. It's more than disappointing, it's devastating. I still gotta pay rent. I can't just close my doors, but at the same time, I felt it was extremely important," the owner shared.

Closing her doors, the owner posted on Facebook to tell her customers that they would be closed due to rudeness. On a piece of paper, she wrote, “We are understaffed severely… just like everywhere. My staff chooses to be here to serve you! Unfortunately, due to mistreatment toward them, I have closed for the rest of today. Be kind and respectful,” she finished. 

Many people commented on the Facebook post agreeing with the owner's decision. One person wrote, “I am proud of you for choosing to focus on your staff's mental health after being mistreated by rude people over leaving your doors open for the rest of the day. To the staff members who have been mistreated, you didn't deserve that and I thank you for all your hard work.I will continue to support you and keep spreading the word about what a great establishment you have and run. I stand behind you 100% Vic.” 

apost.com

Have you ever heard of a business closing to save its staff’s mental health? We think this story is a great example of teaching the golden rule. If this story inspired you, make sure to send it on to others!