Ok. My friend's aunt - who we will call A - is NOT the classic slender beauty. She's not grotesquely fat either. But she is a little chunky. Add to that the fact that she's 6 1/2 months pregnant and you get someone who has a hard time sitting in restaurant booths because her stomach gets in the way of the table. Her husband, who is also large but not HUGE, also gets a little uncomfortable in booths.
Well, they went to TGI Friday's one night because they were doing the whole dinner and a movie date thing while my friend babysat their little girl. They came in and the hostess asked the usual, "Just 2?" A and her husband said yes, and the woman immediately took them to a booth. She didn't ask if they'd prefer a booth or a table. She just walked them over to a booth and asked if it was ok.
A made some comment about not being very comfortable in a booth, since she's pregnant and it's hard for her to sit comfortably in one. She pointed to a 2 top not that far from the booth and asked if she and her husband could sit there. Ignoring the request, the hostess took them to a 4 top and made a very rude comment under her breath that fat people should just stay home.
A and her husband turned and walked back towards the front of the store. The hostess caught up with them and asked them if they'd changed their minds about eating there. A informed her that her intolerance of pregnant women was disgusting and that they would not be bringing their business back. A's husband spoke with a manager that the two of them are apparently on good terms with there and the situation was settled. But they didn't stick around to have dinner, and ended up going to Johnny Carino's where - yet again - the host took them to a booth without asking.
When A mentioned she'd prefer a table to him, he looked at her, apologized politely, and took them to a nice two top in a quiet part of the restaurant. Their server was exceptionally polite and even asked A when the baby was due, after A made a joke about wanting alcohol but not being allowed because "junior doesn't like it". The host came by - it turns out he was also the manager - to make sure they were being treated well and joked a little bit with A and her husband. She said that the staff at Johnny Carino's was caring and really nice.
Hm. Italian. I think I'll go pester my mom into going out with me to get something to eat. She's fucking tired after this weekend and the whole thing with the storage center and the lawyer (which mom says that her appointment with the lawyer went VERY well), so maybe she'll buy into the whole "we need a break" bullshit. *grin*