Panther in the Den wrote:They didn’t have to be grumpy and rude to the customers

It's probably not a choice. They probably just couldn't help it. Some people are just not good at dealing with customers (or other people). The fact that they were great at making pizza -- and wanted to share that -- doesn't mean they were great at everything. After all, it's really hard to roll an 18 for every attribute.

=R=

They weren't just rude, they were Saturday Night Live-sketch rude...but they sure turned out some good pizza.

I certainly agree that some people aren't good at being nice to other people. Ideally, people like that shouldn't go into the hospitality business, or should know when to get out.

I don't agree that adults can't help it. To paraphrase Thomas Harris, author of "I'm OK, You're OK," if I remember correctly, no one has to be a jerk before his first cup of coffee in the morning or any other time of the day.

Katie wrote:I certainly agree that some people aren't good at being nice to other people. Ideally, people like that shouldn't go into the hospitality business, or should know when to get out.

I don't agree that adults can't help it. To paraphrase Thomas Harris, author of "I'm OK, You're OK," if I remember correctly, no one has to be a jerk before his first cup of coffee in the morning or any other time of the day.

I don't buy it. It's quite possible for someone to lose their patience . . . even on a daily basis.

=R=

This restaurant existed. Some people liked it. Some people didn't. It closed and the former owners are doing other things with their lives.

It is clear that there are still folks on both sides. The restaurant ceased operations in 2013 so there are no new data points. No one's mind will be changed.

The title of this thread has been answered. No.
It got resurrected. The answer is still No.

That seems about a wrap as far as I'm concerned.

ronnie_suburban wrote:The fact that they were great at making pizza -- and wanted to share that -- doesn't mean they were great at everything. After all, it's really hard to roll an 18 for every attribute.

=R=

Everybodies gotta have a dump stat.

There are only 2 stats they can control and blew it on one.

Panther in the Den wrote:They didn’t have to be grumpy and rude to the customers.

Think Hot Doug’s in his heyday. Lines down the block.

He managed to deal with the crowds and still be an awesome host.

It is a cop out to blame the customers.

I refuse to take the bait here - customers had expectations that didn't match the speed of service they were able to give. Doug's had a line of guys putting together dogs in seconds. When you only have two people and one pizza oven and a pizza takes at least 15 minutes to create/bake, it's not the same thing.

I never found them rude or grumpy. But maybe I'm more patient and understanding a customer than most.

Chitown B wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote:They didn’t have to be grumpy and rude to the customers.

Think Hot Doug’s in his heyday. Lines down the block.

He managed to deal with the crowds and still be an awesome host.

It is a cop out to blame the customers.

I refuse to take the bait here - customers had expectations that didn't match the speed of service they were able to give. Doug's had a line of guys putting together dogs in seconds. When you only have two people and one pizza oven and a pizza takes at least 15 minutes to create/bake, it's not the same thing.

I never found them rude or grumpy. But maybe I'm more patient and understanding a customer than most.

Of course you were more understanding than others, you're friends w them.

Both sides can be right here...

Why is this still a thing?

As mentioned upthread, perhaps gastrognome, there is no new data. They closed almost six years ago.

FWIW Lydia and Nick were great hosts everytime I was ever there.
They made fantastic pizza. They had an extraordinary salad. I really liked their willingness to support local farmers. I liked their willingness to actively state they would avoid the use of CAFOs, and a seasonal approach to pizza. That corn and cream pizza is still a gold standard for me.

Today, perhaps they would function better as a pop-up or even reservations only. They taught me to look at pizza differently. They encouraged me to give it a go at home. I felt solid in my skills when they closed.

I also used the bathroom there while I was a customer. The bathroom requires you to walk through the kitchen. It was clean but not something I really want other customers doing in the space my food was being made. I know one other place like this in the city. Again, I don't like it when folks have to walk through the kitchen to use the loo.

Chitown B wrote:I never found them rude or grumpy. But maybe I'm more patient and understanding a customer than most.

I was there once, during winter, when someone came in and didn't fully shut the door behind them. Lydia gave her a decidedly unfriendly talking-to. I mean, I get it. I would have almost certainly done the same. It's the middle of winter. What kind of oblivious moron doesn't know to shut the door behind them?

But when it's the front door of your business and the 'perp' is a customer, that's probably not the best way to comport yourself. People gonna talk. Still, I have no doubt that it was nothing more than an involuntary response on Lydia's part to a really annoying situation. Given their space, it was probably one that came up with great frequency. Again, it's entirely possibly to lose one's patience on a daily basis (or even more). Thus, not everyone is cut out for FOH work.

I'm not judging here. Again, there's a reason I don't deal with customers anymore at work.

=R=

WhyBeeSea wrote:

Chitown B wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote:They didn’t have to be grumpy and rude to the customers.

Think Hot Doug’s in his heyday. Lines down the block.

He managed to deal with the crowds and still be an awesome host.

It is a cop out to blame the customers.

I refuse to take the bait here - customers had expectations that didn't match the speed of service they were able to give. Doug's had a line of guys putting together dogs in seconds. When you only have two people and one pizza oven and a pizza takes at least 15 minutes to create/bake, it's not the same thing.

I never found them rude or grumpy. But maybe I'm more patient and understanding a customer than most.

Of course you were more understanding than others, you're friends w them.

Both sides can be right here...

I wasn't friends with them before the restaurant. I lived two doors down and mutual friends were closer with them. It went from there.

Anyway.....

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Chitown B wrote:I never found them rude or grumpy. But maybe I'm more patient and understanding a customer than most.

I was there once, during winter, when someone came in and didn't fully shut the door behind them. Lydia gave her a decidedly unfriendly talking-to. I mean, I get it. I would have almost certainly done the same. It's the middle of winter. What kind of oblivious moron doesn't know to shut the door behind them?

But when it's the front door of your business and the 'perp' is a customer, that's probably not the best way to comport yourself. People gonna talk. Still, I have no doubt that it was nothing more than an involuntary response on Lydia's part to a really annoying situation. Given their space, it was probably one that came up with great frequency. Again, it's entirely possibly to lose one's patience on a daily basis (or even more). Thus, not everyone is cut out for FOH work.

I'm not judging here. Again, there's a reason I don't deal with customers anymore at work.

=R=

I likely visited Great Lake half a dozen times. Each time I have watched Lydia tell more then one customer to close the door behind them. I suspect it was a daily occurrence.

I also didn’t know Nick and Lydia before becoming a customer.

Chitown B wrote:I wasn't friends with them before the restaurant. I lived two doors down and mutual friends were closer with them. It went from there.

Anyway.....

Guess I'm wrong, you are totally being objective. My apologies

Would it of been that hard or expensive to get the door fixed so it would of closed correctly.

(is this dead horse completely dead yet?)

Now I hear a ‘friend’ was allowed to use the restroom while a child with her mother was not?

Panther in the Den wrote:Would it of been that hard or expensive to get the door fixed so it would of closed correctly.

(is this dead horse completely dead yet?)

Now I hear a ‘friend’ was allowed to use the restroom while a child with her mother was not?

I'm a frequent customer at Defloured, which is where Great Lakes used to be. The door still needs help closing.

And, yes, Panther, the horse is dead. Let it go.

I feel like I used their bathroom once. I can't be sure though, that was a long time ago...