Bothered at a cafe

A couple weeks ago I went to use the remainder of a gift card I had at a video store called "Hastings." I wasn't in the mood to rent a video so I was going to buy a latte at their in-store cafe. Immediately upon stepping paw into their cafe an employee (who doesn't work in the cafe, but was in the area) told me that I can not be in the cafe without shoes. Naturally, I asked why and she stated it was "state law" regarding cafe's and that she had some papers to prove it. I was curious about this so I asked her to get them, and she said "have a seat, I'll get the manager." However, I was on my lunch break and didn't have much time, so I said never mind and left. My question is, should I go back and see what papers they have? If the employee isn't lying, I want to see who in their right mind thinks it's a law.

What do you think? In all reality, I never go to that store so I am not very concerned with my ability to shop there, shod or not.

 

i would want to find out just for curiosity sake.

 

Please get a copy of those papers so the rest of us barefooters can see what it says. I doubt it is actualy a state law. But seeing it will confirm it.

 

This sounds again like one of those misunderstandings of Health Department rules (which are like State Laws) concerning the employees of food-processing facilities... there are no rules whatsoever concerning the footwear or lack thereof as far as the customers are concerned.

If they are beating the old health department drum, you can find the right stuff to disarm them right here:
http://www.barefooters.org/health-dept/

And if they are referring to safety, and by chance OSHA, you can safely say, that such rules are also only covering employees, and not customers, either.
More info on that:
http://www.barefooters.org/osha.html

On the flipside, they might, after having been disarmed properly by the right arguments and proof of the perfect legality of being barefoot as a customer, still claim that it's a house rule of their own, and they have the right to refuse service to anyone as they see fit.

Basically, the podophobes are most likely to stick to that last routine, when wanting to get rid of barefooters on their premises.

Sad, really...

Best thing to do: take your money elsewhere, where people care about the customer as a whole, rather than his or her outfit, hairstyle, or personal preference of footwear (or lack thereof).

Wiggling bare toes in encouragement,

~*Ganesha*~

 

I can personally guarantee you that she is 100% wrong about the law. The only thing the manager can appeal to is a company policy which I also doubt very much if it exists. My local Hastings has never once given me grief about being barefoot even in the cafe area. You just happened to catch a person with a bug up their butt.

 

one high school in Austin has in the dress code "shoes are mandatory according to state law" lol yeah

 

Yes, I'd be very interested in seeing a copy of the papers this person refers to. I'm sure no such law exists.

 

I stopped by Hastings today and spoke with the day manager, David, and he said that knows of no store policy regarding shoes (or any papers stating such). I described the female employee to him and he knew who it was. He took my name and phone number so, hopefully, I might hear from them soon. We both agreed that it was unnecessary to deny a customer access to the store because of lack of footwear.

I have a feeling that the employee was having a bad day and tried to enforce her personal opinion, but that's not a good reason to be rude to a customer.

 

Well I'm glad that it's working out for you. Seems like this manager is a reasonable enough guy

 

I tend not to be bothered by this and carry a pair of flips when I can. Too much hassle and grief to argue about insignificant stuff.

 

ok, i confess, i love both of you and no, definitely it cant possibly get any better than this. but now: which one of you copied the other ??? :smash:

 

Aw, I love you back and I'm sure Tiedye does too, Jager

As for who copied who, I don't know. But I was here first

*smooches Tiedye just because*

 

Cute and barefoot? Well that's a good combo right there! Who wouldn't love that?

 

lol they are both copying me, they just dont know it yet!

 

Oh yeah? Well, we'll just see about that, missy!

*Alexandra grabs Angel and drags her off to the conveniently placed nearby jacuzzi*

 

who's saying you would have to drag me?

 

But it would be more fun if you squealed and resisted and lost various articles of clothing on the way (That is, if you're wearing something to begin with)

Plus, that way we could "accidentally" tip Tiedye into the hot tub with us.

 

Rite Aid, at least around here, is reasonable. I go into the one in Bar Harbor regularly and never been bothered. But two years ago, there was a fire in the store, damaging the flooring of the Rite Aide. So a sign appeared about having to wear shoes. I went to the corporate web page. Nice lady wrote back saying it was just temporary on account of the weird flooring after the fire, and that soon I'd be OK barefooting there again. Later the sign went down.

So it is true! All newly carpeted, and no problems. Sign down, everything. Barefoot OK at Rite Aid.

Until last week. Extra help is hired on account of tourism and the huge cruise ships. Some hired guy calls out to me as I come in--- "Sir, SIR!" I knew what it was about and I ignored it. I thought, "don't even start on me. I have word from corporate HQ so don't waste your precious energy." So I went up aisles and got my stuff then came back to the front end to pay. NOT a word. Clearly the guy who wanted to "Sir" me had been spoken to, and a couple of very friendly cashiers assisted me with paying.

But the question is, WHY did the newly hired dude ASSUME I was wrong to be barefoot, in a barefoot-friendly company? Why did he take it upon himself to try to stop me.? Tells me a lot. Even if it's OK with the store and the corporation, it wasn't OK with this little dink. Why? But too bad for him anyway. It's like, if there isn't a law, there oughtta be!

Even if his peers at the front end hadn't straightened him out, I still had word from higher up.

 

I get that, sometimes even in Australia where everyone walks around barefoot it’ll happen eventually, some sales assistant try’s to have a little power trip and boss you around. I just ignore them now, like there some freaky hallucination and they don’t really exist, just stay calm and look right through them.
I also find the old smile and nod works quite well and if all else fails say something in another language like blasen Sie mich Sie korporatives Schwein or just make up some gibberish and flip them off whatever works for you.

 

I would go back and check. I think they usually pull up some kind of "blanket statement" that allows for a wide range of interpretations, but says nothing specific about barefoot customers. You might be able to put that right back in their faces if that's the case.