David vs Goliath

David versus Goliath, now that's a pay-per-view worth watching. David could represent the independent business owner, while Goliath could represent (who else) corporate America!!!!

I promised not to rant about the 'good ol' days' but every time I get out I'm constantly reminded. Okay, I get it, there's no more service at gas stations, unless you consider a finance window service. What about restaurants? I mean basically aren't all these fast food restaurants, diners, after hour wing spots all competing for the same dollar? And after the first beer don't all wings pretty much taste the same? So, how do we choose with so many out there?

Me, I like service. I like my beer cold, my water glass and coffee cup filled without sending out a search party for my waiter/waitress. Price is important but not so much. If they offer say a discount for industry professionals, I will seek them out....not because the ten or fifteen percent is that important, but I just want to show support for people who show support for us working class party animals. I understand there shouldn't be discounts on drinks (albeit Happy Hour does sound enticing tonight) but a discount on food makes sense. Even at my film festival (http://www.centralfloridafilmfestival.com/) I have certain restaurants offering a twenty percent discount for patrons of the festival who eat at their establishment.

The creative members of my film festival met at THE ORLANDO ALE HOUSE a few nights ago. We've been holding meetings their since my production company moved to Orlando in 1991. It is also located just off Disney property (or on it, I'm not exactly sure) where over sixty thousand industry related people work. Last night we were breaking in yet another waitress. We asked for our bill and mentioned our (industry) discount and she told us, we weren't eligible. When I said, "We were here just a few days ago, had the same order and it was fine. "Is this something that just started?" The waitress became frustrated because let's face it most waitresses are actresses without lines and without written lines they're at a loss. She explains that because we bought fifty wings all at once, we didn't qualify. However, if we had to ordered twenty, twenty and ten, we would have qualified (see what I mean). The others in my party started to point out about the obvious and I'm pretty sure she knew it added up to fifty. That was my problem. If she said sorry we don't give a crap about your business, I would have accepted this as an excuse. My wife decided we should speak with the manager. She does the books and as it turns out we spend almost two thousand dollars at this establishment during the fiscal year and that's just what's deductible!

The manager arrived and tried to explain to me that "THEY (when we asked, we were told 'they' are corporate) set the rules and even though he's the local manager, his hands were tied. Oh, by the way, we're talking about a total of $2.40!!! It appears that the ALE HOUSE has a rule that discounts can only be given on items their employees can get discounts. Which explains why the ten and twenty portions of wings are eligible but the fifty wing order isn't. I would assume that any waitress, bartender or busboy who could eat fifty wings in one sitting should receive something else besides a discount. Perhaps a plaque with his name up with that guy that eats all the hot dogs at Nathans on July 4Th. I tried to explain to the manager, who I can only assume gets rated by the amount of business his restaurant does, that by bringing more people into his establishment to drink non-discounted beverage is generating more revenue than an employee who is eating lunch or dinner and therefore should be valued differently.

Corporate will be proud, he didn't budge! Apparently, THE ORLANDO ALE HOUSE needs the $2.40 more than me. I paid it and didn't take it out on the waitress either, although she should pray she gets cast in something soon, as her waitress days are numbered (however, there is the discount on food). What did I expect? For starters, I would expect the manager to have some kind of power in his own establishment. If it was my place, I would have said; here's the policy set by those bastards at corporate but don't worry about it this time, I'll fix the check to show you ordered the wings in the corporately regimented series, smiled, and said, "We good?" and thanked him for his business and bid him "good night." Of course that was the way I did it as a waiter when I was an actor in New York. A person has to make a living and a person has to service the account or someone else will. That's why it's called the "service industry." My next meeting will be at either THE DOCKSIDE INN or KITTY'S. Both are PRIVATELY owned (no corporate bastards to deal with) and when I mention discounts to industry professionals perhaps they'll want our business a little bit more than THE ORLANDO ALE HOUSE.

......and cut!