Hard Rock Cafes are known for their ambience and celebrity artifacts. As a couple (one 21, one 20), we arrived for dinner around 630pm on what was seemingly a slow Wednesday night. The hostess, “Jessie”, took a few minutes to notice us. When she did, we were told that families and those 21 and older can sit in the main dining area and those under 21 would only be allowed to a “small back room”. The description in itself was certainly uninviting, but we were flabbergasted to hear that a restaurant would actually have such a rule. Furthermore, that this “rule” is not posted prominently on their website or at their location. Having visited many Hard Rock Cafes, we were simply looking to enjoy some pub style food and take in the surroundings, especially after driving 45 minutes to the destination.
We were very disappointed. My mother couldn’t believe it- and called the cafe just to validate what I had said hoping there was a misunderstanding.
All in all- a bad experience. Not well advertised or explained. The description of their “small back room” should be of concern. 18 year olds can vote and go to war, but they cannot sit in a wide open restaurant that happens to have a bar. Shocking. Either the regulations are completely out of whack, or the cafe cannot control who they serve alcohol to. Either way, the hostess had no explanation except “we’re part of a casino”.
Depressing to see what over-regulation has come to and that front line service workers are uninformed and lack selling ability. I guess customers are not always first.