'Abusive Customer' James Corden Called Out And Banned By NYC Restaurant Owner
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A prominent restaurateur has called out James Corden for "abusive" behavior toward wait staff and banned the comedian from his New York City establishment Balthazar.
Keith McNally, creator of the popular French restaurant and many others, wrote in an Instagram post on Monday that the "Late Late Show" host is a "hugely gifted comedian, but a tiny cretin of a man. And the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago."
McNally said it was rare for him to nix a customer, but he had banned Corden that day. He shared two examples of Corden's treatment of his staff and noted that the comedian had behaved similarly in another restaurant he previously owned, Cafe Luxembourg, several years ago.
In one instance, in June, the British comedian apparently found a hair in his food and after eating his main course, showed the hair to the manager ― referenced as G ― who was "very apologetic."
"Corden was extremely nasty to G, and said: 'Get us another round of drinks this second. And also take care of all of our drinks so far. This way I [don't] write any nasty reviews in yelp or anything like that,'" McNally wrote, citing a manager's report.
On Oct. 9, Corden was at Balthazar with his wife, TV producer Julia Carey, for brunch, according to McNally. Carey ordered an egg yolk omelet with salad.
"A few minutes after they received the food, James called their server, M. K. and told her there was a little bit of egg white mixed with the egg yolk," McNally said. "M. K. informed the floor manager, G. The kitchen remade the dish but unfortunately sent it with home fries instead of salad."
"That's when James Corden began yelling like crazy to the server: 'You can't do your job! You can't do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelette myself!'" he wrote.
McNally said the server was apologetic and brought the floor manager, G, over to the table. G returned the dish and after that, "everything was fine," he said, adding that G also offered them champagne glasses to "smooth things out."
"G said that Corden was pleasant to him but nasty to the server," McNally wrote, adding that the server was "very shaken."
A representative for Corden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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I would be embarrassed if I yelled at a server , or at the manager for that matter. I have hardly ever complained in a restaurant and couldnt dream of what would make me yell at them. Maybe if they tried to poison me.
I'm glad the owner of the restaurant spoke up. A holes like Corden was here need to be publicly shamed.
Why didn’t he just ask for extra spit in his meal? I hear boogers are well camouflaged on pickles.
There are a number of people who pick on people whose jobs require that they be perpetually 'nice'. These bullies are cowards and ultimately assholes. Most of these servers make very little money and have to put on a happy face for every asshole who walks through the door. It is no wonder to me that restaurants have a hard time filling their positions. Those who would be servers likely took advantage of better jobs being available in today's climate.
Personally, I routinely tip high out of appreciation for someone going to work each day at a likely unsatisfying job rather than rely upon public funds and families for their survival.
I worked my way thru college waiting tables and tending bar. Some people can't be pleased no matter what you do. It's hard work and a job I think everybody should do for a week.
I'm not the most pleasant person but I treat wait staff and other service people with politeness, kindness, and respect. I've been in their shoes.
And I really hate people that can't say "May I please have the fried pigeon with fish sauce?" They are all "Give me!" without even a thank you
I never waited tables, but my first job in high school was at an ice cream stand. Most people are great. Some are just looking for new ways to be assholes.
I dislike our tipping culture where tips are less a sign of doing a fantastic job and more of filling the gap in a substandard wage, but this is outside the scope of the article.
Back on track - Corden might want to consult with Ellen DeGeneres on how long one can treat people like shit before your forced to "retire".
Now for a personal rant -
I live very close to a fast food restaurant called Taco John's. The food is okay as fast food goes, but the service has consistently been shitty at best. I keep ordering burritos without sour cream and getting them with sour cream almost every time. Some days I want to chuck that burrito at someone to get my point across, but I don't. That's mean and probably assault.
Just earlier this week I drove through on my way home after work and ordered one burrito, 2 chicken tacos and a side of potatoes (think tots with seasoning salt) with a side of sour cream. The guy at the window specifically confirmed my order as he handed me the bag. I got the potatoes - 2 beef tacos - one small been burrito and no side of SC. I had to drive back, go inside and watch 8 people run around like a Keystone Cops movie try and figure out where they fucked up. It very obviously I wasn't the only person to complain as they were trying to sort out 3 orders. I didn't yell, I didn't make them feel bad, but I did make them remake my order correct. It's not brain surgery people it's fast food! Okay rant over.
I dislike the tipping culture too. However, the compensation for most servers presumes tips. I know that going in.
If someone were to provide crappy service, I would not tip them (or tip them poorly). But okay through very good service will get a good tip. Exceptional service gets more.
Ultimately I tip to compensate the server more than to indicate my pleasure with their service. For the most part, I do not see much of a difference in service anyway.
We have a local (I call it a hipster) restaurant that has, for years now, paid all staff a living wage. The wait times at peak can reach around an hour. The food and the service have been fantastic since it opened. It puts a lie to the oft repeated remark that if we raise wages then prices will be too high.
I wish all places would do that. I heard someone say once that if they paid them a decent wage they would have to raise prices.
I say, what is the difference? We are paying either way.
MN closed the restaurant minimum wage loophole in the 80's. Other states are talking about it more and more, but like Daylight Savings Time it never gets fixed.
Of course they would if they hoped to stay in business for long.
There is a huge cost difference between paying a server $2.13 per hour and paying them $10-$15 per hour. Most restaurants will have more servers on the clock during business hours than they do cooks and kitchen help.
Point being, the customers are already paying their salary through tips. I would rather pay a little more and not have to worry about leaving a tip.
I would probably be spending the same amount.
He's already announced his departure from the show, this will be his last season, so perhaps he's letting out his bottled up angst now that it doesn't mean getting fired.
“…tip high…”
Always.
The old adage applies today more than ever…if you’re looking for a ‘red flag’ in a budding relationship, go out to dinner and witness how your date treats the waitstaff…it says all you need to know.
That depends on the situation. I am personally sick to death of ordering a couple beers at a microbrewery, then ordering a four pack to go when I cash out, only to have a screen thrust in my face asking whether I’d like to tip 15, 20, or 25% on a $30 bill where all the person did was pour a beer and reach in the refrigerator. Sorry, but that’s bullshit. If you’re involved in the process of taking a food order, cooking and preparing it, delivering it to my table, refilling my water glass, and everything else that comes with a sit down meal, then I have no problem with tipping.
Those screens also have options to add in whatever amount or no amount for a tip.
I like tipping for a real eating experience but I'm getting tired of everyone wanting a tip from Subway to Panera bread.
Oh I know, trust me I do it every time. It’s just annoying that the screen is set up as if it’s a restaurant, thus causing you to make it obvious you are typing away to get around tipping an exorbitant amount. I’m a beer snob so I frequently run up a $100 bill on high quality carry out craft beer. Handing me four four packs is not an act that deserves a $15-$25 tip. They know this but rely on patron apathy to royally rip you off.
“…but rely on patron apathy to royally rip you off.”
Perhaps, but they most certainly rely on patron loyalty and generosity to earn a living.
I like to think of tipping as a built in cost of a service…planning a $100 meal will cost me $125, maybe a bit more or maybe a bit less depending on the quality of that service. Just my opinion, of course, and as one who put myself through school thanks to that generosity when working tables and tending bar.
Bon apetit!
You need to come up here and sample some really good craft beer!
These guys weren't the first to do this up here either. We have something like 10 craft brewers of beer and cider and 1 distillery.
I get that. Imagine this though - I order $80 worth of beer, causing the worker to have to turn around, open the fridge door, and place four 4 packs on the counter. Then instead of tipping them the suggested $12-$20, I tip them $5 instead. That’s $5 for 30 seconds of work. At that rate I am tipping them better than 99% of restaurant workers, even though I am tipping less than 1/2 of the lowest tip suggested on the screen. That shit needs to stop.
That looks amazing. Luv me some barrel aged goodness! My drinks of choice are Russian stouts, pastry stouts, super hazy double or triple IPAs, and heavily fruited sours or gose. Finding the good stuff is the hard part. I estimate that about one in ten places I try are notable. If I’m ever near Deluth I’ll be sure to visit that place and drop you a message. First round on me!
I like me a good oatmeal stout. There are some really good hazy IPAs here. Very hoppy. Still looking for a good fruited sour though. St Paul, MN has a few really good craft brewery's too. The Surly Brewing Company in Minneapolis has some of the best IPAs in the state. They don't bottle though, they have cans and I hate cans.
James Corden apologized to the restaurant and has been taken off the banned list.
I have read several sources that say he is a complete asshole in general.
I'm holding out hope that Colbert is actually the nice guy on and off stage that I hope he is.
I love Stephen. Of course he is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why? Do you have tickets to see the Late Show?
Nah.
But I did attend the event on the National Mall that he and Jon Stewart put on, "The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear."
Hard to believe we already knew America was going to hell in a handbasket 12 years ago.
Same hell we were headed to with the crazies opposed to Clinton, come to think of it.
Might even be the same handbasket.
Maybe his fat ass needs to do just that.
As if it is the server who cooks the omelette.
Does James Corden take requests for Carpool Karaoke?
I worked as a bartender when I attended college.
Believe it or not, good tippers got good service. Bad (or no) tippers got slow service. Buy I never spit in anyone's drink.
Of course, beautiful women always got great service.
"Karens" like James Corden, got ignored.