Give me the complaint book!

Blogs have reported that one of the establishments of the Shokoladnitsa chain is refusing to serve people wearing protest symbols. PublicPost correspondent Evgeniy Natelashvili tied a white ribbon on himself and went to a cafe for lunch.

“Twitter users report that the Shokoladnitsa on Tsvetnoy refuses to serve people with protest symbols, citing instructions from the administration,” the National News Service wrote on its blog . There is also an address there - Tsvetnoy Boulevard, 13/1.

On the way to the cafe, I stopped at a flower kiosk to buy a white ribbon. The saleswoman looked at me from under her brows and asked in a conspiratorial tone: “Do you need a white ribbon?” “Yes,” I answer. She handed me a small piece of ribbon. “Here you go. You don’t need any money,” the flower girl said even more mysteriously.

Having tied a ribbon on my backpack, in the most visible place, I go to the Chocolate Shop. At the entrance to the cafe, a security guard glanced at me, but there were no obstacles to my entry into the establishment. And in the establishment itself I was treated the same as everyone else. I heard that people who were refused service in a cafe left an entry in the book of complaints and suggestions. I wanted to look at her. The manager of "Shokoladnitsa" politely asked why I needed the book of complaints. “Look,” I say. “People are complaining that cafe employees refuse to serve them because of the protest symbols on their clothes.” “A minute,” the manager answered without a smile and disappeared into the utility room.

After some time, she came to me with a piece of paper in her hands: “Call this number, they will answer your questions. I don’t have such authority.” “But I didn’t ask you any questions. I just asked you to give me a book of complaints and suggestions.” “You asked if we refuse to serve visitors with protest symbols. First, you talk to people on this number. After that, I can show you the book,” the manager answered slightly irritably. "Who are these people? Whose number?" - “This is the number of those who can answer your questions. I will give you the book later.” “Okay,” I persist, “then give me a book so I can write a complaint in it that you refuse to show it to me.” “Call these people,” the manager snapped.

No one answered my number - apparently it was the telephone number of the establishment’s management, and, most likely, the office staff had a day off. “Still, show me the book of complaints,” I demand from the manager. “Calm down, I’ll give it to you now,” she responds rudely. It turned out that the book actually contains an entry dated June 6, 2012. The man writes: “The security guard of the establishment blocked my way to the cafe (here is the name of the guard), who explained to me that service in the establishment is not provided to people with white badges. This citizen was unable to clearly explain to me the essence of the claims. I ask you to understand the reasoning part of the decisions, accepted by the management. I would like to add that there were 5 people with me - determine the financial losses of the institution yourself." The next entry in the book was from the same date, but about food: a woman complained about chicken soup, which, in her opinion, “was made from Doshirak,” and about the Caesar salad, “which left much to be desired.”

“Is it true that you are prohibited from serving guests wearing protest symbols?” - I asked the waitress on the summer veranda of the establishment already on the street. “Yes, that’s true,” she answered without hesitation. “That was the order.” "What do you tell them?" - “But they are simply not allowed here. We say that it is impossible” - “And how do you personally react to such an order?” - “But personally, I don’t care who is served and who is not.” “They let me in with a white ribbon without any problems,” I boast to the waitress. She just shrugged and ran into the room.

A security guard standing nearby told me that he had not heard anything like this about the order. The waitress returned to the street, but with her colleague, who did not leave her side. “But still, what kind of symbolism is considered protest, how do you identify it?” — I tried to continue the conversation. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” the interlocutor smiled and disappeared into the cafe again.