Four of us excitedly showed up at Smith Street Diner today for lunch around 1:00. We meet every Thursday and Smith Street has fried chicken on Thursday. We asked for a table for four and they told us that we would have to wait OUTSIDE. None of us are large people, one friend is not even 5 feet tall. One member of our group is in her 70's and the heat index today was right at 100. They were full but had a few extra seats and three at the bar. She told me we had to wait OUTSIDE because of the capacity rules. I mentioned that there were three chairs at the bar and she said we could only sit there if we were going to eat there because that was reserved for paying customers. My friend is on heart medication and I was not making her stand in the heat to eat at any restaurant. I quickly counted the tables and chairs and in addition to the three bar stools they also had 6 empty chairs at tables which were not at capacity. I have to say, their fried chicken is usually good but today it just did not taste THAT good. I for one will not be going back. RUDE behavior is uncalled for and asking a 70+ year old woman to stand outside in the heat to wait for a table is absurd. Bye Smith Street Diner. By the way, I am very familiar with the fire marshall's rules. My husband works for them.
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