Most people go to a restaurant expecting a pleasant evening. You get good food, a relaxed atmosphere, and staff who make the experience enjoyable. Even when service slips, it usually ends with an apology or a quick fix. But one Michigan woman says her evening at J. Alexander’s in Troy left her red-faced and embarrassed after a confrontation with a bartender that she later described as the worst service she had ever received.
She explained in a TikTok video that she ordered a lemon drop at the bar but told the bartender she was heading to the restroom first. When she returned, the drink was already sitting unattended. Concerned, she asked if it had just been placed there. The bartender confirmed that it had but, according to the woman, did so with a harsh tone. “I already see you’re having a terrible day,” the woman recalled thinking, adding that another diner nearby even told her she understood the situation.
When she asked to speak with a manager, the bartender allegedly grew more combative. The woman said the manager apologized and tried to smooth things over, but the bartender continued confronting her in front of others. “I felt uncomfortable, my face was bright red, it literally looked like I was in tears,” she explained, adding that she had never been treated that way in a fine dining setting before. Later, when she requested a second drink, she claimed the bartender rolled her eyes and refused service altogether, telling her she could “go sit at a table” instead. Even as she suggested that another staff member take her order, the bartender allegedly refused.
The customer said she went back to the manager to resolve the matter, but the bartender followed, cutting her off during the conversation. “You’re not going to continue to speak to me like this. I’m a grown woman,” she quoted the bartender as saying. The manager once again apologized, comped her bill, and provided corporate contact information. Despite the gesture, the woman said she left the restaurant feeling humiliated: “Me as a Black woman, for you to have violated me like that in public and embarrassed me… I literally could cry right now.”
Netizens Reaction to the Michigan Woman’s Story
For the most part, TikTok users were divided. Some sided with the bartender and criticized the woman for leaving her drink unattended. One person wrote, “I’m on the side of the server. You should’ve told her not to make the drink until you came back from the bathroom.” A second said, “It’s not her job to babysit your drink. Go to the restroom first, then order.” A third added, “Don’t order a drink if you know you are going to leave it.” “She’s not responsible for babysitting your drink,” remarked a fourth.
On the other hand, some felt that the customer’s complaint was justified. They sympathized with her, saying the bartender’s behavior was unnecessary. “Yes, you should have specified, but no, she shouldn’t have acted like that,” one noted. Another netizen commented, “She was clearly having a really bad day.” Some also criticized the restaurant’s service overall. “They are not known for good customer service. Their prices are high as the sky [sic],” one user wrote.
