Hooters review: discrimination and illegal profiteering ( 2 comments)

I went out on a movie and (supposed to be) dinner night with my wife on Saturday, April 30th, 2011. After the movie, we decided to go have dinner at our local Hooters in Riverside. This was around 5:50pm. Upon arrival inside, there was a party of five in front of us trying to get a table. For some reason, they left so it was our turn next. We were informed that that night it was only "reservations only" night and they charge extra $10.00 per seat aside from your food. This was due to a live PPV event which is UFC. I told them that I have been a Hooters fan for years and have attended several live PPV sporting events in the past in Hooters and they have never charged extra ten dollars per seat and never taken reservations, only first come first serve basis. I also told them that I am not here for the PPV event, just simply to have dinner with the wife as we both love Hooters. I even told them that they can sit us in an area where there are no TVs as we could care less about the event. They insisted. One of the Hooters girls (her name is Taylor) even said that "if you want, you can come back after the PPV event at around 9-9:30pm." as they are fully booked. By looking at the place, it is almost empty. The PPV event does not start until 6pm. They take reservations by first come, first serve and people leave and come back on a later time during the PPV event. I told them that this is absurd and they are "capitailzing" on the PPV event to charge extra $10 which they have never ever done in the past. To me, this seems like illegal profiteering. Anyways, I insisted on talking to a manager. The manager's name that I talked to is Ryan. I told him my opinion, frustration and dissapointment. Ryan the manager said that they started doing this just recently. I didn't buy it at all. I insist on telling him that you guys are "driving/rejecting" people away just because they do not have any reservations in which they have never ever done in the past. As I also recall in the past, i usually call the local Hooters for such PPV event if they will have reservations and they always say "no, we never take reservations at all; only first come, first server basis". I was furious as they do not want to take our business at all. I stepped out and called Hooters Hotline [protected]) out in the parking lot. I complained to the agent and told her the entire story. She even say that based upon what I said, it does not seem right at all. I got a case number and she escalated my complain to the corporate management level. Also, while talking to the Hotline agent, when I was looking for the store manager's name at their front door, another party of seven just walked out. I asked one of them and they told me the exact same thing that they have been rejected. They also walked out in dissapointment. I am awaiting to hear from somebody in a couple of days. I gave them the names of the manager I talked to, including the Hooters girl that told us to come back after the event. I also gave the name of the store manager (I don't remember the first name but his last name is Padilla). I also informed the Hooters Hotline that I will also file a complain to the Better Business Bureau on Monday, May 2nd. Due to the way the treated us, I feel discriminated and insulted, especially coming from a Hooters fan for years. I am also considering getting legal advice to my lawyer to find out if what they are doing is legal.