BAR GARIGARI — Restaurant in Tokyo

I am writing to express my disappointment regarding how I was treated during my visit to your establishment on July 29th.

On that day, I entered the bar with a ginger ale I had purchased outside. While I understand now that bringing outside drinks into a restaurant or bar may go against house policies, I was shocked and deeply hurt by the way the situation was handled.

The owner spoke to me in a condescending tone, asking repeatedly, “Do you understand what you just did?” as though I were a child. He continued to scold me for several minutes in front of other customers and my partner, which was not only embarrassing but felt entirely unnecessary. He also said, “Where are YOU from that this is okay?”—a comment that came across as discriminatory and culturally insensitive.

I clearly acknowledged that I understood the issue early on, yet he continued to stretch the conversation unnecessarily. He even brought up his experience traveling in Australia to somehow justify the severity of his reaction, even though it had no real relevance to the situation. It felt less like an explanation and more like an attempt to lecture me further after I had already shown understanding.

I had no intention of being disrespectful. I simply wanted to enjoy a meal. But instead, I was made to feel humiliated and publicly shamed for a mistake that could have been addressed with a calm and respectful explanation.

By the time we left the bar, I was so distressed I couldn’t hold back tears. I believe no customer should be treated in such a way, especially over something that could have been easily resolved with a polite reminder of the policy.

I hope this message encourages you to reflect on how situations like this are handled in the future, so no other guest has to go through a...

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