I recently dined at Crossroads after completing a 5-day cross-country drive from Arizona to Massachusetts with my two dogs, one of whom is in service training for my medical condition and both documented Emotional Support Animals (ESA). Before even heading over, I called ahead to ensure bringing my dogs would not be an issue. I spoke with a host, explained that I had two big dogs—one in training and both with proper paperwork—and asked if it would be okay to bring them. The host reassured me that it wouldn’t be a problem, noting that they had accommodated similar situations before.
As a former server, I know how important clear communication is, so I asked the host to double-check with their manager to be safe. After confirming with the manager, the host came back on the line and said everything was cleared. Confident in that reassurance, I made my way over to Crossroads with my nana, who has been a loyal customer of the restaurant for some time.
After five days of exhausting travel and months of personal hardship (including the tragic loss of my fiancé), I was looking forward to finally enjoying a meal in the company of my nana and my dogs. Unfortunately, this visit turned into one of the most upsetting experiences I’ve ever had at a restaurant.
We were seated in a side room, where there were only two other couples dining. Both of my dogs were well-behaved: my service dog-in-training was calm, and my ESA, though curious as a teenager, remained manageable and largely at my side. From the moment Courtney, our server, approached the table, her attitude was unnecessarily abrasive. My nana and I exchanged looks after she took our drink order, both wondering what her issue could possibly be. Still, I tried to remain positive and even mentioned during small talk that I had just returned to Massachusetts after 11 years in Arizona, adjusting after a difficult period in my life. Unfortunately, her demeanor only worsened.
While waiting for our food, one of the other couples stopped by to say hello to my dogs. My pups were laying down 98% of the time, save for brief moments when my ESA checked on me or when I accidentally knocked over my drink while shifting in my seat. I immediately sought assistance to clean the spill, ensuring my dogs were out of the way in the corner of the empty dining room. My nana even began helping with the cleanup.
When Courtney returned with our food, she slammed the plates onto the table and, with visible disgust, told me and my dogs to get out. My nana and I were stunned. Courtney accused my dogs of being “everywhere” and claimed they should have been at my feet the entire time—completely ignoring their calm behavior for the majority of our visit. To add insult to injury, she defensively offered to “pull up the cameras” as if to prove her hostility was justified.
We didn’t even get to eat our food. I’d barely had two sips of my drink before the incident escalated. My nana, despite being furious at Courtney’s unprofessional and inhumane behavior, still paid the bill out of sheer principle. I left the restaurant at 8 p.m., starving, with nothing in my stomach but a few bites of clam chowder.
The simple rule of customer service is this: if you cannot be kind and professional, you have no business working in this industry. I made the effort to call ahead, confirm with the host, and even ensure the manager was comfortable with the situation before arriving. If the restaurant didn’t want to allow my dogs in despite having the proper paperwork, they should have said so when I called. Instead, I was reassured multiple times that it wouldn’t be an issue.
If Crossroads wants to break the law by denying entry to animals with proper documentation, then so be it—but don’t approve the visit ahead of time and then humiliate a customer for following through. Courtney’s behavior is an embarrassment to the establishment, and as long as she remains employed, I will make it a point to ensure no one I care about dines...
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