Hello all,
First of all, by reading this, I’d like to thank you for your time and energy. I’d ask that you please remain objective while reading this and come to your own decision. However, I am just presenting a side that some may or may not be familiar with. I’d like to reiterate an all too familiar story here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. I would like to speak of what could be termed, “Phantom Policies”, “Chameleon Policies”, or plain old, racial profiling. By these, I mean policies that suddenly appear out of the blue, or those policies that adapt to the environment or policies that adapt to the color of ones skin. Sounds contentious, doesn’t it? Well, I really wish it wasn’t this way.
We live in a First World, advanced democratic nation like Canada who prides itself in the international arena as a leader on the human rights forefront. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the United Nations website. Further, why is it that racism, prejudice, stereotyping, and stigmas are so prevalent in this First World of ours? That’s a pretty bold statement to make, now isn’t it? Think about it.
Here’s the scenario:
It was a night like any other night in Saskatoon. On this night, about 10 of my friends and I were out on the town to celebrate a birthday. After supper, we decided to head to McGuire’s lounge in the Grosvenor Park shopping center, on 8th street.
We all proceeded into the bar together but I drifted off to another table to say hello to my cousin, who I had not seen for some time. My group proceeds to another table to take seat. As I take my coat off and place it on my chair, our area server performs her customary role and asks if she could get me anything. I asked for a menu, she was quick to respond to my request. As my table converses, the server, who we will call, “Darlene” asks if I am ready to order and I agree that I am. Upon placing my order, the following conversation ensues:
Jordan: “I’ll have the cheeseburger and a coke.”
Darlene: “Are you going to be starting a tab?”
Jordan: “Yeah.”
Darlene: “Well, I’m going to need a credit card from you in order to do so.”
Not thinking too much of this because this has become somewhat standard in most establishments, I give her my visa.
About 5 minutes pass by, Darlene approaches our table with my visa in hand and a receipt. She then proceeds to ask me to sign the pre-authorized visa statement for $40 before I am to get my meal. Confused, I asked why she pre-authorized my credit card in the first place? Then, I asked, why did you pre-authorize my credit card $40 when my meal would be no more than $12?
Darlene’s response: “Oh, that’s just what I thought you would be spending tonight and that’s what we do for everyone.”
Still confused, I signed the receipt not thinking much of the injustice that had just incurred.
I thought to myself: This is obviously standard procedure to pre-authorize everybody’s credit card, in the event that they are starting a tab.
Armed with this assumption, I asked the the table where my friends are all sitting the following, “Did you guys start a tab? and are you drinking alcohol?” They responded yes to both of my questions, then I asked the following, “Who’s credit card did you leave and how much were you pre-authorized?”
The table looked at me puzzled and stated they did not have to leave a credit card.
This in turn, puzzled me.
What had just happenned? Was this a phantom policy that only comes into effect in certain situations? Was this a chameleon policy of McGuires, which only comes into effect in certain scenarios? Or, was it, and I hate to suggest it, racial profiling?
Why was the table full of non-visible minorities, who were both drinking and eating, not pre-authorized? Or, why did no one have to give up their credit card for the tab?
I was perplexed.
I informed my table of friends of the process I had to follow in order to get my meal and they suggested I inquire more about this policy with the server. So I did.
Jordan: “Excuse me, I was just wondering why I was charged the pre-authorization on my credit card? I have never been pre-authorized ever to eat somewhere before.”
Darlene: “It’s just what we do here, we have had a lot of problems with people walking out and not paying.”
Jordan: “That’s understandable, I understand why you would need a credit card but why the need to pre-authorize? Did you need to make sure I had enough money?
Darlene: “It’s just what we do for everyone.”
Jordan: “Oh really?”
Turning toward my table of friends, who Darlene does not know I am with, I inform Darlene that she did not take a credit card for their tab or pre-authorize their group. Surprised, she readily goes and asks for a credit card for the tab. It should be noted that the table was still not pre-authorized.
Obviously, this is standard practice to get someone or a large group’s credit card in order to prevent walk outs without paying? This sounds fair.
However, is this a discretionary method in that, it is up to the server to decide who to charge? If so, how does the server decide who to pre-authorize? Is this random, ie, every 5th group gets pre-authorized? Or, is this standard procedure/policy in that everyone gets the same treatment? Furthermore, how does the server decide how much to charge each individual/group? Will it always be $40?
The above case would denote otherwise and I would challenge McGuire’s to prove my assertion invalid.
A bit about me. I’m a 23 year old Aboriginal male from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and a University of Saskatchewan fifth year student. I have a degree in political studies and currently completing an advanced ceriticate in Aboriginal Public Administration. I’m active in the community, I coach a Saskatoon Youth Soccer team, active at school, I am an executive member of a students’ society, avid participant in the work force, family oriented, a tax payer, and a concerned citizen.
My cousin and his girlfriend as well are Aboriginal students. I will not speak of their case but they brushed this occurance off as a minor nuisance, as they have been accustomed to this behavior and treatment from the staff at McGuires, which I will note, is atrocious.
I will submit a column to the Star Phoenix and the University of Saskatchewan publication, the Sheaf. I have informed some law professor’s of this situation and they have offered some advice, which I will greatly consider and appreciate. Subsequently, I am extremely disturbed by the events that occurred on October 17, 2006 at McGuire’s. I will make a concerted effort, personally, to boycott the establishment and services of this place of injustice.
I hope that those of you who read this can take this case, which as I have discovered is not an isolated one, into account when deciding on a venue for meeting.
Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, questions, or concerns and pass this scenario along.
In the next coming days, I will make the trek to McGuire’s again, in an attempt to talk to the manager about their policies. Further, I will scan the receipt and attempt to place it on the blog, so you all can have a look at it.
I will sign-off with a defintion from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of:
in-jus-tice :
1: violation of a person’s rights: UNFAIRNESS 2: an unjust act or deed: WRONG
Thank you very much for your time,
Jordan
I was there. No joke.
We’re all afraid to admit it. Don’t be.
This could either be a rule that exists that isn’t consistently followed, or maybe it’s just another case of the same ol’ song and dance. Either or, the establishment should be in responsible for enforcing the rule so everyone gets pre-authorized, or face the truth.
Even if it was a simple mistake, it’s still a problem that exists that a simple pre-auth isn’t going to mask.
I really like your write up. I was one of the guys at the table who didn’t get any talk about a credit card, and had a much bigger group. If that waitress had anyone to worry about not paying, it should have been me.
It’s hard to know how to rectify this type of shit. It’s good your writing about it. As long as more people are aware. Anyways I’ll help spread the word.
Hey Jordo,
I really found your blog very interesting. I can honestly say that I have been in McGuires a number of times with both large and small groups of people and I have never been asked to provide a credit card, never mind pre-authorization!! In fact, I have never heard of anyone pre-authing a credit card at any bar (but it may be a good idea). And where does this magical number 40 come from? If you were only authorized for say, $35 would she refuse you service out of FEAR??
I’m glad to hear that you will be speaking with the manager about this issue to find out if this is common practice (which I believe from experience that it’s not).
If I’m ever in McGuires I will definatly ask about this so-called “policy” just to see what they say. If this policy was administered as an isolated incident, the staff will know that this is NOT ok and word IS getting around.
That’s all…
Luv ya bud!!
-Megs-
well well well, another same old scenario that depicts how far we as Saskatoonians have come… as Nolto would say “If my name was Bear I would be locked in prison.” Saskatoon needs to literally show some respect.
First off, Jordan forgot to tell everyone that this happened on a tuesday night…not the infamous wednesday night where you see _____ ________ doing a backflip off the table and you cant even find a place to sit. We my friends, where basically the only 2 or 3 tables in the whole place. the whole situation with the “pre-auth” is ridiculous! ok maybe taking a credit card is acceptable but pre authorizing a payment! I dont think soo! she doesnt know how much i am going to spend!
As far as racial discrimination goes. It was. Everyone can argue whatever they want, debate both sides but the fact of the matter is. Its in our society , its what we have grown up with. its in our schools, homes, friends. but its hidden at the same time. when shit like this happens its a reality check telling us that we have accomplished nothing over how many years.
Nobody looked “sketchy”, nobody looked like they where gonna run out on their tab. but here is a table with some Aboriginals….uh ohh i better put my running shoes on cause im probaly gonna be running after them tonight when they ditch their bill..
Its ignorant and rude and disrespectful. and this time it was right in front of all our faces.
next time Im at Maguires im not gonna get beer from a server i have to get it right from the bar, because by the looks of those bimbo’s who work there (minus ______) they will probaly serve me the wrong beer and bring it to the wrong table.
well thats my response… so see you by the bar and next time think before you speak because your actions represent you as a person, your lounge and also conveys a message that a bunch of ignorant, uneducated girls work at MAG’S!!
Peace Out
Nate D. Lats ya’ll
wow jordan, no wonder you wanted lauren and i to read this so bad. first of all, because i have worked at a pub, i understand the fact that she took a credit card. but i think it might actually be illegal to pre-auth it for a random amount. that is just ridonkulous. especially because you are so far from the stereotypical aboriginal. you and your tib and your gap jeans. haha. i, for once, am at a loss for words and writing is what i do for an income so you got me here. saskatoon is full of racism. living on the east side, there are days i will go without seeing an aboriginal. it is so segregated. but the truth is that in ten years aboriginals will make up more than half of the citys population. these issues need to be addressed and i am so proud of you for taking action my lil poli sci friend!
for real, that’s fucking bullshit. i hope you and your friends didn’t leave a tip. i sure as hell wouldn’t. in fact i would have requested a different server. definitely go down there and talk to the manager and write another entry to say what he or she says.
mcguires sucks balls anyways!
ruud sean nistelriggs out!
eastsieeeeeede
I think that waitress needed to get her shit together… she could have been making an “honest mistake” by not getting a credit card/pre authorization. But how can you pre auth a card at one table, and not even get a card from the neighbouring table? And if it was a mistake then it’s looks super bad that she pre auth’d the table that you and your cousin were sitting at. hmm “honest mistake”??
How dare she do that to my brother!!! Sigh, when will this b/s ever end!! I want to fight her and kick her in the teeth and tell her to pre-authorize that.
Hey there guys and gals well i’m a server and well its not a racist thing that we only do it to certin ppl…. We get walk-outs and it sucks if it happens cuz that comes out of OUR OWN pockets. So why is it fair for ppl to come drink at a pub then leave without payin. So not that long ago we started up by a policy to take pre-auths and we make an amout just on how many ppl are there and or what we think is a somewhat resonable amout, and when you are going to pay we just rip that one up infront of you and let you keep a copy just incase it does come out of our account. When i first start off at a table and they want to start a tab i’ll ask who wants to be the resonsable to give me the card to start the tab and if they’re not willing then i’ll ask them to just pay by cash, but i usually only do this if its busy or if its gettin busy or its a larger party. I have even had ppl say they will give me there card so they can start a tab before i say anything. So its simply not injustice for servers to want to go home after work without taking money out of they’re own pockets. As a server we’re going to make money and serve you and wanting you to come back to our pub again. And i’m not going to lie but if we think a table is “sketchy” then we will just make them pay by cash in the begining, there is nothing wrong by that, its just an instincted that we all have….. even YOU.
I bet you all that when you go out and probably judge ppl before even you know them. So if you don’t want to give the server your card then just simply pay by cash in the start.
Thanks.
P.S I’m sure you’ll also find almost any pub on any busy night are starting a tab with a pre-auth its just a new thing we doing these days. Also it’s usually the newbies that haven’t yet had a table walk out without paying a bill that don’t start with pre-auths.
consistency is needed in this policy.
if the establishment says the server can choose who to preauthorize, it’s catering to racial profiling. Why would they say,”use your better judgement” to the servers? Have they been formally trained in detecting who will walk out on a bill and who will not? If not, it seems like it’s giving the servers too much power. If they’re worried about walk-outs or walk-outs seem to be a problem, then a consistent pre-authorization is needed. It shouldn’t be up to the server’s discretion who is deemed untrustworthy. Think about if something like this “to-your-own-discretion” clause was added to parts of the consistition, or if you get to choose who you serve at your restaurant. Bunk.
I say we go in there and OT it up.
Well, I think it is unfair, I have worked bars and I did have a policy in place when I managed that we pre auth cards. I dont see anything wrong with getting a Pre Auth to ensure payment. however if the policy is in place it needs to be administered to everyone, they should not be picking who needs to do it. I think you have a reasoable complaint my friend
Thanks Mike and everyone else for your comments and posts. I can say that I have boycotted McGuires since 2006 and have continued to inform friends and friends of friends about the discriminatory policy in place, which I have witnessed. I will continue to do so and hope you take my story into account the next time you’re thinking of hitting up an establishment in the city.
Thanks again for your time and comment.
Thanks Mike and everyone else for your comments and posts. I can say that I have boycotted McGuires since 2006 and have continued to inform friends and friends of friends about the discriminatory policy in place, which I have witnessed. I will continue to do so and hope you take my story into account the next time you’re thinking of hitting up an establishment in the city.
Thanks again for your time and comment.