Inside the Pampered and Personalized World of DC’s VIP Diners
Washingtonian,
by
Jessica Sidman
Original Article
Posted By: JoniTx,
5/13/2019 6:51:37 PM
Sometimes maître d’ Michael Arnaud has to play bad cop. Granted, he wears a wide smile above his green bow tie and greets every customer of Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab with the cheerily booming voice of a game-show host giving away a brand-new jet ski. But as a gatekeeper at a bustling restaurant on the same block as the White House, Arnaud must enforce certain rules. Namely, you can’t sit until your entire party has arrived. No matter how much he’d love to, unfortunately, he’s terribly sorry but he doesn’t have a choice. Unless, you know, you
Reply 1 - Posted by:
Condor44 5/13/2019 7:44:50 PM (No. 63628)
Tha haves and the have nots. These supposed servants of the people should be ashamed of themselves. Disgusting!
24 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
DVC 5/13/2019 7:53:33 PM (No. 63622)
Uh, yeah, so? I could not POSSIBLY care any less where these bozos eat and their stupid power games while doing so.
Jeez, what a bunch of BS.
11 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Mushroom 5/13/2019 8:20:19 PM (No. 63620)
I´m with #1 on this. I am a valued customer at a local establishment. I am treated like a VIP and various perks fall my way. I do put money in the owner´s pocket on a regular basis, and I suspect he´s just happy I am there thick and thin. (The seasons vary there..but I am steady)
20 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
caddyjak 5/13/2019 8:25:14 PM (No. 63616)
You are talking about 250K or more untaxed dollars in the MD´s back pocket!
15 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
DVC 5/13/2019 8:48:27 PM (No. 63617)
#5, sounds like the MD needs to be arrested.
13 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Bur Oak 5/13/2019 9:45:19 PM (No. 63626)
I´m glad I will never have the means to eat at one of these restaurants.
12 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
PostAway 5/13/2019 10:32:58 PM (No. 63627)
No surprises here as restaurants show preferences the world over but I loved the Kerry/Blair part of the story which again revealed John Francoise in all his supercilious and asinine glory. It reminded me of a story about Sargent Shriver who married a Kennedy and ran for VP with McGovern in 1972. During the campaign he went to Youngstown to speak to steelworkers and afterwards joined them at their favorite bar, most probably a total dump as those places often were. He socialized a bit and then in a Brahmin show of camaraderie he called out, “You guys are great! Beers for everyone! And a Courvoisier for me!”
16 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
whyyeseyec 5/13/2019 10:47:58 PM (No. 63621)
Not to be a party pooper, but isn´t this the same as people who paid millions to get their kids into elite colleges, only on a smaller scale? Money and notoriety being used to skip ahead in line. How many of the politicians and their staff are using tax $$$ to pay for those pricey dinners?
13 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
tnorling 5/13/2019 11:08:50 PM (No. 63619)
Hmm. I was scandalized the first time at my department´s way too expensive Ritz lunch. Then I got to select the venues and enjoyed it. Corrupted!
11 people like this.
Important to note: They work for US.
4 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
MeiDei 5/14/2019 2:40:25 AM (No. 63630)
It´s just good business to keep customers (regulars, big spenders, etc.,) happy to come back as well as to recommend you to others. Spending their own money on high priced meals and over priced alcohol is no concern of mine. One would hope they leave a tip representative of the service they receive.
Doing it with taxpayers money or from a charity causes me to remember something a very fine elderly gentleman told me 35+ years ago:
"You can always tell a man´s character by the way he spends other peoples money".
10 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Trigger2 5/14/2019 4:37:07 AM (No. 63624)
Do politicians get to use Government credit cards? Do those cards get charged with the priciest meals with accompanying humongous tips?
5 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
Muguy 5/14/2019 8:43:50 AM (No. 63629)
This kind of heady stuff is how those in DC lose touch with the rubes and rabble back home--
Nothing against those businesses making efforts to "keep the customer happy", but the idea of being waited on hand and foot isn´t merely gained by being a regular customer and tipping generously for great service.
You sure won´t find Kamalalala getting more ice cubes for her drink at a Golden Corral!
7 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
DVC 5/14/2019 3:56:07 PM (No. 63625)
#13, in my government paid business travel, each city has a listed ´per diem´ amount. You will be paid this amount for your meals for each business day in that city.
The per diem amounts will let you eat at a moderately nice restaurant and get a normal, not outlandish meal 3 times a day. In the cases where breakfast was included with the hotel room, the per diem is reduced.
Perhaps the hoity toity folks have different rules than us ordinary folks on government contract work, I don´t know.
2 people like this.
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