We’ve all heard stories of when someone feels like they’ve been given poor service at a store or a restaurant because of being heavily modified. I’ve felt like the scene in Pretty Women before where I’m told the store has nothing for me but last night was the first time in a decade that I have ever been refused entry into a restaurant based solely on the fact that we had tattoos.
Last night around 10:30pm, I headed to CityWalk in Universal City, CA with Norm, Charlie and Vanessa Roberts and our friend Jason. We had tickets to see Avatar at 12:10am and wanted to get dinner first. Everything but Subway and Saddle Ranch Chop House were closed. We walked all the way from the movie theatre to Saddle Ranch where Jason and I went in first and got a table. I noticed that Norm was being held at the door. I went back to see what the problem was and found that they were making him remove his clothing to inspect his tattoos. As I asked what the problem was, I was asked to step aside and Norm and I were escorted out of the line to get in, even though I had already been given a table.
Upon further inspection they told us that we had “gang tattoos” and would not be allowed into the restaurant for the safety of the other patrons. Those of you that know us know that we have no gang affiliations, nor do we have any gang tattoos. I’m covered in Flower and faerie tattoos and that’s it. I guess the “Always” on my hand now stands for some gang that I have no idea about? Norm was a gentleman about it but I wanted to talk to the manager even though we had decided we didn’t want to spend our dollars at a businesss that discriminates against tattooed patrons. We left to go to Subway, which by the time we walked all the way back, was closed.
The lesson that we all need to know is that our dollar effects the decisions that corporations make. I’m asking that you do not visit the Saddle Ranch Chop House or their affiliated restaurants.We should come together and boycott them.
If you want to make a difference, email Alex Chavez (Senior Manager) at [email protected] and let them know that you don’t appreciate rampant discrimination by management against customers who have tattoos and that you and your friends will not be visiting their establishment. You can also call them at 818-760-9680 or send your letter via fax to 818-760-9686. Remember to keep your emails/faxes/phone calls polite and well written otherwise they will just cast us off as they already have.
Do we look like “gang members” to you? Nope, didn’t think so. Using an excuse like that to discriminate against tattooed individuals is reckless and irresponsible. We all want to be able to visit a restaurant and be safe but using a fake claim that we had “gang tattoos” to discriminant against us using their “anti gang tattoo policy” because we are visibly tattooed is unacceptable. Help me to rectify this situation by making sure organizations like this don’t use their policies to discriminate against everyone who is visibly tattooed.
Comments
240 responses to “Saddle Ranch Chop House discriminates against customers”
I live in Breda, the Netherlands and deal with this sort of thing on a weekly basis. We have about 20 bars in the centre of the city where i go almost every week. I can only go to about 5 bars, the rest will not let me in. The only things i have visible when i’m fully clothed are my stretched lobes (22 mm) and my long hair. I wear neat clothes when i go out. The bouncers won’t let me in because i’m too “extravagant”, or they’ll let me in, and once i take of my jacket and they see my heavy blackwork on my arms they’ll tell me i have to keep my arms covered. I was even once denied entrance by a bouncer who had full sleeves. They said the bar wanted to look “respectable” Me personally, i have just accepted it. If they think my money isn’t good enough i’ll spend it elsewhere where my business will be apreciated. But i bet they all just LOVE to watch miami ink!
I live in Breda, the Netherlands and deal with this sort of thing on a weekly basis. We have about 20 bars in the centre of the city where i go almost every week. I can only go to about 5 bars, the rest will not let me in. The only things i have visible when i’m fully clothed are my stretched lobes (22 mm) and my long hair. I wear neat clothes when i go out. The bouncers won’t let me in because i’m too “extravagant”, or they’ll let me in, and once i take of my jacket and they see my heavy blackwork on my arms they’ll tell me i have to keep my arms covered. I was even once denied entrance by a bouncer who had full sleeves. They said the bar wanted to look “respectable” Me personally, i have just accepted it. If they think my money isn’t good enough i’ll spend it elsewhere where my business will be apreciated. But i bet they all just LOVE to watch miami ink!
Sur Sider: I’m all for a business being able to have the right to refuse service but when it’s based on something that’s not correct and is an abuse of a policy meant to protect people from gang violence then that is what bothers me.
Had they said that Norms flannel was too baggy, that’s fine. I understand dress codes but being told that we have GANG TATTOOS when we don’t, is just crazy. I have “Always” tattooed on my palm and LA in script on my wrist. Those are not gang tattoos but they look like it if you’re an idiot.
The situation was handled very poorly and I hope they think twice in the future about using a policy like that to refuse service.
It’s like at my convention we have a “No motorcycle colors” allowed policy. This means you can be in a club, you just can’t wear your colors. I don’t make them cover up their tattoos because that’s not something you can change. It would be one thing to say “no hats” because you can take your hat off and put it into your car. It’s another thing if they say “No heads”. You just can’t remove that.
I have a pretty strict customer service policy. If someone is abusive or swears at Jen, she can refund their purchase and cancel their accounts and we refuse them service but that is based on a real reason, not making something up and using some other policy to cover it up.
Does that make sense?
Sur Sider: I’m all for a business being able to have the right to refuse service but when it’s based on something that’s not correct and is an abuse of a policy meant to protect people from gang violence then that is what bothers me.
Had they said that Norms flannel was too baggy, that’s fine. I understand dress codes but being told that we have GANG TATTOOS when we don’t, is just crazy. I have “Always” tattooed on my palm and LA in script on my wrist. Those are not gang tattoos but they look like it if you’re an idiot.
The situation was handled very poorly and I hope they think twice in the future about using a policy like that to refuse service.
It’s like at my convention we have a “No motorcycle colors” allowed policy. This means you can be in a club, you just can’t wear your colors. I don’t make them cover up their tattoos because that’s not something you can change. It would be one thing to say “no hats” because you can take your hat off and put it into your car. It’s another thing if they say “No heads”. You just can’t remove that.
I have a pretty strict customer service policy. If someone is abusive or swears at Jen, she can refund their purchase and cancel their accounts and we refuse them service but that is based on a real reason, not making something up and using some other policy to cover it up.
Does that make sense?
I been there lots of times and i have tattoos everywhere. i think cause they know that she is running modblog? maybe they were hating cause it changed and most of the post are all about her… ANYONE ELSE AGREE… cause if you write anything about Rachel she will erase it
I been there lots of times and i have tattoos everywhere. i think cause they know that she is running modblog? maybe they were hating cause it changed and most of the post are all about her… ANYONE ELSE AGREE… cause if you write anything about Rachel she will erase it
Also, I’m not interested in suing them or making a huge media frenzy out of it. I have zero interest in that. What I do want though is to make it public knowledge when a business has policies like this.
On the other hand, I keep going over to Kmart and there is an employee there named Angel who has probably 1.5″ lobes and he’s super awesome so Kmart is cool and Saddle Ranch Chop house is not.
The one benefit of having a website as large as this one is that pretty soon when people google for Saddle Ranch Chop House, this post will come up before theirs and people can read and rethink if they want to support a business that acts the way they do.
This leads into another pet project I have had in mind for a long time which is basically a “yelp” for modified friend/unfriendly businesses so you could rate businesses that either hire or support modified people. The body art industry is a XXX million dollar industry and we have the dollars to make change simply by deciding where to spend those dollars. So the moral of the story here again is to only support places that support us.
Also, I’m not interested in suing them or making a huge media frenzy out of it. I have zero interest in that. What I do want though is to make it public knowledge when a business has policies like this.
On the other hand, I keep going over to Kmart and there is an employee there named Angel who has probably 1.5″ lobes and he’s super awesome so Kmart is cool and Saddle Ranch Chop house is not.
The one benefit of having a website as large as this one is that pretty soon when people google for Saddle Ranch Chop House, this post will come up before theirs and people can read and rethink if they want to support a business that acts the way they do.
This leads into another pet project I have had in mind for a long time which is basically a “yelp” for modified friend/unfriendly businesses so you could rate businesses that either hire or support modified people. The body art industry is a XXX million dollar industry and we have the dollars to make change simply by deciding where to spend those dollars. So the moral of the story here again is to only support places that support us.
And they do! Sometimes.
And they do! Sometimes.
Steve(Stainless) – American Apparel is BIG TIME discriminators against tattooed people. My girlfriend works at one here, they no longer hire people with visible mods. Before someone can be hired they have to be photographed, the application and photos are sent to corporate, who looks the person over and decides if they look “American Apparel Enough”. My girlfriend has a simple chest piece and some small tattoos on her wrists, as well as 1″ lobes. She commonly gets comments about covering up or treated badly in reference to her tattoos and ears. If someone really wanted to it probably wouldn’t be hard to bring a lawsuit against American Apparel.
Worst thing I ever get when going in somewhere is they don’t have a clue what to do about stamping my hands… I’ve had plenty of people say offhanded things but never an employee of an establishment. You better believe I’d make a scene over it.
Steve(Stainless) – American Apparel is BIG TIME discriminators against tattooed people. My girlfriend works at one here, they no longer hire people with visible mods. Before someone can be hired they have to be photographed, the application and photos are sent to corporate, who looks the person over and decides if they look “American Apparel Enough”. My girlfriend has a simple chest piece and some small tattoos on her wrists, as well as 1″ lobes. She commonly gets comments about covering up or treated badly in reference to her tattoos and ears. If someone really wanted to it probably wouldn’t be hard to bring a lawsuit against American Apparel.
Worst thing I ever get when going in somewhere is they don’t have a clue what to do about stamping my hands… I’ve had plenty of people say offhanded things but never an employee of an establishment. You better believe I’d make a scene over it.
OK… When was it legal for an establishment to ask its patrons to remove clothing for a tattoo inspection? Is there a certifacation process? Just that alone is disturbing. Rachel, this happens at a lot of places but its just sad that this type of behavior is prevalent in this day and age.
OK… When was it legal for an establishment to ask its patrons to remove clothing for a tattoo inspection? Is there a certifacation process? Just that alone is disturbing. Rachel, this happens at a lot of places but its just sad that this type of behavior is prevalent in this day and age.
American Apparel sold out like 2 years ago thats why their policies have changed
American Apparel sold out like 2 years ago thats why their policies have changed
before i read the comments and get too worked up i just wanted to say this
I fully agree at the outrage at this resturaunt and wont be going there, but I feel this article would be more effective if it didn’t have sentences like “we should come together and boycott them”. At that point this went from an informative article about abuse towards the modified to a livejournal entry by some kids pissed off. Asking things like “as the modified community we should let this chain know our patronage effects their buisness and by adressing this head on. you can contact corporate…etc…don’t spend your money on their products..” all make sense. It’s just the sense of saying like we are 14 “lets boycott!” instead of all the intelegent and right ways to deal with this issue. I know that what we would be doing is boycotting, i just wish the article sounded more businesses like. Its feels hard to be taken seriously about things like that the modification community is real and big and full of smart productive members of society, when crazy’s can look at this article and claim we are like spoiled children.
if we are fighting all the time for equality for our community we should be able to show we can handle situations just as professionally as any other group would do.
before i read the comments and get too worked up i just wanted to say this
I fully agree at the outrage at this resturaunt and wont be going there, but I feel this article would be more effective if it didn’t have sentences like “we should come together and boycott them”. At that point this went from an informative article about abuse towards the modified to a livejournal entry by some kids pissed off. Asking things like “as the modified community we should let this chain know our patronage effects their buisness and by adressing this head on. you can contact corporate…etc…don’t spend your money on their products..” all make sense. It’s just the sense of saying like we are 14 “lets boycott!” instead of all the intelegent and right ways to deal with this issue. I know that what we would be doing is boycotting, i just wish the article sounded more businesses like. Its feels hard to be taken seriously about things like that the modification community is real and big and full of smart productive members of society, when crazy’s can look at this article and claim we are like spoiled children.
if we are fighting all the time for equality for our community we should be able to show we can handle situations just as professionally as any other group would do.
“Vandals of Los Angeles, Founded 1988″
Did I miss something about that T-shirt?
‘Right of admittance is reserved’ and that includes to people claiming allegiance to ‘vandals’, even if they look like they haven’t vandalized anything yet today. After all, vandals can go around in gangs and vandalize things, so you cannot be too careful!
So…
Just deem the “Vandals of Los Angeles, Founded 1988″ shirt to be at fault.
Remember that you can be denied entry into places in England for wearing trainers instead of shoes. That is standard policy for night-clubs, and no amount of making excuses will let you in. It could be your own birthday party inside, with the whole place hired just for your friends but the bouncers will still say no, you are not coming in. The same goes for T-shops in the summer, wear a football shirt or have no shirt at all and you are out, body-mods or not.
The whole world is not a struggle between you and your mods.
“Vandals of Los Angeles, Founded 1988″
Did I miss something about that T-shirt?
‘Right of admittance is reserved’ and that includes to people claiming allegiance to ‘vandals’, even if they look like they haven’t vandalized anything yet today. After all, vandals can go around in gangs and vandalize things, so you cannot be too careful!
So…
Just deem the “Vandals of Los Angeles, Founded 1988″ shirt to be at fault.
Remember that you can be denied entry into places in England for wearing trainers instead of shoes. That is standard policy for night-clubs, and no amount of making excuses will let you in. It could be your own birthday party inside, with the whole place hired just for your friends but the bouncers will still say no, you are not coming in. The same goes for T-shops in the summer, wear a football shirt or have no shirt at all and you are out, body-mods or not.
The whole world is not a struggle between you and your mods.
brush it off go somewear else happens to me and my friends etc all the time
most ppl complainging idoits with like wrist tattoos and lip pericings
brush it off go somewear else happens to me and my friends etc all the time
most ppl complainging idoits with like wrist tattoos and lip pericings
argh this is discrimination!!
argh this is discrimination!!
Where did the other photo go?
Where did the other photo go?
Sur Sider, I think you are mixed up.
Two quotes from the Street Gang Discussion board:
MSK #1
“msk inside of compton and in the area means MYRH STREET KREW its a click of cv70 they were tryin to settle shops inside the raquet club the lil apartments complex just between yo hood auto zone or sum like that and spook town just south of the center ,also the dtk down to kill are 70 now and they jumping tag bangaz with the quikness well 70 are known for copycatin’ some varrios spreading technik by jumpin crews in their set …peace”
MSK #2
“…MSK Mad Society Kings which is a tagging / graff crew that is mostly white and hispanic. They been around for awhile and I can’t see them putting that up* but they are white boys trying to be down so maybe they adopted that mentality from the Surenos [they put up the tres puntos mi vida loca now with their tags these days].”
I think Norm is more of #2 than #1. Check this out. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kzer/543555459/
More of a crew than a gang and not very to customers! To property on the other hand?
*This was a convo about the “MSK f-ck n-ggers” tags that are up around LA.
Sur Sider, I think you are mixed up.
Two quotes from the Street Gang Discussion board:
MSK #1
“msk inside of compton and in the area means MYRH STREET KREW its a click of cv70 they were tryin to settle shops inside the raquet club the lil apartments complex just between yo hood auto zone or sum like that and spook town just south of the center ,also the dtk down to kill are 70 now and they jumping tag bangaz with the quikness well 70 are known for copycatin’ some varrios spreading technik by jumpin crews in their set …peace”
MSK #2
“…MSK Mad Society Kings which is a tagging / graff crew that is mostly white and hispanic. They been around for awhile and I can’t see them putting that up* but they are white boys trying to be down so maybe they adopted that mentality from the Surenos [they put up the tres puntos mi vida loca now with their tags these days].”
I think Norm is more of #2 than #1. Check this out. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kzer/543555459/
More of a crew than a gang and not very to customers! To property on the other hand?
*This was a convo about the “MSK f-ck n-ggers” tags that are up around LA.
Hellcat, the photo was changed because the first one was making Norm look like a wanna-be gang kid.
I hope that pointing this out does not get my comment deleted.
Hellcat, the photo was changed because the first one was making Norm look like a wanna-be gang kid.
I hope that pointing this out does not get my comment deleted.
Judging by the restaurant’s website, you should have put on a skimpy T-shirt that exposed your belly, cut the neck down to expose your cleavage, and pulled your jeans down to just above the pubes. Norm made the mistake of wearing his hat properly; it should have been turned backwards. That would have done the trick.
Judging by the restaurant’s website, you should have put on a skimpy T-shirt that exposed your belly, cut the neck down to expose your cleavage, and pulled your jeans down to just above the pubes. Norm made the mistake of wearing his hat properly; it should have been turned backwards. That would have done the trick.
you must have not have noticed the, “All Non-Douche Bags Are Subject to Mod Profiling!” sign when you entered
you must have not have noticed the, “All Non-Douche Bags Are Subject to Mod Profiling!” sign when you entered
i agree with boycotting bad business practices. it’s definitely not right to discriminate based on ones appearances, including clothing. the richest person in the world could wear $30 shoes. however, modblog is a pretty powerful resource for entertainment. using it(modblog) for ones personal goals will eventually become a personal blog. which in a sense is discriminatory in itself.
if it were me i would have posted in my journal and perhaps linked to modblog. if i were at the restaurant….i would have pulled out my oozie and shot up the place. ha ha but seriously, as i’m sure it happened i would have educated the staff and begged them to have a nice day. exceptionally loud begging.
i agree with boycotting bad business practices. it’s definitely not right to discriminate based on ones appearances, including clothing. the richest person in the world could wear $30 shoes. however, modblog is a pretty powerful resource for entertainment. using it(modblog) for ones personal goals will eventually become a personal blog. which in a sense is discriminatory in itself.
if it were me i would have posted in my journal and perhaps linked to modblog. if i were at the restaurant….i would have pulled out my oozie and shot up the place. ha ha but seriously, as i’m sure it happened i would have educated the staff and begged them to have a nice day. exceptionally loud begging.
“I have “Always” tattooed on my palm and LA in script on my wrist. Those are not gang tattoos but they look like it if you’re an idiot.”
Yeah, an idiot OR someone who doesn’t know much about tattoos and would rather not risk it.
“I have “Always” tattooed on my palm and LA in script on my wrist. Those are not gang tattoos but they look like it if you’re an idiot.”
Yeah, an idiot OR someone who doesn’t know much about tattoos and would rather not risk it.
On the MSK thing that people are harping on, how exactly would they even know that? I don’t see “MSK” tattooed on Norm’s forehead. You can’t say that had any basis in what happened unless I’m mistaken and Norm actually does have MSK tattooed on his forehead.
And Rachel’s tattoos look nothing like gang tattoos nor does Rachel look like any gang member.
Discrimination has always been featured on ModBlog and why shouldn’t Rachel talk about it. This incident is just one of many like it I’m sure. Raising awareness so that this type of thing doesn’t continue happening to others is a huge part of what BME is about. There is no more appropriate venue than this one to tell this story.
On the MSK thing that people are harping on, how exactly would they even know that? I don’t see “MSK” tattooed on Norm’s forehead. You can’t say that had any basis in what happened unless I’m mistaken and Norm actually does have MSK tattooed on his forehead.
And Rachel’s tattoos look nothing like gang tattoos nor does Rachel look like any gang member.
Discrimination has always been featured on ModBlog and why shouldn’t Rachel talk about it. This incident is just one of many like it I’m sure. Raising awareness so that this type of thing doesn’t continue happening to others is a huge part of what BME is about. There is no more appropriate venue than this one to tell this story.
It seems to me if they had to ask Norm to remove clothing they were looking for a reason not to let him in since they couldn’t see one with all of his clothing on. Or maybe they just wanted to check him out? Get a better look at the goods and they decided his boobs weren’t big enough?
It seems to me if they had to ask Norm to remove clothing they were looking for a reason not to let him in since they couldn’t see one with all of his clothing on. Or maybe they just wanted to check him out? Get a better look at the goods and they decided his boobs weren’t big enough?
email, check!
email, check!
so…. who changed the picture to a less gangster looking one? not that they had any right to remove him, but still… hahah.
so…. who changed the picture to a less gangster looking one? not that they had any right to remove him, but still… hahah.
h3llc4t – I’m assuming Rachel changed the image because people were saying “Norm looks like a thug, so treating him like one is totally cool” — which is naturally absurd since that’s the very definition of prejudice.
Holly – If someone doesn’t know what “gang tattoos” are or looks like, then they shouldn’t be in charge of identifying them or denying service to people that they “think may have some”. If that’s the case, then they basically have a “no tattoos policy” since they can’t determine which tattoos may or may not be gang tattoos and they’ve apparently determined that someone “with a gang tattoo” is going to be shooting people randomly in their establishment. And if that’s the case, then we should stand behind a boycott anyway.
h3llc4t – I’m assuming Rachel changed the image because people were saying “Norm looks like a thug, so treating him like one is totally cool” — which is naturally absurd since that’s the very definition of prejudice.
Holly – If someone doesn’t know what “gang tattoos” are or looks like, then they shouldn’t be in charge of identifying them or denying service to people that they “think may have some”. If that’s the case, then they basically have a “no tattoos policy” since they can’t determine which tattoos may or may not be gang tattoos and they’ve apparently determined that someone “with a gang tattoo” is going to be shooting people randomly in their establishment. And if that’s the case, then we should stand behind a boycott anyway.
i don’t understand why the picture would be changed. kinda stupid if you ask me.
i don’t understand why the picture would be changed. kinda stupid if you ask me.