Rude Restautant Service Comes To "Fruition" in Denver

As somewhat of a foodie, I love the idea of being able to take clients out when traveling to a new town. This September's CEDIA custom AV installer convention is my next opportunity and with one full month before the show, I set out to make some reservations for industry dinners.

While I do not have a $3,000 per month pornography habbit like allegations made about Christy Brinkely's husband and his spending - I do pay about $3 per year to have access to Zagat.com. The site, which once was free, can be a good place to find new restaruants as well as see how people really feel about the better eateries in town. Its like a TripAdvisor.com for food and Dener is one of the cities they cover so I started my search looking for the highest rated places.

The newest, most highly rated restauant in Denver is called Fruition. It is reportedly a "new American" cuisne joint that people are raving about. It has a 26 (of 30) for food which is pretty strong by any city's standards so I gave them a call to book a reservation around noon Pacific Standard Time. A few hours later a surly French-sounding host called me back and things went downhill fast. I was asking for a table for 6 at 7:30 on Friday with one month's notice. And please notice that this isn't The French Laundry or Il Mulino in New York we are talking about here. This is Denver with a full month's notice. The level of attidude I got was unreal. I got the you can eat here at eaither 5:30 or 9:00 with no apologies. Then the "we don't seat tables that large" line. How can you be a restaurant and not seat a table for 6? I wasn't asking for a table for 16 - a table for 6 is pretty standard even for the smallest restrants in the country. Ultimately, the guy just hung up on me after saying "I just can't help you!" If you were ever looking for the defintiion of The Business of No - this is it.

Think of the work it takes to be a well rated restarant in Zagat? Top chefs and resauranturs sweat their ratings there much like they worry about losing their third star from The New York Times yet this newcomer to the restaurant world - likely with investors who have yet to recoup their money yet - are turning down business that simply comes to them.

What I can tell you is - the girl at the next 26/30 rated restaurant down the Zagat.com list, called the Barollo Grill, was unbeleivable sweet and accomodating. She went out of her way to ask "Is this a special event?" and "How can we make your meal with us extra-special?" When I told her I would have important clients with me she immediatley responded with "We have a perfect table for 6 that is a little more quiet. I will reserve that one for you." I am excited about dining at this restaurant just from booking the reservation.

My prediction is that the only thing that will come to Fruition is a bankrupcy filing. The restaurant business is too dificult to treat customers like this especially when you are in Denver - not New York, LA or London. Get a clue.