Steak N Shake Racial Profile/Discrimination South Bend Indiana

Went to Steak and Shake on Saturday, July 26, 2008. Walked across the parking lot from the Hotel I was checked into and went into the Steak N Shake establishment around 2:28 p.m. Once I walked in, there were 3 african american women waiting to be seated ahead of me. Ten minutes later 2 caucasion women walked in. At 2:41, the manager came out to seat the 3 black women, but asked if there were 4 of us, because I am an African American myself. Another server came out then seated me at 2:43 and then immediately seated the 2 caucasion women that came in behind me. I waited for someone to come to the table, there were 4 different servers that walked past my table and never said a word to me.

Approxmiately at 2:55 there were 2 caucasion men that came in and were seated in the booth directly in front of me. Meanwhile, the black females were not served and the caucasion women that came in behind were being served soup, drinks and orders already taken. At 3:10 the server named NICK to orders from the booth of white men directly in front of me, simultaneously, the manager James Scripps came to my booth to assist me and I proceeded to tell him that I had not received service and that this situation needed to be addressed. He tried calming me down and asked me what I wanted and he would investigate the situation.

After the manager took my order, he proceeded to talk to Nick and told him that I was complaining about being ignored; In about 4 minutes the manager had my food served. However, the waiter Nick never came by, spoke, smiled or offered an apology. The manager waived my bill and then further insulted me saying the waiter Nick, thought that I came in after the 2 caucasion men and was seated later.

This was very insulting, humiliating and degrading thirty minutes of my life---I no longer enjoy one of my favorite eating establishments because of this racist incidents

JLJ
Albuquerque, New Mexico
U.S.A.