For the second year, on March 16, we’ll reverse the roles for an evening at Bidon Taverne Culinaire, in Saint-Lambert. Too often forced to endure the derogatory remarks of certain impatient and rude customers, the employees of the popular neighborhood restaurant are encouraged to drop their usual filters of courtesy and politeness. To the great pleasure of everyone!
It was the manager of Le Bidon de Saint-Lambert, Valérie Cadieux, who convinced her boss Alain Éjeil to make a first try on 1er April 2023. The idea came to him after hearing about Karen’s Diner, a canteen in Australia where the staff does not hesitate to shout down customers, like the “Karens”, a nickname given to these shrews who think they are everything permitted towards employees. “There, they do it daily, we make do with one evening a year. It’s our way of celebrating people in the restaurant industry, emphasizes the one who has been in the field for 20 years. We give ourselves the right to respond to an increasingly difficult clientele. This is a healthy swing of the pendulum. »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Kitchen employees also take part in the event. In the photo: Luis, Amber Valentini, Marc-Alain Campeau (executive chef), William Bérard and Manny.
Obviously, the event is intended to be good-natured. No violence or insult is tolerated and, in any case, the clientele is informed and they willingly play the game. “The idea is to send the message that it is difficult to serve Karens,” adds Valérie Cadieux, acknowledging However, it is not the most difficult customers who will be at the restaurant during this very special evening.
The manager called her staff a month in advance to prepare for the event, which will be a little less improvised than last year.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The evening will be marked by irreverence.
It’s really a crazy idea, but it’s a great evening, it’s completely crazy, people are asking for more!
Valérie Cadieux, manager of Le Bidon de Saint-Lambert
We can therefore expect to see the hostess completely ignore us or waiters pass a broom between our feet, be served glasses of hot water – last year, a lady even had to mix her tartare herself. -even in a dead end! According to Valérie Cadieux, around half of the restaurant’s employees take part in the game; the youngest are the most enthusiastic.
The Karen evening is organized only at Le Bidon in Saint-Lambert, which has had a loyal local clientele for 13 years – exceptionally, reservations for the evening of March 16 can only be made by telephone. Less adventurous customers can therefore fall back on the new Sainte-Julie branch, at least for this year!
35, boulevard Desaulniers, Saint-Lambert, 450 671-9000
Visit the Bidon Taverne Culinaire website