Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Woman Says Pasadena Restaurant Refused Service To Her Homeless Guest
A Pasadena restaurant is facing backlash after a woman's post on Facebook claims the restaurant mistreated a homeless man she offered to buy breakfast. The restaurant, however, disagrees with her version of events. Attorney Florencia Albert said in a post on her Facebook page that she has been a long-time customer of Conrad's Restaurant in Pasadena for many years, but has no desire to return after what transpired over the weekend.
On Saturday morning, she said she and her son encountered a homeless man named Michael near the entrance of the restaurant who asked her if she'd buy him some French toast. She said yes, and invited him inside. She said she asked the hostess if the restaurant would send Michael's bill to her table when he was finished. Michael sat at the counter and Albert's party sat elsewhere. Soon, however, she said she saw Michael outside again. She followed him and asked why he was leaving, and he told her that the restaurant would only allow him to take the food to-go.
I invited him back in. I called for the owner who said, "We don't want him here." Uh, no. "Why not?" "Michael sits outside and panhandles, bothering our customers asking for food." "He's not bothering anyone," I replied, "and he's my guest." To make a much longer story short(er), they let Michael eat at the counter but "today is the last time." Then, the restaurant owner called the police and told me she would send them to talk to me. Really? Ok. In an admirable show of humanity, the police talked only to the restaurant owner. Not to Michael. Not to me. Michael ate his meal and left. I paid the bills. And left this note for the owner. Join me in refusing ever to eat at Conrad's again.
The post also contains an image of both receipts, Michael's showing a ham and eggs special and a coke, totalling $16.57. As Albert's post spread, so did the backlash against Conrad's. The restaurant now has a not-so-great 2.5-star rating on Yelp, with numerous one-star reviews reposting Albert's note and declaring shame on Conrad's.
Sponsored message
However, the family that owns Conrad's has a different version of events. Their lawyer, Frank Gooch, told ABC 7 that they had no issues with Michael eating inside the restaurant. Rather, the police were called because Michael had been panhandling outside beforehand. "He was not refused service. He was given service, and there was no intention of ever having him thrown out. Although the police officer who came indicated that was an option that the family had," Gooch said.
Gooch also said that the family has previously given to charities and provided food to the homeless at the restaurant before. Gooch wants Albert to retract her post, CBS LA reports, but Albert refuses.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
