Forum Topic

Rude owner of Mali cafe

My  daughter, 18 at the time,  went for a trial shift for holiday work last year at Mali. She worked for a few hours and was given a sandwich as payment. She wasn’t told that the shift would not be paid, despite what the owner later told me. After the shift she was told someone would call her but after waiting for a week with no call, she called and was told the manager wasn’t there and would call her back. No call. She went in, was told the same thing. Again, no call. At this point she gave up. It was her first time trying for a job which is hard to get if you have no experience and can’t get your first break. But all ok she got a job somewhere else. While I was there to buy some cake, I saw what I guessed was the manager and went over simply to say that it would have been polite to let my daughter know that she didn’t have the job. I approached him with a smile and had no intention of getting into an argument, I just wanted to let them know that they could have handled the situation differently.Before I had even finished saying what had happened, the owner interrupted me and told me I was being ‘disrespectful’ because I pointed out she was working without being paid which is in fact correct. He said she would have been told. She wasn’t. He said he always sits them down at the end of the trial to talk about it. He didn’t. He said they always call people back. They didn’t. When I pointed this out , he accused me of lying. I have no reason to lie, neither does my daughter. Then he asked me strange questions like ‘where was I when my daughter was doing her shift?’ I’m not even sure what he was trying to imply. Rather than just apologising for not calling her back, he basically called us liars and told me I shouldn’t be telling him how to run his business. He flat out refused to listen to the facts. The worst customer service I’ve ever experienced and completely irresponsible when dealing with young people. As a parent, I’m passing on this information to anyone whose child may be looking to work there. Avoid at all costs. The owner is diabolical and I feel bad for his staff.

Yasmeen Alzubaydi ● 9d22 Comments

To be fair, Yasmeen, you're issue isn't with customer service rather it is with a personal experience that involved your daughter. You've aired a personal grievance in public in an attempt to inflict reputational damage to a business. For something that happened last year.

David Lesniak ● 9d

‘To be fair’ technically I was a customer at the time, buying some cake. Regardless of whether it was last year or now, the situation still remains the same. I’m hoping that should anyone be thinking of working there, especially with no experience, that they know what they’re getting into. I stated facts. Seems very fair to me.

Yasmeen Alzubaydi ● 9d

Irrespective of the 'cake' angle -  to issue your employment warning a year after the event serves little purpose.

Richard Schofield ● 9d

This is my take on payment. I'm not sure I would have expected to get paid for a "few hours" as a "trial shift" with the hope of being offered a position It's something one does to get a foot in the door i would have thought If someone had done a shift or more, 7-8 hrs a shift, then my thoughts would be the opposite. Or am i behind the times on this?

Julian Pavey ● 9d

What was it that spurred you to share what happened to your daughter a year ago, Yasmeen? Very odd.

Mike Smith ● 9d

How was the cake? I think we should be told.

Peter Millman ● 9d

Shame, Hope it never affected your daughters confidence too much, think it was the Pound Shop started with the unpaid workers, it must have spread,always best to have something in writing regarding agreed salary, she did get a sandwich at least, do you still shop there.

Janice Evans ● 9d

Wow I’m quite shocked by the responses. I have gone in a few times to say something but neither the owner or manager were there, or so I was told. My daughter didn’t expect to be paid for a trial shift, but she wasn’t told that as he claims. The reason I wrote this after a year, not that I think the timeline makes a jot of difference, is that his response when I pointed out to him how my daughter was treated, was rude and uncalled for. There  are so many young people trying to get jobs now, it’s nowhere near as easy as it used to be, but everyone has to start somewhere. His establishment, in my experience, didn’t treat my daughter well and I want to warn others. It’s not that complicated to understand and I don’t think my behaviour is ‘strange’.

Yasmeen Alzubaydi ● 9d

Needless to say, I didn’t leave with the cake so can’t comment on that.

Yasmeen Alzubaydi ● 9d

He probably was rude and lying but that’s life.  Many times people do t hear back.  Don’t take it personally and honestly I doubt anyone on this forum cares.

Soni Schuey ● 9d

'He probably was rude and lying'. Tell me, Soni, what do you have to back that up? As to whether 'anyone on this forum cares', think about the business here. An independent business that's responsible for masses of taxes and rent, just to be there. Then someone comes along who feels her adult daughter was slighted a year ago? Odd.

Mike Smith ● 9d

I don’t give a monkeys.  He prob was rude and lying unless OP is making it up.  Most people too scared to say no.  Anyway glad the daughter got a new job.

Soni Schuey ● 9d

Personally I think your responses are odd. Why does it make a difference when the actual event happened? His rude aggressive response to me when I happened yesterday and that’s what is relevant. It’s a local business so local kids will be trying to get jobs so I’m warning them of what they be getting into. Why do you find that so difficult to comprehend?

Yasmeen Alzubaydi ● 9d

Perhaps the OP and Soni can meet up for Fruit cake.

Richard Schofield ● 9d

The only fruit cake is you ya muppet.

Soni Schuey ● 9d

Dear dear, you shared with this forum, yours and your daughter's upsetting encounter.I sympathise with you.  Put all this behind you and try to draw positives from what has passed. Your daughter got a job and hopefully enjoyed it, having avoided a job that just didn't work out. Ignore the idiotic and narcissistic here, they neither understand human feelings or business.They are not worth it.As for "reputational damage" , just ignore that idiot.  You were just upset and aired your feelings on here.I feel sure that the owners of that business will have read this and be thinking it's all unfortunate and also better we all move on.  Running a business on a busy high street must be incredibly hectic and the complexity and variety of people you interface with, must be mind boggling. The owner(s) must actually be jolly good people, so give them the benefit of the doubt, in your own heart forgive them and move on.  Afterwards,  tell yourself you've forgiven them,  you'll feel much better for it and about it all.London is a hectic place, a melting pot of a place,  in an ever more crowded world.  We must all try to be more like you, tolerant, stoic and slow to react, while remaining ever caring.

Roland Bolowski ● 9d

This happened to the daughter of friends of ours a couple of years ago. It seems to be a pattern.

J Morse ● 9d

Your right.  Trial is usually unpaid unless he defo said it was paid but I highly doubt it would be expected to be paid.

Soni Schuey ● 8d

First of all, a genuine thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts and shown their support — we truly appreciate it 💛Actually, this is what happened when they came in just before closing:A couple arrived — not as customers to buy anything. They came just before closing, and it felt like they were there to cause trouble, not to do business. They asked directly for the manager or owner. When I spoke with them, the very first thing said was: "My daughter Lola worked here last year in the summer. She did a six‑hour shift and it was free labour."I had to stop her straight away because "free labour" is such an offensive and unfair thing to say — it is not who we are, and it is not how we operate. I told them we do not do that here at all.From there, the conversation became heated very quickly. Both of them kept telling me what I should do, how I should run my business — trying to teach me how to do things, saying "next time do this, next time do that". They also mentioned a couple of times about "customer service" — but they were not customers. They didn’t buy anything at all. They came with a grievance about something from a year ago, not as people here to buy our cake or our service.Our trial shifts are never six hours long. They are always short — 2 to 3 hours maximum — and it is clearly explained before anyone starts that they are unpaid. This is so we can both see if we are a good fit — for the candidate as much as for us. We provide a meal and drink as a thank you for their time. This is not "free labour" — it is a mutual opportunity.I also want to be clear: after checking with all my current staff and our records, no one recognises the name Lola, nor do we have any clear memory or record of this person attending a trial shift, or anyone returning to ask about a role. We have no knowledge of the visits described, or of any promise to call back.This relates to something said to be about a year ago. Many of our summer team are students who join us for the season and then move on. We simply cannot track down every former team member from that long ago to verify details — and no concern was raised at the time, or at any point since, until now.We treat everyone fairly, pay our staff correctly, and take great care with young people starting out. If there was a genuine concern, we would always want to speak calmly and directly — but that was not how this went.Thank you again to everyone for your kindness and support. We are proud of our business and our team, and we love being part of this community.Thank you.

Homayoun ● 8d

First thing I thought was "competitor or somebody with a grudge trying to do damage to a business".

Paul James ● 8d

I’m going to respond to this and then I’m done and will not waste any more energy on this. I came in with my husband as we wanted something sweet. After I had looked, I saw you sitting in the corner with your computer so assumed you were the manager or owner. That’s why I decided to say something. When I came over I was smiling and I made a joke. Before I had even finished my sentence, as you admit, you interrupted me to tell me how it was and how I was wrong. Neither myself nor my daughter are liars. She wasn’t told that she wouldn’t get paid and you didn’t contact her after, despite her THREE attempts to get a response. If you had just apologised for this, the whole thing would have been done and dusted. As it is, it makes me think this is how you treat all the young people doing trial shifts and I want to warn others. You were aggressive from the beginning and yes, that got my back up. But I certainly didn’t approach you like that and that’s how you treated me as soon as you heard something you didn’t like. As a business owner, you may hear things you don’t like and this is how you respond? Your response has shown me that you are nothing but a liar and shouldn’t be in public facing situations.

Yasmeen Alzubaydi ● 8d

Is it me, or is Roland swinging wildly between moods?He goes from "idiot" to hugs and kisses in a heartbeat. This after multiple instances elsewhere of being abusive particularly toward women. It's clear he hasn't run a public-facing business on a high street. As someone who has for nearly two decades, I can confirm he is correct the variety of people is mind-boggling. I can also confirm when people don't get their way for whatever reason it is all too common for them to post something negative online, dare I say vindictive, for no reason other than revenge. To do damage to the establishment (Roland, this is what's called reputational damage). My favorite examples are when people ask for favors (donations even) and then post something negative about quality, cost, service, owner/staff temperament, etc. All those things that come with a transaction. But the transaction never occurred. So a spurious claim to say the least. Given Yasmeen's choice to come to the forum a year after the incident and then disappear when the tide isn't in her favor is all a bit curious. I get this is Mama Bear protecting Baby Bear. Any parent would have that reflex. Many, many times we've accommodated local kids for placement, trails, summer gigs, etc. I can count on one hand without the thumb the number of times those kids have been functional in a public business setting. Is it really up to us to mention they shouldn't wear pajamas or sweat pants or gym shorts or look at their phones the whole time? To teach them what initiative is? To teach them what courtesy is? How to start an interaction with a customer? Follow through? Think? Plan? Be proactive? On many occasions others on this forum have mentioned how schools seem to fail the kids by preparing them for what lies beyond the classroom. It isn't just the schools. This example from Yasmeen is what often pops into my head. With no disrespect whatsoever, there does exist the possibility that, perhaps, the daughter in question wasn't ready for the trial at all. And that's not the fault of the business. If that were to be the case, you then have to put yourself in the owner's shoes and ask yourself, knowing how social media can be, would you tell the parent straight up their child simply wasn't up to it, or would you possibly bob and weave? Again, I'm not saying that's what happened here, but it is very much part of the dynamic at play.

David Lesniak ● 8d