You know even less about waiting tables than you do about management. If these people do not work hard to serve their customers, then they do not get tipped, which is the primary source of their income, not the meager paycheck that the boss signs. Introducing demands of the customer beyond paying for food and not being disrespectful to the staff is a recipe for suicide in the service industry.
If a server asked for my email address for marketing purposes, I would demand the owners home phone number as a reasonable trade for such information. If the owner does not feel that it would be appropriate to provide that information to a random customer, then he should shut the hell up and refill my drink, and mind his own damn business.
If he wants an email addy that badly, he should include it next to all of the prices on the menu and be up front about it, and not ambush captive diners with his dumbass demands...JFK
I’ve never been exposed to such intrusions coming from a business, but appreciate some of the advice you give on handling such issues. Thanks, it’s food for thought. I especially like the idea of trading my email address for the boss’s phone number. Naturally, I’d give a bogus email address anyway, expecting the boss to do the same. But just the asking would leave its mark...