Kitchen staff walks out at Castagnola's in S.F.

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 9/8/11 | Paolo Lucchesi

[SmithL]

Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 95-year-old Castagnola's on Fisherman's Wharf (286 Jefferson St.) was buzzing. With a holiday weekend swelling the reservation book, the dining room was full and the Saturday night comedy show was set to begin.

Then the kitchen staff walked out.

[SmithL]

Castagnola's has since hired a new kitchen staff.

I love a happy ending.

[Red Badger]

Castagnola's has since hired a new kitchen staff......

[PhiloBedo]

I’ve never been impressed with the food there. It’s just a tourist stop.

[Vendome]

too smart by half.

[al44]

Yeah, that kitchen crew sure showed them a thing or two.

[Vendome]

Totally.

[handmade]

Well- I guess the kitchen staff showed them,...oh wait- it was not kitchen staff that still has a job.

Sure nice to see the good guy come out on top over the bullies.

[RowdyFFC]

Fire their sorry behinds. Others can step up to the plate that are serious about their jobs who can follow a recipe.

If employees are too dumb to understand the simple math of keeping a business afloat, they need to go back to school anyway.

[Baynative]

"The restaurant closed for the night. It reopened the next day, but estimates for the lost Saturday night revenue lurched upward of $40,000."

""Employee demands are up and we can't meet the same demands as chain restaurants," she says, adding that many Fisherman's Wharf restaurants are struggling to make a profit."

?

[Calvin Locke]

Perhaps things will improve with the new kitchen staff?

Or was it the quality of the ingredients instead of the preparation and delivery?

[atc23]

Tourist Trap.

[traditional1]

Were any of the kitchen staff able to speak English?

[glorgau]

Castagnola's has since hired a new kitchen staff.

Wow, must have got results from E-Verify fast!

[SES1066]

I love a happy ending.

I don't know, this is whacky California and even whackier San Francisco. Any guesses about what City Hall and various labor unions might come forward on something like this?

I hope not but then again this might be owned by NancyP's family or friends. In which case maybe nothing happens. Aren't conspiracy theories FUN!

[Future Useless Eater]

Castagnola's has since hired a new kitchen staff.

Great story, thanks.

The writer said they had $40,000 in lost revenues, but since most of those restaurants were also said to be breaking even, they must also have saved close to $40,000 in salaries and expenses too.

In the long run, the restaurant will thrive. Despite the bad press the SF papers will give them, tourists have no soft spot for union thug tactics.

Castagnola's has since hired a new kitchen staff.

Great story, thanks.

The writer said they had $40,000 in lost revenues, but since most of those restaurants were also said to be breaking even, they must also have saved close to $40,000 in salaries and expenses too.

In the long run, the restaurant will thrive. Despite the bad press the SF papers will give them, tourists have no soft spot for union thug tactics.

[Future Useless Eater]

Another heart-warming part of this story is...

Imagine the reception that this kitchen staff gets when it shows up, applying for work at OTHER area restaurants, and having Castagnola's listed as their most recent job!!!

[pogo101]

I’ve never been impressed with the food there. It’s just a tourist stop.

This. And I went there as a tourist ... and feel absolutely no need to return. Pricey, mediocre.

[ridesthemiles]

My first mental image was of Gordon Ramsey telling them all off royally & colorfully in language only he can execute!!! Even Gordon can say : “You’re Fired” as well or better than Trump.

[semaj]

It appears that most of the commentors on this thread want to jump on the kitchen help for walking out. nothing in the story details any of the negotiations, but does mention longer shifts and a new menu. Were wage or benefit cuts part of teh package? Instead of criticising the help, how about using some logic to determine the real reason why this happened.

Is it possible that over-regulation and taxation has placed too heavy a financial burden on businesses to the point that they can longer affrod to pay employees a fair wage? Is it possible that the Feds continual devaluation of our currency has demolished the ability of workers to earn enough to meet basic living requirements? The workers felt they were faced with an untenable proposition and did the right thing by walking out, which is their right and is the honorable thing to do in such a situation.

Take it or leave it. We all are faced with the choice, or should they have stayed on receiving a paycheck and spitting in the food, and stealing from the employer?

[beandog]

Decent people give notice of their departure. Try getting another job having left this way. Who’s going to want to hire you knowing you might leave them high and dry. Not very smart on the employees part.