I used to really enjoy coming to Windy City Hot Dogs. I'm originally from Chicago, and this was one…read moreof the few places in Vegas I could count on when I wanted an Italian beef, gyro, or other Chicago-style food. Unfortunately, after my last two visits, I will not be returning.
The first bad experience happened about a month ago. I hadn't been in for several months, and from the moment my boyfriend and I walked in, the energy felt unwelcoming. The cashier was very short with me when I ordered. I initially brushed it off because I thought maybe she was tired or simply having a bad day.
What stood out, though, was what happened when a white customer came in afterward. The interaction was completely different. The staff greeted her warmly, were friendly, patient, and engaging with her. My boyfriend noticed the difference as well. Still, I decided not to make an issue out of it and gave the restaurant the benefit of the doubt.
Today I returned by myself, and unfortunately, I noticed the same pattern again.
The same cashier was short with me, particularly when I asked a question. Again, I let it go. Then another white woman came in and received a noticeably warmer greeting and much friendlier treatment from the staff.
Shortly afterward, another woman of color came in and asked the cashier a question about how a sandwich was prepared. The cashier responded so abruptly that the woman said something along the lines of, "I just asked a question. You didn't have to get short with me." Instead of simply clearing up the misunderstanding, an employee from the back jumped into the conversation and pointed toward a sign explaining the sandwich preparation. The entire interaction felt unnecessarily rude and dismissive over a simple question.
Then came my own food.
While waiting, I watched the staff scrape together the remaining fries that had been sitting there and bag them before the rest of my food was ready. A fresh batch of fries was made afterward. When my order was called, I politely asked if I could have some of the fresh fries instead.
The cashier told me, "These are fresh."
I explained that I had watched the fries being bagged before the new batch came out and simply asked again if I could have fresh ones.
Her response was to make a face, turn around, and tell the other employee, "Just give her fresh fries. Just give her fresh fries to get her out of here."
That was it for me.
I wasn't yelling. I wasn't being disrespectful. I wasn't causing a scene. I asked for fresh fries after literally watching a fresh batch come out. There was absolutely no reason to speak about me that way, especially while I was standing right there.
One uncomfortable interaction can be written off as someone having a bad day. Two visits where I observed noticeably different treatment toward customers, along with watching another woman of color receive the same dismissive attitude, is much harder for me to ignore.
I can only speak to what I personally experienced and witnessed, but the difference in how customers were treated made me feel extremely unwelcome and uncomfortable. After being a returning customer who genuinely enjoyed having a little taste of Chicago here in Vegas, that is incredibly disappointing.
The food is not worth being made to feel like my business is unwanted. I will spend my money somewhere that treats every customer with the same basic courtesy and respect.
I will not be returning.
