On February 23rd, my family and I (6 people) decided to go to Tads in Katy Texas. We have been there before about 9 months previous. We arrived around 7:00 pm and signed in for a table. The girl booking said it would be about 45 minutes. We agreed to wait. After an hour my husband went up to them and told them we have been here an hour and asked how much longer. She said they have a table but they do not have any silverware due to them all being dirty. We asked if we could go ahead and sit down and order our drinks. So we sat down and was having fun and enjoying each other’s company. We ordered appetizers and paid for a magician to perform some magic for us. By the time the magician left we had our appetizers yet still no silverware. The table next to us, which was a table large enough to fit about 8, stayed dirty with dishes and silverware for about 75% of the time we were there. We asked the waitress for some silverware and still did not receive them for about 10 minutes.
We ordered different appetizers including my husband which ordered egg-rolls. We then received our meals and began eating it. My husband and daughter ate a few egg-rolls. After about 5 minutes I noticed my husband started hunching over complaining his stomach was hurting and he began to sweat. I then looked at my daughter and her face was white and also began to complain that her stomach was hurting. Then she laid her head in her friend’s lap. I looked at my husband and he was laying his head on the table. I asked what they both ate and they said the egg-rolls. I immediately demanded to speak with the manager. He came to our table and clearly saw my husband and daughter in excruciating pain. He said he would take off the egg-rolls from the bill. I said I was not going to pay for this since my family was clearly sick and we had barely started dinner. He agreed and said he understands and they would take care of the bill.
I recently had ankle surgery so it takes me awhile to move and get around. I asked my father-in-law to get the car. I then got my scooter, since I cannot walk and tried to help my husband out while my daughter’s friend had to help her out. Many customers in the restaurant saw everything and was asking if we were all right. I of course said no and told them not to eat the egg-rolls. It took some time to get out and to get them into the car since they were hurting so bad. All of this took us awhile since we spoke with the manager and yet the owner never came out.
We got into the car but I decided to go back in to ask for the number to call to make a complaint. There was about 4 people trying to find that and all said that they could not locate any such number. After a few minutes of them looking the owner finally came out. I told her what happened, and she immediately cut me off saying the egg-rolls were not bad. I said that was the only thing they ate together and immediately after eating that they both got sick. She then got in front of the door and told me I had to pay for my check and she could not let me go without paying. I explained that if we just did not like it or it tasted weird I could understand, but it clearly made my family sick. I also told her the manager agreed with me and told me they would take care of the bill because he witness my family hurting, not her. She said that he did not say that and that I was lying. She was still in front of the door still demanding I pay for the bill. I said I had NEVER walked out on a check, but I truly felt like I should not have to pay. She of course just kept saying she could not let my leave without paying. I then walked around her and left.
The next day Saturday February 24th I received a knock on the door and it was the police. They asked my side of the story and said she was pressing charges if I did not go right now to pay. Or she would put a warrant for my arrest and they would have to take me to jail. I was shocked. I have never been in trouble with the law and have only received 2 tickets my whole life. I asked the officers if they would have done the same thing and they both said absolutely, but it is against the law. The moment my husband heard jail, he said he would go up there and pay the bill. The officers followed him even inside the restaurant.
I understand what I did was wrong, but all I could think about was getting my family out of there. The owner was very inappropriate even though she never even saw my family sick, and never once did she apologize. I know we spent $190, but this is not a lot to us since we are a big family. I am just shocked that $190 is worth loosing a customer and loosing future potential customers. With technology, social media, and all the organizations people are associated with these days I would think that is worth more than $190.