People in El Paso, Texas, were furious when they arrived at the steak house ready for a hearty dinner only to be greeted by signs that insulted their intellect and nation. This restaurant underestimated its own uniqueness while other restaurants struggled to stay open during the epidemic. Staff shortages have been the norm across the United States since the country’s economy collapsed under President Trump in 2020, when millions of people were thrown out of their jobs and onto the street during one of the deadliest epidemics in history.
A diner captured a photo of the Corralito Steak House’s sign, which was hung beside the dining tables. The message above informed consumers that they were understaffed and pleaded for patience – yet it also criticized the government for making it difficult for them to serve customers food as if the government hadn’t offered them assistance in the form of the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided thousands of dollars to keep staff on board.
The “offensive” sign read: “Sadly, due to government handouts, no one wants to work anymore. Therefore, we are short-staffed. Please be patient with the staff that did choose to come to work today, and remember to tip your server. They chose to show up to serve you.”
After the restaurant’s signage went viral on social media, reporters from Texas’ KTSM 9 News contacted them looking for a response – but the steak house has remained quiet in the hopes that everything will go away and customers will stop noting their insulting statement to consumers.
Worse still, El Paso’s Corralito Steak House received government handouts worth $1 million in the form of Paycheck Protection Program compensation.
The sign was first brought to the public’s attention by Veronica Frescas, who decided to act after seeing it. According to a June KTSM report, Frescas took a photo of the sign and posted it on social media so that people would understand that the steak restaurant was operated by hypocrites.
“I understand a lot of us are frustrated, but there could’ve been a better way to say something,” stated Frescas. “We’re still all in this together, and, for something like that, it didn’t seem like it was very El Paso strong.”
The restaurant was criticized for taking government subsidies when it profits them, but criticized others who do the same. Other folks thought that rather of relying on tips to make ends meet in their lives, the restaurant should pay its employees a living wage.
Businesspeople in Texas are well aware that restaurants like this steak restaurant are having trouble competing with national fast-food chains. However, the Texas Restaurant Association’s Leo Duran thinks that employers must increase salaries to remain competitive.
“If you’re going to survive, you’ve got to compete, and wages are really the baseline of what employees are interested in,” stated Duran, president-elect of the Texas Restaurant Association. “Just trying to shake off this pandemic and realize that we’re going out of it; let’s get back on our feet and get back to work.”
The restaurant has yet to respond to the viral sign, but we will keep you updated as soon as they do. In the meantime, let us know what you think about this sign and Corralito Steak House’s decision to put it in the comments section below.
