The owner of a West Bend diner said customers’ rudeness forced her to shut down.The restaurant is struggling with staffing.”Every day is crazy. Maybe because we’re so short-staffed,” Skinny Vic’s diner and Coffee Shop owner Vicki Lehnerz said.Four women tried to keep up Tuesday as the line grew.”We don’t have a dishwasher. I don’t have a busser. I don’t have a host,” Lehnerz said.The chef said it’s been a constant struggle to get workers post-pandemic.”Chefs, career servers, they were all forced to go find something else to do,” Lehnerz said.On Sunday, she said patience ran out. Tired of rude customers, she shut down her diner and posted a sign on the door.”What happened? how did it get that bad?” WISN 12’s Hillary Mintz asked.”The fact they have to be snapped at. Just the small snide comments, the rude comments, it breaks them down,” Lehnerz said.”She didn’t care about losing money. She cares a lot about those employees,” said John Bass, a regular customer. Lehnerz said since putting the sign up and closing early, the support has been overwhelming. Customers came out Tuesday to show they wanted to help her out.”I know they’re all working hard. We just wanted to support her when we saw the message,” said Rick Neuman, of the Washington County Restaurant Group. “I really hope it will help people understand what not only us, but everyone is going through,” a waitress said. “It makes me want to cry. It’s more than disappointing, it’s devastating. I still gotta pay rent. I can’t just close my doors, but at the same time, I felt it was extremely important,” Lehnerz said.Skinny Vic’s is hiring for all positions.
The owner of a West Bend diner said customers’ rudeness forced her to shut down.
The restaurant is struggling with staffing.
“Every day is crazy. Maybe because we’re so short-staffed,” Skinny Vic’s diner and Coffee Shop owner Vicki Lehnerz said.
Four women tried to keep up Tuesday as the line grew.
“We don’t have a dishwasher. I don’t have a busser. I don’t have a host,” Lehnerz said.
The chef said it’s been a constant struggle to get workers post-pandemic.
“Chefs, career servers, they were all forced to go find something else to do,” Lehnerz said.
On Sunday, she said patience ran out. Tired of rude customers, she shut down her diner and posted a sign on the door.
“What happened? how did it get that bad?” WISN 12’s Hillary Mintz asked.
“The fact they have to be snapped at. Just the small snide comments, the rude comments, it breaks them down,” Lehnerz said.
“She didn’t care about losing money. She cares a lot about those employees,” said John Bass, a regular customer.
Lehnerz said since putting the sign up and closing early, the support has been overwhelming.
Customers came out Tuesday to show they wanted to help her out.
“I know they’re all working hard. We just wanted to support her when we saw the message,” said Rick Neuman, of the Washington County Restaurant Group.
“I really hope it will help people understand what not only us, but everyone is going through,” a waitress said.
“It makes me want to cry. It’s more than disappointing, it’s devastating. I still gotta pay rent. I can’t just close my doors, but at the same time, I felt it was extremely important,” Lehnerz said.
Skinny Vic’s is hiring for all positions.
