A local family says they're shocked by the treatment they received from workers at a Chinese restaurant in Pocatello. They were told that because one of the family members was unable to eat she would have to wait outside for everyone else. So now we’re taking action for you.
Kris Berkouwer has tongue cancer and was physically unable to eat at the restaurant, but the restaurant owner says they were just following policy. Kris’ husband Bas says, "We were shocked by the treatment."
Berkouwer says he and his family were looking forward to a meal at the Bamboo Garden, until they were told that Kris had to wait in the car because she wasn't going to be eating. Berkouwer tried to explain the situation to restaurant staff, "My wife could not eat. She is on a feeding tube. She has liquid feeding. We were told again that there was absolutely no reason for her to be in here. It was her policy to state clearly that we were not allowed...she was not allowed to eat in the restaurant."
I tried to talk to the owner of the Bamboo Garden, but he didn't want to do an on camera interview. He did tell me, however, that the restaurant’s policy has been in place for a long time, and that I needed to talk to his lawyer, Shawn Anderson.
Mr. Anderson also declined an on-camera interview, but told me that, "…because the policy is posted this is a simple issue. He also said, “The Berkouwer's should have exercised better judgment, and gone to a restaurant like Remo's." The Berkouwer's, however, just wish they had been treated better. "It's ruthless the way she laughed about the situation. The way we got basically told 'you guys can eat and be here your wife needs to sit in the car," says Berkouwer.
They also say this kind of treatment is a poor reflection of Idahoans. Berkouwer says, "This state is a friendly state for everybody. To say to a cancer patient you're not welcome go sit in the car is beyond belief."
I spoke with other buffet-style restaurants in Pocatello like the Golden Corral, and they told me they prefer everyone who comes to the restaurant pay and eat their own meal, but they don't have any policies forcing someone to wait outside.