Tourist kicked out of Australian restaurant for ‘not acceptable’ outfit
An Australian restaurant has apologised to an Italian backpacker after refusing to serve her and her boyfriend because she was dressed ‘inappropriately’.
Martina Corradi posted that she was ‘embarrassed and offended’ when a waitress told her she was not dressed ‘acceptably’ and then called the manager to kick her out ‘in front of everyone’ on Christmas Eve.
Today North Bondi Fish General Manager Gemma Swanson told Daily Mail Australia the restaurant had apologised to Ms Corradi and offered her a free meal.
She said: ‘We have reviewed the incident and acknowledge that it was an error of judgment to ask Martina and her partner to leave the restaurant.
‘We have since contacted Martina, apologised for the error in judgment and invited her and her partner back to enjoy lunch or dinner on us.
‘We uphold a casual dress code and it is clear that Martina should not have been asked to leave.
‘As a result, we will be re-training all of our staff and management on our protocols including dress code.
‘We pride ourselves in welcoming everyone to enjoy the North Bondi Fish experience.’
The Italian national was wearing high-waisted linen trousers, high heels and a bralet top.
After being kicked out she posted a photograph of what she was wearing on the Bondi Local Loop Facebook group and asked people what they thought of her outfit.
She wrote: ‘I just want an opinion from outside… because I felt very embarrassed and offended at the same time.
‘We did the sign in and we took a [seat] at the terrace outside, under the sun.
‘The waitress as soon as I took [a seat] she said that I’m not well dressed and this is not acceptable to stay in a place like that.
‘Me and my boyfriend we looked at her and we didn’t know what to say. We were shocked.
‘She called the manager and she asked him to tell me that this is not how I should dress to go to a restaurant, front of everyone!
‘I just want an opinion. I don’t know, maybe I’m crazy.
‘Even because, come on we are in COVID time, where restaurants are empty, how can you even think to kick someone out for a stupid thing like that?’
Dozens of locals commented that she ‘looked great’ with one saying many customers around the beach ‘are in their swimmers and towels’.
Some commented that her top ‘looks a bit like lingerie’ and her ‘midriff is showing’ which might ‘be against the restaurant’s dress code’.
On the venue’s website it says the dress code is ‘smart casual’.
Metro.co.uk has contacted North Bondi Fish for comment.
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