A couple days ago, Sept. 30, Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello took to his Twitter account to complain about the service at Seattle’s 5 Point Café, which he referred to as "Super rude & anti-worker" after he was turned away at the door, though the restaurant claims to have been at capacity. The restaurant responded to these accusations, with owner David Meinert calling Morello and his crew "totally rude" and defending the restaurant as "totally pro-worker." Now, Morello has released a statement of his own, giving his side of the story in a lengthy Facebook post, dubbing the event "Pancake-Gate."
Morello opens the statement with a semi-apology, saying he regretted his "twitter salvo" and would be willing to "discuss the matter to conclusion with all concerned." After the civil introduction, however, Morello then gives us a "blow by blow" of his experience at 5 Points Café.
Morello claims that when he arrived at the restaurant, he was told it was "at capacity and it would probably be a 10min wait." After several people left, however, the doorman allegedly continued to deny entry to Morello and his crew. After several minutes of dealing with the doorman, whom Morello referred to as "a hipster version of the Studio 54 doorman," Morello and his crew left and went to IHOP instead.
The restaurant was quick to respond to Morello’s statement on Facebook, telling him, "Next time don't call, IHOP is glad to take your money and donate it to right wing politicians so keep going there and supporting the very thing you claim to rage against. Pathetic."
There are a lot of elements to this story, including accusations of racism, minimum wage rhetoric and the doorman’s response to the situation.
You can read Morello's whole statement below:
Subject: Pancake-Gate
I regret that my twitter salvo about the treatment I received at a Seattle restaurant and the subsequent digital tempest in a tea pot may have taken away from the important work of those organizing for a $15min wage and the Seattle show I played on their behalf.
When next in Seattle I would be happy sit down over a beverage — or sooner on the phone — and discuss the matter to conclusion with all concerned. The restaurant, the incident and my bruised feelings don’t matter. What does matter is the hard, tireless work put in by those committed to fighting for a more just world.
If interested however here is the non-140 character blow by blow of the "Encounter At @The5PointCafe":
Our team of musicians flew to Seattle for a benefit show for 15 Now, the grassroots campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15. I've long been a supporter of this particular campaign as well as the national drive for a living wage.
The show itself at the former Off Ramp went great. I was reunited with former @Audioslave band mate @ChrisCornell for the first time in years and together with the raucous crowd it was really a special evening. A good deal of money was raised for the 15Now cause and we wandered into the Seattle late night happy … and hungry.
Two of our hosts from 15Now a band mate of mine, a woman from management, and my brother from Kenya comprised our party. Someone suggested Five Points, a spot I remember fondly from back in the day. I had some reservations because one of our 15Now friends said that while the owner was a good guy and treated staff well, the restaurant itself was on "the wrong side of the minimum wage issue" and had attempted to water down the $15min wage legislation by drawing out the implementation period and adjusting for tips to make it more palatable to small businesses. I am 100% on the side of an undiluted $15Now initiative which is in my view the only "pro worker" position, but hey we were hungry so let’s give it a shot.
The restaurant was packed and spirited and we asked the doorman "party of 6 for dinner?" He said they were at capacity and it would probably be a 10min wait. No problem. Then ten people or so left the restaurant. "Can we come in now? Those people just left." No. "Why?" I’m not letting anyone in. "Wait a second. Are you at capacity or are you not letting anyone in?" I'm not letting you in. "So you're no longer at capacity but we can't come in?" No. "Um ok. How about we order take out and sit at one of these 20 empty tables outside?" No. "Ok what's really going on here dude? Some of us have traveled a long way. He’s from Kenya! I’m from the 90′s!" I'm not letting you in. "Say, is your manager here? Maybe he's a Rage Against The Machine fan? He might even raise your pay to $15 an hour!" More people leave the restaurant. It's clearly under capacity. Then our friends see that inside the restaurant several tables are occupied by friends of ours from 15Now. "Hey look we don't even need a table. We'll just join our friends who are already inside?" No. "Really? Why not?" I'm not letting you in. "Can we just go TALK to them and see if they have room for us?" No. It was like a hipster version of a Studio 54 doorman. At that point my band mate made a flavorful declaration and we decamped to the trusty, attitude free, IHOP where we enjoyed a drama free stack of hotcakes.
To be clear: at no point did myself or anyone in our party "demand special treatment", a "private room" or any other ridiculousness.
I was however pissed at the rudeness of the doorman to my friends and my younger brother–of whom I'm quite protective. I question what underlying motives the doorman may have had. Bad day? Anti-Kenyan? Preferred the Spin Doctors?
Whatever the cause, it is unfortunate that MY actions in response have diverted attention from the great work done by 15Now. "Twitter bitching" is counterproductive as it invites grossly misinformed conjecture not easily dispelled in 140 characters. Lesson learned.
As I've said before Seattle is truly an advanced society with its $15 minimum wage, its legal pot, it's gay marriage, its great music and its Seattle Seahawks.
Next time we'll call ahead.
TM
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