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Dukes Grill

 1114 Concord Ave
Monroe, NC
 

Good but not worth being insulted for owners' ego

Let’s get this out of the way: The burgers here are excellent, just as have been described by other reviewers and even Gourmet or some other foodie magazine. Yada yada yada. But Duke’s Grill has also become known for its no cellphone policy, which has been modified the last few years to allow cellphones but no talking on them – you have to take it outside. Let’s think about this for a moment, and what can justify this policy in 2017. You can have your phone out if you want to take a picture of your food to help Duke’s Grill brag, but not if you want to have a conversation on it. People can have conversations with others at their tables as loud as they want as long as they’re not being a public nuisance, but if someone stopping by for lunch by him or herself tries to use the phone the waitstaff will zone in on that customer almost instantly to end the call or go outside. So is the justification that you don’t want people talking so they can enjoy the food?? If that’s the case why discriminate against solo diners who try to talk to someone while eating a meal, just like diners eating with someone? And yes, the waitstaff will come straight to any customer using a cellphone, interrupt the call, and ask you to take it outside. My last visit here with my family my adult daughter took a call and forgot, a waitress was at our table in 5 seconds, yet when we needed refills the staff was slow until I held up my cellphone. Instant waitstaff at table. So obviously the staff has been trained or influenced by the owner to feel that enforcement of the phone policy is more important than serving the customers. What other rationale is there behind this policy than stroking the owner’s? “My food and restaurant is so special that I can make customers do what I want to eat it, and if they don’t like it they don’t have to come.” That’s fine, Duke’s Grill owners. Some will keep coming, and some won’t. But do you really want to be known for your joke of a policy in the 22nd century, or do you want to be known for your food? Maybe it’s time to grow up.

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John_l reviewed Dukes Grill