I was subjected to egregious rudeness, verbal abuse, and unwarranted aggression by a waiter of Willoughbys , Klint Fennel. As a loyal patron of The Waterfront and a frequent visitor to that establishment, I am appalled by this breach of basic human decency and professional standards, particularly from an individual in the position of a waiter at one of Cape Town’s most esteemed restaurants.
To provide context, I dined with my small dog, Tiger who is ill and requires constant accompaniment. For her comfort and mobility, we transport her in a compact pet buggy, which she rides in discreetly. This arrangement has allowed us to enjoy The Waterfront’s amenities on multiple occasions without incident, as I have witnessed animals in such carriers are routinely accommodated throughout the mall. Indeed, I have personally observed numerous patrons with similar setups —dogs in buggies or even on laps—dining at your restaurant without reproach.
Upon entering, one Klint Fennel immediately approached me in a belligerent manner, His tone was not merely discourteous but vicious , delivered in full view of other guests and staff. As a mere waiter , he holds a role that demands courtesy, poise, and hospitality—qualities he abjectly failed to uphold. Instead, he wielded his minor authority with audacious malice, summoning security personnel not once, but twice, to forcibly eject me ,shouting, “Take your dog and get out of The Waterfront!” The first security officer, to his credit, responded with empathy, advising me to relax before I departed to a nearby pet-friendly restaurant. Tragically, Klint Fennel overrode this compassionate intervention with further vicious instructions, compelling a second officer to intervene.
Compounding this outrage, as I departed graciously, Mr. Fennel mockingly waved and blew a kiss in my direction before the entire restaurant —a pathetic display of petty triumphalism attempting to further humiliate me and undermined the dignity of the establishment. Some of the other staff confided that they were powerless against his “vicious instructions,” highlighting a toxic dynamic that prioritizes bullying over service.
Fennels behavior was not only an affront to me but a profound embarrassment to the restaurant. His actions reveal a bitter, frustrated individual—evident in his affected appearance and demeanor—who abuses his limited remit (directing patrons to tables attempting overseeing staff) to masquerade as an enforcer of mall-wide policy, far beyond his authority. No waiter has the right or remit to expel patrons from The Waterfront; that is the domain of mall security who were kind abd compassionate ,not a restaurant employee. His conduct was mean-spirited, ugly in its cruelty, and wholly unbecoming of South Africa’s dining scene. I am certain the proprietor would be disgusted to learn of
Do you want more no more you haven’t had any pellets to do representation.
I will pursue resolution through public review platforms, including a detailed account on social media and sites such as TripAdvisor.
My commitment to The Waterfront is unwavering, and I will return. He has proven himself to be a bully who uses his minor position to act out his frustrations on patrons on his imaginary stage. The professional theatrical platform was one he has previously perhaps failed on hopelessly It is painfully clear that this public performance of authority , in a restaurant ,masks a profoundly unhappy individual, but his personal failings are no excuse for subjecting customers to such reprehensible behavior.
