Dick’s Last Resort is an American restaurant chain renowned for its obnoxious waiting staff. Patrons can expect to be insulted, made fun of and put in uncomfortable situations, all in the name of fun, of course.
If you like greasy southern grub Dick’s Last Resort is the perfect eatery for you. They specialize in juicy steaks, ribs, burgers and fried chicken, all served in extra-large portions sure to satisfy the biggest appetite. But that’s not why so many people across America come here. They come to be abused by the surly, obnoxious staff. The first ever Dick’s Last Resort restaurant opened as a fine dining establishment, 28 years ago. There were too many of those around and the venture turned out to be a failure which led to bankruptcy. Determined to make it in the restaurant business, owner Steve Schiff gave it another shot, only this time he decided to “go sloppy”. The classy decor was replaced by a wacky one, and the uber-friendly staff became obnoxious and abusive with patrons. Believe it or not, the bizarre concept proved a winner, and today Dick’s Last Resort is a successful restaurant chain with 13 different locations across the United States.
Photo: MySpace
Employing an obnoxious staff who likes nothing more than make raunchy comments and act rude to customers sounds like a sure way to fail in an industry where service is key, but it’s what keeps people coming back. They seem to enjoy getting a hand-full of napkins thrown in their faces when they ask for some, or have the waiters decide what kind of beer they’re going to have when they take too long to order. Waiters have the habit of placing large paper hats on people’s heads and writing embarrassing stuff on them. For example if you were there with your whole family, they’d probably write “please call child protective services” on your son’s hat, “they are real and my boyfriend paid for them” on your wife’s, and “I lost my virginity to George Washington” on grandma’s. These are all lines actually used in the restaurants, I didn’t make them up. Going to a Dick’s Last Resort restaurant is definitely a different kind of dining experience, but it’s best enjoyed by those with a good sense of humor, who don’t take the insults too seriously. To be honest, even risqué menu items like Pork Bonerz, Ass Byte Burgers or Crabby Balls could be considered disturbing by some people, but they’re nothing compared to the staff’s attitude.
Photo: MySpace
In order to become part of the world renown Dick’s Last Resort staff, applicants have to go through a series of interviews the company refers to as auditions. They are asked questions like “What’s your favorite scene in ‘The Hangover’?”, they have to play improvisation games and charades, and the final test is a dance competition.
Sources: Star Tribune, IBJ