A Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles says it has fired an employee after he berated two men on a date. The couple made the mistake of showing a little affection to one another.
Actor Drew Droege, who is also a regular fixture on the LA comedy circuit, shared what happened on his Facebook and Instagram.
“Last night, I went on a really nice date,” Droege wrote. “With a really sad, disgusting, hateful moment in the middle.”
“We went to El Compadre in Echo Park. The food and our server were both great. We paid and had a bit of time before catching a show downtown.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“Finishing up our second drinks, we had our arms around each other and kissed a few times. A manager approached our table and said something to the affect of, ‘you guys can’t do that here.’ We were confused at first, but then he very firmly stated, ‘this is a family restaurant.’”
“I asked if anyone had complained to him, as we looked around and only saw happy straight couples eating, laughing, doing the same thing we were doing,” Droege said. “He threw his hands in front of us and said, ‘I don’t care if you’re the President of the United States, we don’t allow your behavior here.’ We promptly got up and left.”
Droege went on to say, “Ever wonder why gay people often seem nervous? Why do we walk faster? Why do we work so hard to please others and be good little citizens in this world? I will never be back. I encourage you all to find another place too. Also after this happened to us, we went outside and made out in their parking lot.”
The restaurant responds
Droege’s posting prompted hundreds of comments. Pretty soon, people were also leaving complaints and negative reviews on El Compadre’s social media and Yelp page.
Yesterday, El Compadre responded on its Instagram page.
“We want to sincerely apologize for the actions of our manager the night of December 12th. This is not representative of our core values at El Compadre, and we wanted to let our customers know that the manager has been terminated.”
“We have been in business for almost 50 years, and we accept, appreciate and value every customer that walks through our doors, and this behavior will never be tolerated in our establishment,” the statement continued. “We deeply regret how our manager handled this situation.”
It continued, “We do believe El Compadre to be a family restaurant, and coming into our restaurant is like coming into our home. In our home we believe in love and equality and the fact one of our employees made someone feel unsafe is not acceptable to us.”
Related: Religious couple scolds waitress for being gay… What happens next may surprise you
Droege told the LA Times that El Compadre had not personally reached out to him to apologize.
He said that he and his date “weren’t getting frisky or anything” and were shocked by the manager’s attitude.
“This made us feel less-than and made us feel really judged,” Droege said. “All the fears that we have as gay people out in public — I mean, there’s a lot of really, truly horrifying things that continue to happen to us in this country, in this world every day, and this was so minor compared to anything like that. It was just a reminder of, ‘Oh, you might think you’re safe in Los Angeles, but you’re not.’”
thebaddestbabby
this guy is hilarious, always enjoy seeing him in things
JClark
It’s sad to think something like this happens at all . . . much less in 2022 . . . and much less in Los Angeles. But it sounds like the restaurant did exactly the right thing after the incident, so good for them.
Nachum
If the restaurant really wants to make amends, it had better reach out to Droege!
tjack47
My ex partner who I was with for 12 years and I had the creepiest experience in a now defunct Mexican restaurant in Amarillo, TX. I felt this weird energy around me. I’d been simply chatting with my partner, enjoying our meal. All the patrons were staring at us, laughing or looking in disgust. It did frighten me. My partner had on a gorgeous albeit fuschia Ralph Lauren shirt. I heard comments like “only fags would wear that”. The most disappointing thing was the staff and management were aware. They did nothing. We’d eaten there before a couple of times. We got up, left and never patronized the restaurant again. This was in the later 1990’s.
COTTONTOP
I lived in Amarillo for 4 years back in the early 80’s. That area of the country isn’t exactly enlightened. Sad, but true. Texas is still racing backwards.
mildredspierce
Seems to me when the term “core values” is parroted in a public apology it rings hollow and warrants yet another mild shrug. And another Schlub is out of work. Another shrug.
Mack
Back in the early 70’s I managed a chain restaurant in West Hollywood. One night I was working because someone had called in sick at the last minute and had a four people come in from one of the local plays. One of the guy was an established actor who was producing the play, the other was a young actor, with one movie under his belt, playing the starring role of the play. They were extremely “frisky” with each other. Being gay I could have cared less. One of my waitresses got upset and I told her, they were customers and it was none of our business. The older actor died during violence a few years down the line and the young actor went on to be successful, with two hit TV shows, married and his daughter today is very successful. People need to mind their own business and forget the bullshit.
thebaddestbabby
what does “died during violence” mean
garyinla
Sal Mineo and Don Johnson?
thebaddestbabby
huh, checks out. The play would be Fortune and Men’s Eyes. RIP Sal Mineo
DennisBTR
Honey – it’s not “could have cared less” it’s “couldn’t have cared less.”
Chrisk
Damn.. I hope they deny his ass any unemployment and this follows him like flies to shit. Manager jobs like that are basically PR positions so good luck bitch. lol
thebaddestbabby
eh, I hope he learns from his mistakes and is able to remain employed. no one should become destitute for this kind of homophobia
Brian
In most states (including California), you can’t collect unemployment if you lost your job through your own fault. He cannot collect UI.
However, he can still file an application, and lie on it. Then it would be up to the UI office to reach out to the employer, and the employer would have to explain what happened. Those extra steps might not happen.
woodroad34
Yeah, Echo Park….the bohemian gay quarter just east of Silverlake. That manager should be able to read the room, but I guess he was just illiterate. Good; I’m glad he was fired–he shouldn’t be in the hospitality biz anyways–let him go to San Bernadino or someplace else than a gay enclave.
TNLNLA
OMG you banished that twat to the 909!!!!! But it’s true. I surely don’t pass the 57, if I do, I blank out and end up in Palm Springs.
TNLNLA
This sucks. I’ve been going to El Compadres my entire life. As an adult, I have had many dates there, where we’ve had drinks and kissed, held hands, and even made out (i know…but a few margaritas will do that to ya!). The restaurant should personally apologize to Drew. Not defending them at all, just stating my experience.
Jonathan
“We deeply regret how the manager handled the situation”. There was no situation. Until the manager created one.
Diplomat
Seems Mexican restaurant managers in LA are relentless. In 2008 the manager Marjorie Christofferson at the EL Coyote Cafe on Beverly Boulevard donated $100 to prop 8 to block gay marriage. The gay community found out about it and thoroughly pissed. I actually went to a meeting at the restaurant with her presiding talking about how sorry she was. It didn’t seem to matter. She was a very sweet woman but had strong religious beliefs tho was very fun and pleasant with her entire gay clientele so it really threw us for a loop. We loved her bubbly personality and sweet smile. She resigned a short time later.
Hard wired beliefs are not easy to overcome. Alot of us missed her regardless.
Chrisk
I remember that. It show’s how two faced they are. She was sweet and bubbly to you and yet believed you didn’t deserve the same civil rights.
Also allot of Mexicans are Catholic and we know how effed up that place is.
Kangol2
ChrisK, do you always have to throw a dollop of racism into your comments? Come on, man, cut that crap out!
thebaddestbabby
kangol 2 is right, your comment is racist
Mr. Stadnick
I’ve not been to the Echo Park location but have gone to the Hollywood location before. I don’t really care for the place but never felt ill at ease there. It has been a good 5 years since my last visit and now it seems it is my last visit.
Rocinante
My tolerance for this crap as I realize the damage societies laws and irrational mores did to gay men and myself as a closeted gay kid, in the 80s; that I might have broken this guys jaw. I don’t know if I’d of stopped there; I consider what he did assault.
GayEGO
I agree! I met my other half in 1962 when I was in the Navy in Boston and we got married in 2004 in Massachusetts.
GayEGO
We have watched men and women kissing for years, what is the big deal seeing two men kissing! That manager deserves to be fired.
Kangol2
I’m glad they fired this manager but El Compadre needs to apologize personally to Droege and his date. And give them a free meal at the very least.
I just hope people do realize that if the current SCOTUS gets its way, instead of the “family restaurant” excuse, managers and restauranteurs very well could say they’re a “Christian restaurant” or a “Muslim restaurant,” etc., and throw gay/bi/queer/trans people engaging in PDA out. Or even decide not to serve you based on their “religious beliefs.” This is a very dangerous road the US has been down before, based on race, and now the extremists are trying to use religion to go backwards!
Brian
It was just a reminder of, ‘Oh, you might think you’re safe in Los Angeles, but you’re not.’
—
Yup. Nowhere is totally safe. When I lived in San Francisco, the police who “walked the beat” in the Castro neighborhood would shout the f* slur at men who they thought were gay. The joke (in their minds) was that anyone who turned around to look at them must’ve been “answering,” and thereby identifying themselves as gay. The cops would laugh, “He turned around! So he is one!” Those were the officers assigned to the gayest neighborhood in one of the gayest cities. Public servants, on the clock, in uniform… shouting slurs at random people (instead of doing their job).