TOM MORELLO Slams Seattle Restaurant After Being Denied Service

September 30, 2014

**UPDATE** Tom Morello has released a lengthy statement in which he offered his version of the events that transpired Friday night, including a response to accusations that he requested "special treatment" at The 5 Point Cafe. You can read his entire message at this location.

The original article follows below.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello has slammed The 5 Point Cafe in Seattle for allegedly being "antiworker" and having a "super-rude staff" after reportedly being denied entry to the restaurant-bar over the weekend.

Following his performance Friday night (September 26) at the El Corazon as part of a benefit concert for 15 Now, the grassroots organization that successfully fought for a $15 minimum wage in Seattle, Morello and his entourage allegedly tried to get "a special room" at The 5 Point Cafe even though the place was already "at capacity" and there was "a line" of people waiting to get in. The restaurant's doorman apparently told Morello and his crew that he could not accommodate them, after which the guitarist took to his Twitter to blast the eatery, writing: "Five Point restaurant in Seattle is the WORST. Super rude & anti-worker. Shittiest doorman in the Northwest. Prick. Spread the word."

David Meinert, the owner of The 5 Point Cafe, has since posted the following response on the restarant's Facebook page:

"For the record, Tom Morello, The 5 Point is totally pro worker. We try to pay more than any other small restaurant, and on top of the higher pay, we offer health insurance, paid sick days, paid time off, retirement and profit share.

"Sorry if you had an issue with our staff, but typically our staff is awesome, and when they are not, it's usually a reflection of the customer. Act like a prick = get treated like a prick.

"I have to say, your attacking a small business without knowing anything about it, or addressing your problem with them directly before you go on a public rant, pretty much sucks. Just lost a ton of respect for you, and I've been a fan for years, both of your work in RAGE and your work for workers rights since.

"P.S.: Rock stars don't get special treatment at The 5 Point. We couldn't give less of a shit. Sorry.

"And P.S.S.: I'm the owner of The 5 Point and have worked to raise the minimum wage in Seattle and support the same nationally, worked to get paid sick days law in Seattle, and am supporting a city-sponsored retirement plan for employees of small businesses. I hope you do the same for your employees on the road...

"P.S.S.S.: [It] turns out [Tom] and his crew didn't get let in as the place was at capacity and there was a line. No one was being let in. According to our doorman, who I totally trust, Tom and his crew were all totally rude. Quote from the door guys: 'I knew who he was, we had no room, his whole party was being rude. He wanted a special room in the back. Clearly had no ideas what it is like inside. I've told bigger rock stars than him no.'"

**Thanks for story tip to Jeff Solberg, who also took the photo below.

Photo credit: Jeff Solberg

tpointeggsmachine

Find more on Tom morello
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).