This past week, while enjoying a meal at a local restaurant, I got into a lengthy conversation with a server who told me about all the problems they鈥檝e been having enforcing the government鈥檚 vaccine passport mandate. In case you didn鈥檛 know by now, proof of both doses of the vaccine is now required to be able to enter any dine-in restaurant.

The stories I heard about how people are mistreating servers really made me sad, especially as someone who worked in the restaurant industry for years.

First of all, it鈥檚 very important to remember that however you feel about the vaccines, nothing is going to be solved by taking out your frustrations on the service industry. These people are trying to do their jobs by enforcing a rule that鈥檚 required by their employer and the government. If they don鈥檛 enforce this rule, they can risk losing their main source of income by either being fired, or causing the entire restaurant to get closed down.

I get it. This is a very polarizing topic that has entire communities divided. Regardless how you feel though, we all know the rules, and they aren鈥檛 going to change by screaming at a hard working server who鈥檚 doing their job and trying to earn a living.

Secondly, it isn鈥檛 your fundamental right eat at restaurants, it鈥檚 a privilege. In fact, if anything it鈥檚 within the right of any server to refuse service to anyone if they don鈥檛 feel safe in the workplace. When I was a bartender, I refused service to many people for all sorts of things. Sometimes, it was as simple as addressing me in a rude way. The customer would be asked to leave the establishment and service would be denied.

For example, a private business has a right to refuse service for having bad body odor if they wanted too. Pandemic or not.

It鈥檚 pretty simple, if you are fundamentally against getting a vaccine, no ones taking away your right to have physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or means for its procurement. There鈥檚 a reason why vaccine passports are not required at grocery at liquor stores; your perfectly capable of making food at home.

The rules of any private establishment should be respected, as should its workers, and like I said, even if they wanted to serve you this is a government rule and there鈥檚 nothing they can do anyways.

When I was bartending, vaccines weren鈥檛 even on anyone鈥檚 radar yet, it was all about mask-wearing.

When I encountered someone who didn鈥檛 want to follow our restaurant鈥檚 mask mandate, I simply reminded them of the no shirt, no shoes, no service rule that鈥檚 pretty standard in most eating establishments. If it鈥檚 against your fundamental beliefs to eat with a shirt on, then that鈥檚 100 per cent your prerogative, but you can鈥檛 eat here.

I understand this piece is going to anger some people, and that鈥檚 okay. My grief is not with those who are against the vaccine mandate, as I think everyone has a right to believe and think however they want.

What I鈥檓 getting at is, no matter how you feel, it doesn鈥檛 excuse treating people with disrespect.

So If you鈥檙e against the vaccine passport, before barging into a restaurant screaming at staff demanding service, I ask that you take a moment to think about the human beings who are stressed and often frightened by having to deal with these inappropriate altercations while they鈥檙e just trying to do their job and make a living.

I ask you to think about the owner of the restaurant who鈥檚 probably worked for years to acquire that business, and is in fear of either being fined or having that business shut down for not following government rules.

I ask you to think about the family two tables over, who despite your beliefs, have their own beliefs as well, and might be uncomfortable being in close proximity someone who is not vaccinated for various reasons.

I simply ask you to have respect for those around you.