Aretha Franklin speaks out on getting no respect at Johnny Rockets
In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, the Queen of Soul described her tense exchange with a waitress who yelled at her when she sat an empty table after ordering takeout at the eatery in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Franklin, 72, says she eventually left without her meal, telling the employee, 'You should eat it yourself and you pay for it.'
Aretha Franklin ordered a hamburger after performing a sold-out show. But she says a server screamed at her, saying she couldn’t sit down to eat because she had ordered takeout.
A Canadian restaurant worker landed in hot water after she failed to show legendary singer Aretha Franklin any r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, the Queen of Soul described what led to her beef with a waitress at a Johnny Rockets restaurant in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Franklin, after performing at a concert in nearby Lewiston, N.Y., couldn’t wait to chow down at Johnny Rockets, one of her favorite spots to eat on the road.
She ordered her usual — a hamburger and cherry coke to go. Then she sat down at one of the restaurant’s many empty tables and waited for the food.
Out of nowhere, a worker in her mid-30s showed up and told Franklin, “You can’t sit there.”
“I said, ‘Excuse me, what do you mean I can’t sit here?” recalled Franklin, who was with her nephew at the time.
The worker told Franklin the seating area is only for people who are eating in.
O Canada! Aretha got no respect at the Canadian eatery. George Rose/Getty Images O Canada! Aretha got no respect at the Canadian eatery.
Franklin stayed calm. “I said, ‘Ok, I’ll have it here,” she recalled.
The 72-year-old singing sensation said she was shocked by the worker’s reply: “You can’t have it here because we’ve already rang you up as a takeout customer.”
What came next was even more insulting, Franklin said.
The worker ordered her to get up and stand outside the perimeter of the eatery, which was in a food court.
Franklin wasn’t having it.
“I got up and walked out,” she said. “I said, ‘You should eat it yourself and you pay for it.' ”
Aretha Franklin says she'll 'go on liking Johnny Rockets, but not that one.' Paul Warner/Getty Images Aretha Franklin says she'll 'go on liking Johnny Rockets, but not that one.'
“My nephew mentioned to her who I was,” Franklin added, “and she said she didn’t care who I was.”
The experience left Franklin with a terrible taste in her mouth. Her burger-slinging antagonist was “so rude and nasty,” Franklin said.
“She’s a public servant and she shouldn’t speak that way to anybody, celebrities or non-celebrities,” Franklin said.
A Johnny Rockets spokeswoman told the Associated Press the franchise owner is sorry for the actions of “a new and very young employee.”
She added that the owner has spoken with the employee and has clarified his takeout policies.
Franklin said she doesn’t believe the worker should be fired, just “spoken to.”
“I like Johnny Rockets and I’ll go on liking Johnny Rockets, but not that one,” Franklin said.
rshapiro@nydailynews.com
In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, the Queen of Soul described her tense exchange with a waitress who yelled at her when she sat an empty table after ordering takeout at the eatery in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Franklin, 72, says she eventually left without her meal, telling the employee, 'You should eat it yourself and you pay for it.'
Aretha Franklin ordered a hamburger after performing a sold-out show. But she says a server screamed at her, saying she couldn’t sit down to eat because she had ordered takeout.
A Canadian restaurant worker landed in hot water after she failed to show legendary singer Aretha Franklin any r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, the Queen of Soul described what led to her beef with a waitress at a Johnny Rockets restaurant in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Franklin, after performing at a concert in nearby Lewiston, N.Y., couldn’t wait to chow down at Johnny Rockets, one of her favorite spots to eat on the road.
She ordered her usual — a hamburger and cherry coke to go. Then she sat down at one of the restaurant’s many empty tables and waited for the food.
Out of nowhere, a worker in her mid-30s showed up and told Franklin, “You can’t sit there.”
“I said, ‘Excuse me, what do you mean I can’t sit here?” recalled Franklin, who was with her nephew at the time.
The worker told Franklin the seating area is only for people who are eating in.
O Canada! Aretha got no respect at the Canadian eatery. George Rose/Getty Images O Canada! Aretha got no respect at the Canadian eatery.
Franklin stayed calm. “I said, ‘Ok, I’ll have it here,” she recalled.
The 72-year-old singing sensation said she was shocked by the worker’s reply: “You can’t have it here because we’ve already rang you up as a takeout customer.”
What came next was even more insulting, Franklin said.
The worker ordered her to get up and stand outside the perimeter of the eatery, which was in a food court.
Franklin wasn’t having it.
“I got up and walked out,” she said. “I said, ‘You should eat it yourself and you pay for it.' ”
Aretha Franklin says she'll 'go on liking Johnny Rockets, but not that one.' Paul Warner/Getty Images Aretha Franklin says she'll 'go on liking Johnny Rockets, but not that one.'
“My nephew mentioned to her who I was,” Franklin added, “and she said she didn’t care who I was.”
The experience left Franklin with a terrible taste in her mouth. Her burger-slinging antagonist was “so rude and nasty,” Franklin said.
“She’s a public servant and she shouldn’t speak that way to anybody, celebrities or non-celebrities,” Franklin said.
A Johnny Rockets spokeswoman told the Associated Press the franchise owner is sorry for the actions of “a new and very young employee.”
She added that the owner has spoken with the employee and has clarified his takeout policies.
Franklin said she doesn’t believe the worker should be fired, just “spoken to.”
“I like Johnny Rockets and I’ll go on liking Johnny Rockets, but not that one,” Franklin said.
rshapiro@nydailynews.com
