Bad Management & Ant problem?
	Reviewed By M.S.Wright	Feb 05, 2009

One of our favorite restaurants has been Shanghai Reds here in Marina del Rey, California. We have been going there for many years: beautiful scenic view, right on the water - gorgeous boats cruising by. Last year (2008) it became necessary for me to leave a message for the manager with the receptionist on two successive visits about 2 months apart, that there is an army of ants in the Men's room. Nothing was done about it after two more visits. I finally got action months later after calling the Board of Health; they confirmed my complaint. They ordered it to be corrected and then verified that it was. We have all heard the expression "ants-in-the-pants!" Some men might have experienced it at Shanghai Red"s Ants!

We continued to patronize Shanghai Red's, but the downsizing we hear about is seriously affecting this company. There is one other Red's restaurant in Buffalo, N.Y and many others under different names in this Specialty Restaurant Corporation corporate mix including The 94th Aero Squadron in Van Nuys, Maryland and Miami; The Castaway in Burbank and San Bernardino; Rusty Pelicans- 23 in total.

Two weeks ago we took a friend with us who was very impressed with the beauty. We ordered and asked for onions in our salad, but this time the waiter said "No onions" and he repeated this when we told him we always have onions. He went back, spoke to the manager and returned saying that we will be charged extra if we want onions. Incredulous! My wife said we would not pay for them so back inside he went and returned with a tiny cup like the teacup you get in a Chinese restaurant. It contained about 15 tiny chopped onions that probably cost about seven cents - if that much. Now here is the "kicker:" The manager must have thought he was doing us a great favor because he sent back a message with the waiter saying that he will pay for it himself!

We know times are tough: restaurants are in deep trouble like other businesses, newspapers report that waiters are getting lower tips and sometimes no tips at all, lower price meals are ordered; It is not a great time to lose patrons.

I don't know if the "Onion Caper" is CEO Howard Bell's Corporate Policy to save pennies, or if is this non-manager manager's, but we're gone!