August 6th 2024.
While enjoying the lively atmosphere of the Summer Olympic Games this year, tennis superstar Serena Williams found herself in a frustrating situation at a restaurant in Paris. Despite being a renowned Michelin-starred establishment, Williams called out the restaurant after she and her children were denied entry. This was a first for Williams, who had never experienced such treatment with her family before.
On August 5, Williams took to social media to express her disappointment, sharing her experience with her followers. She mentioned that the restaurant in question was L'Oiseau Blanc at The Peninsula, a popular rooftop spot known for its stunning views. Williams' post read, "Yikes @peninsulaparis, I've been denied access to the rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant of nicer places, but never with my kids. Always a first. #Olympic2024."
As expected, Williams' fans and supporters were quick to chime in and show their support for the athlete. Some even shared their own experiences at the restaurant, with one person saying, "You're better off not going, their food is subpar - I've unfortunately had to pay for it quite a few times." Another person joked, "How does one get denied when they are Serena Williams...lol."
One fan tried to shed some light on the situation, explaining that Parisian restaurants typically only book to capacity and do not expect to turn tables multiple times in one evening. Therefore, even if a restaurant appears empty at a certain time, all tables may be reserved for later. The fan wrote, "Paris restaurants typically only book to capacity and they don't expect to turn tables multiple times each evening. So if a booking is made for 8pm, they will not seat someone at that table at 7pm. So at 7pm a restaurant may look empty at the moment, but every table is actually..."
In response to the backlash, The Peninsula issued a public apology to Williams, clarifying that they had not intentionally denied her and her family entry. They explained that the rooftop bar was fully booked and the only available tables belonged to their gourmet restaurant, L'Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully reserved. The restaurant's official Twitter account posted, "Dear Mrs. Williams, please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight. Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked, and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L'Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved."
In the end, while Williams may have been initially frustrated with the situation, it seems that it was a simple misunderstanding and not a deliberate act of discrimination. The Peninsula's apology hopefully provided some closure and understanding for both Williams and her supporters.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
