to have found this incident very upsetting

[jirella]

Me, DP, DC and Pil went out for Sunday lunch this afternoon. The waiter there was a really young lad and must have 16-17 year old. Everything was going well until the food was brought out when he was putting my dinner onto the table he was a little clumsy and some of the gravy on the food ran off the plate and onto me. At this time a girl in her mid 20s who seemed to be in charge came rushing over and slapped the back of his head really hard. She then went on to apoligise for younger brothers clumsiness and tell me she would deal with him and to offer me a free bottle of wine. I told her it wasn't a big deal but I've found the whole thing really upsetting as she hit him so hard.

DP said that it was standard big sistership (although as an only child how would he know) but it was put a real dampener on the afternoon and I feel quite upset at seeing it

How did he react?

He rushed off to get some napkins

If they're working together they're there as colleagues not brother and sister (even though that doesn't excuse it).

There's no need for her to be hitting him, especially in front of customers.

What do you feel about complaining? Might give him more hassle though, but they need to know it's not OK.

She assaulted him. You can contact the police.

I didn't complain at the time because neither DP nor Pil seemed to have any issue with it. Mil even piped up that he probably won't do it again in the future.

Complain.
Expect mum/dad will dish out same to daughter though upon reading complaint

Amazed it the responses. Reverse the genders and this would have a far more outraged reaction.

I think I will make a complaint though

At which responses YoureBeing?

Nobody's said it's OK.

'Theres no need to be hitting him, especially infront of customers'

For starters.

And op not complaining because nobody else did, or even seemed bothered.

Poor Lad!! and well done on you for playing it down

One of my abiding memories of a strangers kindness was when i had a student job as a waitress.
I accidentally poured cream in a womans handbag and she just pretended she didn't didn't notice or complain.

And the dp saying it was standard big sister relationship. As if its ok to assault someone if theyre family or younger than you.

I would complain, standard brother/sister relationship my arse. They were young adults not 6 year olds. It was over the top and probably completely humiliating for the lad. Tbh it would be the humiliation bit that would have me raging

My only worry about complaining would be possibly making things worse for the poor boy.

But there isn't any need for her to be hitting him YourBeing

I didn't mean the 'especially in front of customers' as in that it'd be OK elsewhere, I could have worded it differently, but actually was wondering if she thought it was alright in front of customers then what's she like behind closed doors? Why doesn't she think other people would mind her doing that?

I read an article on the Beeb the other day about bullying within sibling relationships, and as someone who was pinned down so he could spray ventalin in my mouth/punched/kicked/stolen from/lied about by my brother, I really didn't mean to come across as less than supportive of the waiter.

Complain.

YoureBeingASillyBilly- I didn't mean to downplay it, its just that no-one else at the table seemed bothered about it and it has upset me, even moreso the more I think about it.

That would bother me as well.

I would have got up and left after making it clear it was because I don't give my custom to places where they assault staff.

That's not good at all. I agree, if that was a bloke hitting a woman, people would be more shocked. Bit it still needs dealing with. Is it a family business?

ReluctantBeing- Yes it is a family-run business

It was assault. I'd have been horrified.

Where I work there is a brother and sister who work there and the sister is a supervisor. They have a bit of banter but they would never hit each other

I wouldn't feel happy about it either :(

I am a big sister, and it isn't a normal big sister thing in my family. I'd complain.

I can imagine why you didn't say anything at the time, because things like this catch you off guard, and it's not until later that you really think it through. But I would definitely ring the restaurant and say that you felt very unhappy at what happened, and that any normal human being will find witnessing violence more distressing than a gravy spill.