Getting hurt at La Casina restaurant by the temp waitress

[Denise2026]

On June 1st we went to eat dinner at La Casina. We come to St. Barth for the past 10 years, never had any issue. However this time at La Casina a waitress passed by my daughter and hit her in the head with her elbow after which she drops the tray full of glasses and dishes. Some pieces of glass cut my daughter's leg in 2 places. She was bleeding and started to cry. The hit in her head was not that minor either. However I tried to comfort her. Nobody came to apologize immediately. Some time went by and since my daughter was crying and getting very upset the waitress came by to apologize and saying it was an accident. No drink, no desert was being offered as a nice gesture. At the end I was being asked for tip, I was showing on the screen where to leave a tip. Are you guys at La Casina serious about this? You hit my daughter in the head, she didn't sleep all night, she left bleeding, and you ask me for tip?? Now I regret for not calling the police and refuse to pay!! The next day we found out that the manager Matis hired his girlfriend that night as a waitress for extra money. This is why he tried to minimize the horrible behavior and incident he basically caused by getting in someone inexperienced. I would like to speak with Mimi and ask for the 2 of them, Matis and His waitress girlfriend to pay my bill. Plain and simple!! It's not just food that matters, how to treat your (US) customers as well..

 

[Nscyber09]

That is completely unacceptable and I’m terribly sorry you and your daughter went through this. This whole tipping demand/ask really needs to be dealt with as well.

 

[Max1030]

That is completely unacceptable and I’m terribly sorry you and your daughter went through this. This whole tipping demand/ask really needs to be dealt with as well.

If they ask they don't receive. Very simple.

 

[Max1030]

On June 1st we went to eat dinner at La Casina. We come to St. Barth for the past 10 years, never had any issue. However this time at La Casina a waitress passed by my daughter and hit her in the head with her elbow after which she drops the tray full of glasses and dishes. Some pieces of glass cut my daughter's leg in 2 places. She was bleeding and started to cry. The hit in her head was not that minor either. However I tried to comfort her. Nobody came to apologize immediately. Some time went by and since my daughter was crying and getting very upset the waitress came by to apologize and saying it was an accident. No drink, no desert was being offered as a nice gesture. At the end I was being asked for tip, I was showing on the screen where to leave a tip. Are you guys at La Casina serious about this? You hit my daughter in the head, she didn't sleep all night, she left bleeding, and you ask me for tip?? Now I regret for not calling the police and refuse to pay!! The next day we found out that the manager Matis hired his girlfriend that night as a waitress for extra money. This is why he tried to minimize the horrible behavior and incident he basically caused by getting in someone inexperienced. I would like to speak with Mimi and ask for the 2 of them, Matis and His waitress girlfriend to pay my bill. Plain and simple!! It's not just food that matters, how to treat your (US) customers as well..

What an absolute horrible experience. I am shocked they did not try and do anything about this.

 

[davesmom]

I agree with Max; equally shocked. Mimi has always been super nice and I doubt she would be pleased to hear how badly you were treated. I would totally contact her. No proprietor would want to NOT know about such an incident as she seems like a responsible owner. Wishing your daughter a full recovery and better days.

 

[cec1]

On June 1st we went to eat dinner at La Casina. We come to St. Barth for the past 10 years, never had any issue. However this time at La Casina a waitress passed by my daughter and hit her in the head with her elbow after which she drops the tray full of glasses and dishes. Some pieces of glass cut my daughter's leg in 2 places. She was bleeding and started to cry. The hit in her head was not that minor either. However I tried to comfort her. Nobody came to apologize immediately. Some time went by and since my daughter was crying and getting very upset the waitress came by to apologize and saying it was an accident. No drink, no desert was being offered as a nice gesture. At the end I was being asked for tip, I was showing on the screen where to leave a tip. Are you guys at La Casina serious about this? You hit my daughter in the head, she didn't sleep all night, she left bleeding, and you ask me for tip?? Now I regret for not calling the police and refuse to pay!! The next day we found out that the manager Matis hired his girlfriend that night as a waitress for extra money. This is why he tried to minimize the horrible behavior and incident he basically caused by getting in someone inexperienced. I would like to speak with Mimi and ask for the 2 of them, Matis and His waitress girlfriend to pay my bill. Plain and simple!! It's not just food that matters, how to treat your (US) customers as well..

As said by others, you have described a horrible experience. I'm so sorry to read of it because not only is it a terrible comment on the business, but also I like and enjoy La Casina very much. Understanding that an "accident" can happen, it nonetheless appears that the restaurant let you down in numerous ways. I expect that there'll be follow-up to you from the restaurant.

With regard to the "tip" request . . . I fully appreciate your distress. It sounds, however like it was the first screen on the systems of many credit card providers on the island. I've discussed my personal dislike of the screen with various restaurants and my usual taxi driver . . . it seems that it is mandatory in the systems of some island credit card providers and cannot be circumvented (apart from the guest simply hitting "No Tip") -- an explanation that is, unfortunately, not (as it should be) explained to customers. (The "tip screen," BTW, seems to be a directive of some French taxing authority which is seeking to capture amounts paid in tips in order to assure that businesses are properly reporting tips for tax purposes.)

Finally, I will add that Mathis' "girlfriend" is not inexperienced and often serves there as a waitress. I always have found her to be courteous and appropriately professional. Nonetheless, the accident involving her -- and the way in which it was addressed (or not) -- were horrible. Training with respect to such circumstances clearly is needed.

. . . with regret to you and your daughter for this terrible experience. I hope that your daughter is able to otherwise remember happy times in her SBH visit.

 

[Denise2026]

What an absolute horrible experience. I am shocked they did not try and do anything about this.

I agree, I am shocked as well.. thank you!

 

[Denise2026]

As said by others, you have described a horrible experience. I'm so sorry to read of it because not only is it a terrible comment on the business, but also I like and enjoy La Casina very much. Understanding that an "accident" can happen, it nonetheless appears that the restaurant let you down in numerous ways. I expect that there'll be follow-up to you from the restaurant.

With regard to the "tip" request . . . I fully appreciate your distress. It sounds, however like it was the first screen on the systems of many credit card providers on the island. I've discussed my personal dislike of the screen with various restaurants and my usual taxi driver . . . it seems that it is mandatory in the systems of some island credit card providers and cannot be circumvented (apart from the guest simply hitting "No Tip") -- an explanation that is, unfortunately, not (as it should be) explained to customers. (The "tip screen," BTW, seems to be a directive of some French taxing authority which is seeking to capture amounts paid in tips in order to assure that businesses are properly reporting tips for tax purposes.)

Finally, I will add that Mathis' "girlfriend" is not inexperienced and often serves there as a waitress. I always have found her to be courteous and appropriately professional. Nonetheless, the accident involving her -- and the way in which it was addressed (or not) -- were horrible. Training with respect to such circumstances clearly is needed.

. . . with regret to you and your daughter for this terrible experience. I hope that your daughter is able to otherwise remember happy times in her SBH visit.

Indeed, I agree with you 100%, thank you so much!

 

[Mimi St Barth]

Dear Denise,

First of all, I would like to say how sorry I am to read that your daughter left La Casina upset following the incident. As a parent, I can fully understand how distressing and emotional such a situation can be.

Unfortunately, I was not informed of this incident at the time. I am currently away from St. Barth and was therefore not present at the restaurant that evening. I only became aware of the situation recently through your post. Had I known about it at the time, I would certainly have taken the opportunity to personally check on your daughter and speak with you directly.

While I cannot comment on every detail that has been described, I can say that any accident involving one of our guests, especially a child, is something we take very seriously. If your daughter was hurt or frightened by the incident, I sincerely regret that.

I would also like to clarify one point regarding the tip screen on our payment terminal. This feature is automatically displayed by the payment system currently used by many businesses on the island and is not intended as a personal request from our staff. I completely understand, however, how inappropriate this may have felt given the circumstances, and I am sorry that it added to your frustration.

Regarding comments made about members of our team, I prefer not to discuss employees publicly. However, I can confirm that the person involved was not an inexperienced first-time server, and I have full confidence in the professionalism and dedication of our staff. Accidents can unfortunately happen in any restaurant, but they should always be handled with care and attention.

La Casina has been welcoming guests for nearly two years, and my family and I have been serving residents and visitors of St. Barth for more than twenty years through our restaurants. Hospitality, kindness and guest satisfaction have always been at the heart of what we do. Reading that we may not have met those expectations in your case is something I take seriously.

If you would like to discuss the matter directly, I would be happy to speak with you personally and better understand your experience.

You may contact me directly at:

Email: mimistbarth@gmail.com

I sincerely hope that your daughter has fully recovered and that the remainder of your stay in St. Barth was enjoyable.

Kind regards,

Mimi
Co Owner
La Casina

 

[dadto6]

If they ask they don't receive. Very simple.

That is my policy!

 

[dadto6]

Dear Denise,

First of all, I would like to say how sorry I am to read that your daughter left La Casina upset following the incident. As a parent, I can fully understand how distressing and emotional such a situation can be.

Unfortunately, I was not informed of this incident at the time. I am currently away from St. Barth and was therefore not present at the restaurant that evening. I only became aware of the situation recently through your post. Had I known about it at the time, I would certainly have taken the opportunity to personally check on your daughter and speak with you directly.

While I cannot comment on every detail that has been described, I can say that any accident involving one of our guests, especially a child, is something we take very seriously. If your daughter was hurt or frightened by the incident, I sincerely regret that.

I would also like to clarify one point regarding the tip screen on our payment terminal. This feature is automatically displayed by the payment system currently used by many businesses on the island and is not intended as a personal request from our staff. I completely understand, however, how inappropriate this may have felt given the circumstances, and I am sorry that it added to your frustration.

Regarding comments made about members of our team, I prefer not to discuss employees publicly. However, I can confirm that the person involved was not an inexperienced first-time server, and I have full confidence in the professionalism and dedication of our staff. Accidents can unfortunately happen in any restaurant, but they should always be handled with care and attention.

La Casina has been welcoming guests for nearly two years, and my family and I have been serving residents and visitors of St. Barth for more than twenty years through our restaurants. Hospitality, kindness and guest satisfaction have always been at the heart of what we do. Reading that we may not have met those expectations in your case is something I take seriously.

If you would like to discuss the matter directly, I would be happy to speak with you personally and better understand your experience.

You may contact me directly at:

Email: mimistbarth@gmail.com

I sincerely hope that your daughter has fully recovered and that the remainder of your stay in St. Barth was enjoyable.

Kind regards,

Mimi
Co Owner
La Casina

Very well written by Mimi. Looking forward to dining with you again in August.

 

[cassidain]

That is my policy!

My policy is if they ask they receive a lecture . . . en français.

 

[cec1]

Dear Denise,

First of all, I would like to say how sorry I am to read that your daughter left La Casina upset following the incident. As a parent, I can fully understand how distressing and emotional such a situation can be.

Unfortunately, I was not informed of this incident at the time. I am currently away from St. Barth and was therefore not present at the restaurant that evening. I only became aware of the situation recently through your post. Had I known about it at the time, I would certainly have taken the opportunity to personally check on your daughter and speak with you directly.

While I cannot comment on every detail that has been described, I can say that any accident involving one of our guests, especially a child, is something we take very seriously. If your daughter was hurt or frightened by the incident, I sincerely regret that.

I would also like to clarify one point regarding the tip screen on our payment terminal. This feature is automatically displayed by the payment system currently used by many businesses on the island and is not intended as a personal request from our staff. I completely understand, however, how inappropriate this may have felt given the circumstances, and I am sorry that it added to your frustration.

Regarding comments made about members of our team, I prefer not to discuss employees publicly. However, I can confirm that the person involved was not an inexperienced first-time server, and I have full confidence in the professionalism and dedication of our staff. Accidents can unfortunately happen in any restaurant, but they should always be handled with care and attention.

La Casina has been welcoming guests for nearly two years, and my family and I have been serving residents and visitors of St. Barth for more than twenty years through our restaurants. Hospitality, kindness and guest satisfaction have always been at the heart of what we do. Reading that we may not have met those expectations in your case is something I take seriously.

If you would like to discuss the matter directly, I would be happy to speak with you personally and better understand your experience.

You may contact me directly at:

Email: mimistbarth@gmail.com

I sincerely hope that your daughter has fully recovered and that the remainder of your stay in St. Barth was enjoyable.

Kind regards,

Mimi
Co Owner
La Casina

Thank you for your empathetic posting, Mimi. There always are at least two sides to every story. I hope that you & Denise are able to talk and find gentle closure to this unfortunate accident.

 

[Faye]

Dear Denise,

First of all, I would like to say how sorry I am to read that your daughter left La Casina upset following the incident. As a parent, I can fully understand how distressing and emotional such a situation can be.

Unfortunately, I was not informed of this incident at the time. I am currently away from St. Barth and was therefore not present at the restaurant that evening. I only became aware of the situation recently through your post. Had I known about it at the time, I would certainly have taken the opportunity to personally check on your daughter and speak with you directly.

While I cannot comment on every detail that has been described, I can say that any accident involving one of our guests, especially a child, is something we take very seriously. If your daughter was hurt or frightened by the incident, I sincerely regret that.

I would also like to clarify one point regarding the tip screen on our payment terminal. This feature is automatically displayed by the payment system currently used by many businesses on the island and is not intended as a personal request from our staff. I completely understand, however, how inappropriate this may have felt given the circumstances, and I am sorry that it added to your frustration.

Regarding comments made about members of our team, I prefer not to discuss employees publicly. However, I can confirm that the person involved was not an inexperienced first-time server, and I have full confidence in the professionalism and dedication of our staff. Accidents can unfortunately happen in any restaurant, but they should always be handled with care and attention.

La Casina has been welcoming guests for nearly two years, and my family and I have been serving residents and visitors of St. Barth for more than twenty years through our restaurants. Hospitality, kindness and guest satisfaction have always been at the heart of what we do. Reading that we may not have met those expectations in your case is something I take seriously.

If you would like to discuss the matter directly, I would be happy to speak with you personally and better understand your experience.

You may contact me directly at:

Email: mimistbarth@gmail.com

I sincerely hope that your daughter has fully recovered and that the remainder of your stay in St. Barth was enjoyable.

Kind regards,

Mimi
Co Owner
La Casina

The staff should point out then that “Tips are included and not expected.” Personally imo it’s inappropriate in all circumstances.

Maybe that’s just me though.
We pay in cash so we’re in control of the final amount.

 

[cassidain]

The staff should point out then that “Tips are included and not expected.” Personally imo it’s inappropriate in all circumstances.

Exactement

 

[Nscyber09]

This whole “the tip is on the system and we can’t do anything about it” excuse is really very odd. Most restaurants have 3 options to chose from (18%, 20%, 25%) and for sure those could be edited to say whatever they wish. If they wanted to it could be (0%, 2%, 5%) but most chose the higher %. Super odd that in the high tech world we live in they can’t find a solution to leave their customers happy at the end of the visit.

 

[didier]

I pay in cash and always leave a tip if the service is as it should be. I leave 10 to 15 percent ( yes I know this is so american, but it does help the wait staff, I leave the tip in cash also)

In this instance, I would have asked for the manager immediately and said I am taking my daughter home to get my first aid kit for the broken glass that has punctured her skin caused by your waitress, and if my daughter has a problem later with her head, such as headaches etc, my plans are to take her to the hospital and send the restaurant the bill.

I would leave my email and phone number with the manager.

I would tell the wait staff that I am finished with dinner now and I will expect an email or call from the owner regarding this incident. I would also tell the wait staff not to bother giving me the check , then I would have taken my daughter and left. no check, no tip.

 

[cec1]

That is my policy!

I get it, Bob!

I'll say, however, that I've moved beyond the technology issue (i.e., I simply pass over the "tip" screen) . . . even the verbal request. I'll spare the vernacular, but -- basically -- I say, "Please don't ask me about a tip . . . you can safely know that I understand that it's a decision for me . . . this is a familiar issue, and I don't like to feel pressured." Because I'm usually in the same, frequently visited restaurants, the message doesn't take long to pass through "newbie" servers in any restaurant. I also make a point of emphasizing my view to restaurant proprietors.

 

[Mathis]

On June 1st we went to eat dinner at La Casina. We come to St. Barth for the past 10 years, never had any issue. However this time at La Casina a waitress passed by my daughter and hit her in the head with her elbow after which she drops the tray full of glasses and dishes. Some pieces of glass cut my daughter's leg in 2 places. She was bleeding and started to cry. The hit in her head was not that minor either. However I tried to comfort her. Nobody came to apologize immediately. Some time went by and since my daughter was crying and getting very upset the waitress came by to apologize and saying it was an accident. No drink, no desert was being offered as a nice gesture. At the end I was being asked for tip, I was showing on the screen where to leave a tip. Are you guys at La Casina serious about this? You hit my daughter in the head, she didn't sleep all night, she left bleeding, and you ask me for tip?? Now I regret for not calling the police and refuse to pay!! The next day we found out that the manager Matis hired his girlfriend that night as a waitress for extra money. This is why he tried to minimize the horrible behavior and incident he basically caused by getting in someone inexperienced. I would like to speak with Mimi and ask for the 2 of them, Matis and His waitress girlfriend to pay my bill. Plain and simple!! It's not just food that matters, how to treat your (US) customers as well..

Dear Madam,

I'm Mathis, director of La Casina. First of all thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

We are truly sorry that your daughter was upset by the incident that occurred during your dinner. Seeing a child upset is never pleasant, and we fully understand that this event may have caused you concern as parents.

However, we would like to clarify a few points. The incident in question was unfortunately an accident. While clearing the table, a glass broke and a shard struck your daughter’s leg. As soon as we noticed her distress and discomfort, we came to speak with you to ensure she was okay and to offer our apologies.
In an effort to resolve the situation, I checked in with you regularly throughout the evening. At that time, and after sharing a digestif together, we felt that the incident, though regrettable, had been understood as an accident and that everything was back to normal.

We are, however, distressed by certain statements regarding members of our team. Behind every service are women and men who work with dedication, passion, and kindness. To publicly call them out personally seems particularly unfair to us, especially since they did everything in their power to handle the situation with care and respect.

Since we opened, we have had the pleasure of welcoming guests from all over the world, including many loyal visitors who return every season. We strive every day to offer everyone the same warm welcome, regardless of where they come from, and without the tips you mentioned being our goal.
We sincerely hope your daughter is doing well today, and we wish you and your family all the best for the future.
Warm regards,
The La Casina Team​

 

[cec1]

Dear Madam,

I'm Mathis, director of La Casina. First of all thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

We are truly sorry that your daughter was upset by the incident that occurred during your dinner. Seeing a child upset is never pleasant, and we fully understand that this event may have caused you concern as parents.

However, we would like to clarify a few points. The incident in question was unfortunately an accident. While clearing the table, a glass broke and a shard struck your daughter’s leg. As soon as we noticed her distress and discomfort, we came to speak with you to ensure she was okay and to offer our apologies.
In an effort to resolve the situation, I checked in with you regularly throughout the evening. At that time, and after sharing a digestif together, we felt that the incident, though regrettable, had been understood as an accident and that everything was back to normal.

We are, however, distressed by certain statements regarding members of our team. Behind every service are women and men who work with dedication, passion, and kindness. To publicly call them out personally seems particularly unfair to us, especially since they did everything in their power to handle the situation with care and respect.

Since we opened, we have had the pleasure of welcoming guests from all over the world, including many loyal visitors who return every season. We strive every day to offer everyone the same warm welcome, regardless of where they come from, and without the tips you mentioned being our goal.
We sincerely hope your daughter is doing well today, and we wish you and your family all the best for the future.
Warm regards,
The La Casina Team​

. . . my mantra -- perhaps on my tombstone! -- "There's always at least two sides to every story." Denise's daughter's injuries from shards of glass and a "hit" to the head understandably caused her emotional upset and some (minor, it seems -- i.e., apparently no need to seek medical help) physical injury. I don’t think there’s anyone here who doesn’t empathize with a child’s suffering, and Denise's distraught response is not surprising for a loving, caring mother.

The situation clearly is very disturbing for us to read. The purpose of Denise's post, however, seems to have been to disparage the response of people at La Casina ("Getting hurt at La Casina restaurant by the temp waitress") and/or to warn others amongst us against going there. I hope that the responses of Mathis & Mimi in this thread offer some adequate apology that salves the emotional anguish and physical suffering described. It was a tragic incident.

​