My partner and I went to the Beltliner at approximatly 10am on Saturday September 23 2017. This was our first time in the diner as a co worker suggested it when it first opened but we hadn't tried it out until now. My partner was paying for parking as I went inside and was greeted by the owner, Brendan Bankowski. I asked for a table for two. He said we can sit at the bar or wait for a table. I said we would wait. I asked how long it would be and he said aprximately 10 minutes. I felt that was reasonable as I looked around and there was a table for 4 empty and some tables finishing up. Keep in mind I was the only party waiting at the entrance other than large table of 6 which was tucked away in the hotel lobby attached to the restaurant. He asked for my name and entered into an electronic system. He then asked
for my phone number which I was hesitant to give. I asked why he needed it and he said so
I would get a text when my table was ready. I was not comfortable with giving more personal information other than my first name so I declined. I think this may have thrown him off because it went downhill from there. He said I could wait over there and pointed to the entranceway to the hotel lobby where the other party in line was waiting. So I stood off to the side until my partner showed up. My partner approached him and asked for a cup of coffee while we wait. He said "I can't help you but one of my servers can". So my partner stood right beside him while he stood there at the counter and asked the server for a cup of coffee. We then waited for half an hour to be seated. In this timeframe parties of two were going and people coming in ahead of us were being seated. I looked around and saw a table for two so I went up to him and asked him if we could have that table and pointed to it. He looked at me and said "no". So I asked why not? And he said "because you can't". He said i was number 10 on the list of parties to be seated. I then asked how can that be when he said earlier it was going to be 10 min. So I asked for the owner. He said he was the owner. At this point I was stunned. He was becoming visually and verbally irritated. Shaking and condescending towards anything reasonable that I asked. I said that a friend of mine's husband (i mentioned her name) owned partially with the Beltliner and had mentioned coming there. He said "I don't know who you are talking about". I said we'll can I have your card. He condescendingly said sure and went to get it. While he was doing that I spoke to one of his servers and said I don't know what is happening? I just didn't want to give my phone number and instantly we became the enemy in his eyes. She said "he's the owner and you best talk to him". But clearly he would have no interest in trying to make this already bad situation better because when he came back he said to me that I was being "aggressive" in the same condescending voice "you name drop and you think you know our system....you don't know our system so leave and never come back....oh and make sure you get my name spelled right". I was stunned. I said I'm not being aggressive I'm just trying to understand why you are seating others before us and clearly we had arrived before all the others. I would like to note that I researched before going and the Beltliner is not on the Nowait app nor does it allow reservations on Open Table on weekends. I carefully placed my coffee down and said "are you sure this is what you want and how you want to treat your customers?" He said "just leave and get out and don't come back". At this point there were many others behind me waiting to be seated. I said to them I wouldn't be served because I didn't want to give him my phone number for the wait list. I said to them he was incredibly unprofessional and abrasive towards me. It was horrible and I will never be back. We then went to Suzette's where we had a lovely crepe breakfast greeted by a happy and welcoming hostess.