TICO BULL by RICO (Not a review, but something like it) The newly opened cafeteria “Cafe con cuerpo” in San Jose has sparked a debate between those who support and those who criticize the place for their “sexy dressed waitresses“.
However, Marcela Negrini, co-founder and manager of the cafeteria sees nothing wrong with the way her girls (waitresses) are dressed, much less vulgar. “There’s nothing wrong with a sexy uniform,” said the model turned restaurateur.
I visited the cafeteria on Thursday and it was packed. The crow was all male, under 40. My friend and I were the “old fogies” in the place. The parking lot was filled with late-model high-end vehicles that included brands like BMW, Mercedes and Porsche, among others.
From the outside the place doesn’t say much. The location, two blocks from Paseo Colon, south of Quiznos, the area is quiet and no pedestrian traffic.
Inside the decor is “acogedor” (cozy), the staff very attentive. The menu is varied and reasonably priced. One can only hope they will stay that way. Since the place opens at 7:00am, the menu includes breakfast, but I think lunch is their specialty judging from the early days of opening. Closing time is 5:00pm, I asked Marcela if there are plans to open later, dinner maybe. “It all depends on our clients,” she said, not closing the door to the possibility.
For breakfast ” pancakes; for lunch the “bigly” (sorry, that word stuck with me after taking in the third presidential debate the night before) hamburger, a favourite for Thursday’s lunch crowd.
Some of the critics say they will not go because of the girl’s uniforms. In my opinion, they are nothing more or less than the uniforms worn by girls at Hooters.
Reading the comments on Facebook and other social media, many were expecting “modelos” (models), a term sometimes used in Costa Rica for “high end hookers”. They were disappointed, and their comments reflected their failed expectations.
The girls, in my opinion, are there to do a job, like any other waitress in any other restaurant in any other place in the world. Nothing more, nothing less.
Surprisingly, a number of the negative comments on the dress style of the girls came from women. “Que asco” (revolting) says a poster, denigrating Marcela for being “a woman who sells women and their image as a sexual object”.
What do these critics do when they go to the beach? Have they ever been to Jaco or Puntarenas or the pool at their friend’s condo? WTF? If they are “ashamed” as one poster put it, they must be putting their head in the sand at the beach, or what? They don’t go to Mutiplaza? Or moreso the Paseo de las Flores or Mall San Pedro?
Have they never been to a bar in San Jose, or Heredia or Alajuela or Cartago, where not the waitresses, but the women customers are dressed slutttier than any of the girls at Marcela’s place.
Jumping on the bandwagon of criticism, although not directly at the new cafeteria, but all businesses in general that use beautiful women to promote their services or products is the Instituto Nacional de la Mujer (Inamu), questioning these business for promoting “machismo”.
In different countries, many bars and chain restaurants have girls and guys in provocative uniforms. Costa Rica is no exception.
Beautiful women are everywhere in Costa Rica.If you don’t want to see any, stay home, close the blinds, don’t turn on the television. And especially stay off the internet.
A great place! Great food! Highly recommended.
Article first appeared on TICO BULL, reposted with permission.
