Takora Fisher

Professor Lawson

English 113B

13 February 2017

Words 1,020 b

A Seat at The Table

As a middle-class individual and growing up into a middle-class house hold the everyday

norm is to get up and go to work, then come home with the hopes to relax. There is not much

free time to go out and enjoy yourself. If it is not work, then it is school which comes with

consistent homework. This daily routine takes away from spending quality time with family and

even significant others. Now and days, when you turn on the television it is one minority after

the other being torn apart and races themselves tearing the opposite down. Worrying about what

to expect in what we call our America which we work so hard to contribute to the cycle of

distribution that goes into making America is very stressful because you do not know what law

will be created to affect you and your family. Those kind of life stressors all seem so small when

there is a weekend when you can go to a restaurant with your family or a loved one and literally

enjoy one another company and eat an affordable delicious meal. A place you can go where you

can feel at ease and share laughter not only with your company but with other ethnicities as well.

In times where we are separated by race and ethnicity, a place like Chilis allows for sense of

unity, comfort, and a refuge away from the stresses of life.

Chilis has been around since 1975 when they opened their first establishment in Dallas.

Chilis sole purpose of their restaurant is for people who craved connection with family and

friends When you drive into a Chilis establishment your first impression is warmth because
it is modeled as a cabin and when you walk in there is a waiting area with an open view of the

bar, which is centered around a big flat screen TV with the game playing. Instantly you get the

feeling of relaxation especially if youre a sports fan because you can grab a drink at the bar and

chit chat with others seated. The dim lighting gives it an intimate feel, and even with the sun still

out the establishment has a low level of light with the little candlelight chandelier pieces hanging

above at each table. This type of setting allocates for deep conversation and laughter and looking

around, there lots of families enjoying dinner with their kids. Some families had children as little

as three to four years old, while other families had children in their teens. You could see the

smiles on individuals faces as they were deep in conversation with their company. Waiters

walked back and forth checking on their tables and taking orders. Each family is a different

ethnicity yet can seem to laugh and dive in to conversation with the next couple at a different

table. This establishment creates this kind of free spirited space for all ethnicities to be able to get

along and leave their problems at home.

This establishment is always centered around family friendly shopping areas, so therefore

the stress relieving Saturday does not have to end with just dinner. Considering the sole purpose

of Chilis is to re-connect family and friends they model that by their specific choosing of

locations. For example, in Los Angeles on a street called Century Blvd there is a structure called

a fashion center and it includes different little shopping places like: Ross, Marshalls, Shoe

Palace, etc. So not only do you get the chance to enjoy a nice meal your able to shop around

while you wait or after your finished. Within the complex there is of course a Chilis and a Red

Lobster. Even with the two famous restaurants next to each other middle class families prefer to

spend their time at Chilis. Significantly because of their special two for twenty-two which

allows you to get an appetizer and a main course. They are even now offering a three-course
meal for only ten dollars. Which includes an appetizer, main course and a mini dessert. A lot of

times restaurants are designed around their quality and their prices which can only draw in a

certain type of crowd. These kinds of special offers are family friendly and affordable to a person

who is on budget and in need of saving. The simple fact that you can go to a restaurant with such

reasonable prices and the good kind of quality of service that they have to offer is amazing, it

makes a difference. Other restaurants that you may go to can be in the fanciest area, with the

most upscale menu and high price meals have the worst customer service. At Chilis the waiters

are constantly walking back and forth and checking on their assigned tables and refilling drinks

before you even get the chance to ask. Even on special occasions like birthdays all the employees

surround the customer and sing happy birthday and serve them with an ice-cream to celebrate.

This kind of unity within the employees and the families makes the customers feel like Chilis is

a part of their family and that this establishment is a place they can call home.

In our everyday life, we sometimes forget how important it is to spend quality time with

those around us. In some situations, we do not always have the funds to treat our families. With

all that is going in todays world, it feels good to be able to go out and have a good laugh.

Especially with living in constant fears with the middle class being the minority, it is never for

certain what can happen such a deportation because majority of our minority is illegal. An

establishment like Chilis is a refugee of life that keeps us lifted and remembering that the little

joys of life come in a form of a restaurant. Also, you do not have to go to a fancy restaurant to

feel a part of a norm because little establishments like Chilis are built with the intentions to

serve a middle class with pleasure and affordability.