by Keka Araújo

August 6, 2024

The restaurant responded.

{ alert(‘URL copied to clipboard’); }) .catch((error) => { console.error(‘Error copying URL: ‘, error); }); } ]]>

While enjoying the festivities of this year’s Summer Olympic Games, Serena Williams called out a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris after the tennis legend claimed she and her children were denied entry.

On Aug. 5, in a post shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), the Olympic champion expressed her frustration, stating that she and her family were not allowed into the rooftop restaurant L’Oiseau Blanc at The Peninsula. Williams noted that this was the first time her side had denied her access to her family.

Yikes, @peninsulaparis, I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in [an] empty restaurant of nicer places, but never with my kids. Always a first. #Olympic2024

Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places 🫠 but never with my kids. Always a first. #Olympic2024 pic.twitter.com/lEGJR5WoEn

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) August 5, 2024

Regarding the debacle at The Peninsula, fans and supporters quickly added their two cents to the tennis great’s situation. 

You’re better off not going, their food is subpar — I’ve unfortunately had to pay for it quite a few times.

— Lateef (@LateefSaka) August 5, 2024

How does one get denied when they are Serena Williams…… lol

— Anthony Varrell (@V_arrell) August 5, 2024

Paris restaurants typically only book to capacity and they don’t expect to turn tables multiple times each evening. So if a booking is made for 8pm, they will not seat someone at that table at 7. So at 7pm a restaurant may look empty at the moment, but every table is actually…

— Adrienne Dueck (@AdrienneDueck) August 5, 2024

The Peninsula responded to Williams with an apology, explaining that the establishment hadn’t slighted her and her children– it was merely booked with no availability.

“Dear Mrs. Williams,  Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight.  Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked, and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved,” the restaurant penned from its X account.

Dear Mrs. Williams,
Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight.
Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved.

— The Peninsula Paris (@peninsulaparis) August 5, 2024

{ alert(‘URL copied to clipboard’); }) .catch((error) => { console.error(‘Error copying URL: ‘, error); }); } ]]>

Source