Reader: If you pollute your body with piercings and tattoos, expect low-paying service jobs

While it sometimes seems that hip new restaurants require that employees have cool tattoos and piercings, other spots have strict policies against piercing, tattoos and other body ornamentation. Jenn Wohletz went after such prudey-pants policies last week, in her list of five reasons restaurant employees should be allowed to have...

By Patricia Calhoun

April 8, 2013

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While it sometimes seems that hip new restaurants require that employees have cool tattoos and piercings, other spots have strict policies against piercing, tattoos and other body ornamentation. Jenn Wohletz went after such prudey-pants policies last week, in her list of five reasons restaurant employees should be allowed to have tattoos and piercings.

But some readers pierced holes in her arguments.

Says WillieStortz:

I like to go to restaurants where the staff has a lot of piercings and tattoos because it's a great way to teach my kids a lesson.

I make it clear to them that if they pollute their body with piercings and tattoos, then low-paying service industry jobs will be the only opportunity available to them in life.

I plan on taking my 13-year-old to Old Major for his birthday so he knows where he will end up if doesn't shave or exercise.

Do you care if your server at Old Major -- or any other restaurant -- has tattoos and/or piercings. Post your thoughts below, or join the conversation on pierced/tattooed servers already under way here.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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