Defiant Events.

Originally Posted by Silent_

@Maelwys, nice story but I can't afford a restaurant. How much prestige would that cost?

Originally Posted by Maelwys

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that there's an empty lot on the side of the road.

Some enterprising young chap decides it'd be a good place to build a restaurant.

The restaurant gets built, and gradually customers start to come by.

Over time the restaurant gets more and more popular, and becomes a popular neighbourhood hangout. Those new to the area are regularly pointed in its direction as a place to have a good meal, meet people and enjoy themselves.

The builder/owner of the restaurant finds they have to hire new staff members to handle all the customers. Some of the new staff members are liked more than others, but in general, the place works. It remains popular, and the number of people coming in and out continues to grow.

Gradually over subsequent years, the number of people living in the neighbourhood starts to dwindle. But despite the reduced number of residents nearby, the restaurant continues to do business and remains popular. It's open 24/7 - You can never go inside and find it completely quiet or empty.

One day, one of the staff members (with something of a reputation for being rather short-tempered with rowdier customers) is a bit more short than usual. This shortness is noticed by another member of staff and a staff meeting is called. At the staff meeting, the owner and the other members of staff hold a vote to determine what they should do.

The short-tempered staff member hears about the vote, and unbeknownst to the rest of the staff, they change the locks on the doors of the restaurant and declare themselves the new owner. The other members of staff, including the person who originally built the restaurant, are locked out in the cold and told to take a hike.

The customers are naturally somewhat surprised by this turn of events. The "normal" thing to do would be to file a complaint with the local authorities to get the disgruntled staff member forcefully evicted, and give the restaurant back to its rightful owner... but some of the customers think that the member of staff who seized control was right to seize control, and rally against the previous staff members when they attempt to get a petition going to give to law enforcement officials. The original members of staff walk away.

The customers still go along to the restaurant the next day, but find it changed. The atmosphere isn't as easy-going as usual. There is no music playing, there are people arguing loudly in the corner, and there doesn't seem to be anyone in the kitchen or behind the till.

Suddenly a brand new restaurant, complete with an attached bar/grill, opens right across the street... staffed by all the workers who had been kicked out. Customers who venture inside find the food and atmosphere almost identical to that which they had previously enjoyed in the original restaurant.

Customers flock to the new restaurant in droves. Eventually only a few "die-hard" stragglers remain behind in the original restaurant, unwilling to move across the street and arguing that the old place is still just as good as it always was, even though it is now virtually deserted.

The new restaurant quietly takes over as the neighbourhood go-to spot.

...sound familiar to anyone?