Isn’t it funny how businesses we may deem successful fall into bad times, fail to weather the storm, and finally crumble? Most of us customers are almost always left with unanswered questions, wondering what could have gone so horribly long.
Such is the case for Au Fudge, although we may have very well received the answers we seek. Before hitting an iceberg, the restaurant owned by Jessica Biel was sailing in calm waters, attracting the who’s who in West Hollywood.
That the dining spot was both posh and kid-friendly made it the go-to eatery ever since it was established back in 2016.
Numerous Complaints
However, the fairytale ended when Biel’s employees voiced numerous complaints, which resulted in a lawsuit against her and the restaurant’s investors.
Among the complaints was that the employees felt that their boss cheated them off meal and bathroom breaks, as well as their designated time of rest. They also felt that they were getting a raw deal in terms of tips accrued from high-end private events that Au Fudge hosted regularly.
Going by reports posted by The Blast, Biel’s staff were baying for blood-seeking the $430,100 they felt owed in terms of tips, not forgetting that they were also after $31,549 as payment for all the breaks they missed.
As if that was not enough, the employees also wanted $1 million in damages. Talk of rocking the boat!
They must have hit their employer really hard, as she ended up closing up shop (*sob*). Biel also decided to settle the matter out of court, paying her former employees an undisclosed amount of money.
Although details have been kept on a need to know basis (don’t we also deserve to know?), that the settlement led to the collapse of Au Fudge means that it couldn’t have been peanuts.
Though we may try to be optimistic, it honestly isn’t the eventuality Jessica Biel had in mind when she set up shop. Remember how she marketed the eatery?
The actress sold the restaurant as a sanctuary that would blow off children’s minds while still being as dazzling to adults. And boy did she deliver on that front! Were it not for the nine employees who chose litigation, maybe we’d still have our Au Fudge.
Not that we’re championing for employees to be stiffed off their hard earned cash, but there are better ways to solve disputes before involving the authorities. Either way, that Biel settled out of court proves that she finally realized her mistake and made steps towards correcting it.
What Next?
What next for Au Fudge, you ask? Taking to Instagram to announce the restaurant’s closure, the actress admitted that it was indeed the end of a great era. However, Biel also admitted that with every end comes a new beginning, putting everyone on notice that Au Fudge was now available as a party renting space.
Not a bad beginning either, don’t you think? Pretty soon, the premises will have made quite the impact, and we’ll see a host of parties going down. Let’s just wait!