After having lived in Dubai for 3 years and enjoyed hanging out in parks with my son and friends where you just pack your bag and your lunchbox and enjoy the outdoors. It had become an important outing for my son. Now that I am in Lebanon, I got so excited when I heard about this amazing Yuppie Park that people say is like no other. Planned our first trip to the park with friends & their kids, and what happened that day was a very outrageous experience that I still to this point can’t believe it actually happened.
Lady at the gate: “Hi, I need to check your bags.”
Me: “Sure, go ahead.”
Her (opening my son’s lunchbox): “Aha, that’s what I was looking for. You are not allowed to enter your food into the park.”
Me: “Oh, but I have a special case. My son has life-threatening food allergy and he can only eat from what I prepare for him.”
The man sitting beside her: “EKHER HAMMI INTI W EBNEK” (which translates to “I don’t give a damn about you and your son.”
Her: “You need to leave your food outside the park, and there is a cafeteria inside where you can buy food.”
Me: “Excuse me, do you know what life-threatening food allergy is? My son can die if he eats something that is not prepared by me and I need his food with me.”
Her: “These are the rules; no food is allowed in the park.”
Me: “Okay, I will respect your policies, what kind of food do you sell? Do you have any fruits?”
Her: “No, we have chips, chocolate, coke and …”
Me: “Oh, so you offer unhealthy food for kids. Okay, can I speak to the manager?”
After insisting on speaking to the manager several times claiming that the manager is too busy, the manager finally shows up with an appalling look on her face and just stands there.
Me: “Excuse me, are you the manager?”
Her: “Yes I am, and I know what you want to tell me and NO you are not allowed to enter food into the park under any circumstances.”
As I try to explain to her my situation, she would interrupt me and not let me finish what I have to say, and says, “EKHER HAMMI”, and walks away.
I look at the lady that I first encountered and say, “Okay, I’ll respect your rules and leave the food in the car and will go back out when my son gets hungry and feed him in the car.” (Car was literally parked few meters from the gate).
Took a deep breath in, and for the sake of my son’s excitement of going into a park with his friends, I went along.
It really was a lovely park with lots of activities for the kids. I meet up with my friends inside and tell them what happened at the gate. They calmed me down, but they probably didn’t grasp the intensity of what happened.
45 minutes later, my son asks for food. I tell him that we will go have our snack in the car and come back … and guess what? You are NOT allowed to exit and re-enter the park without paying another entrance fee.
Me: “No, no, no, no, you’re joking right?”
Lady at the gate: “No I am serious. If you step out of the gate, you have to pay again.”
Me: “I need to feed my son, and I am right in front of you. I will be back in 5 minutes.”
Her: “Still, you need to pay. These are the rules of the park. Once you take one step out of the gate, you need to pay to re-enter.”
My friend overheard what had happened, steps in and gets into an argument with the lady at the gate. Arguing back and forth, the manager decides to approach us with a repulsive attitude and says, “EKHER HAMMI. These are the park rules, if you don’t like them simply don’t come!”
We left.
I was hurt but I didn’t grasp what had fully happened until I got back home and contemplated. I respect rules and I wouldn’t blame them for not understanding my son’s allergy, BUT the attitude and the response was cold-hearted, inhumane, and extremely unprofessional.
Found out later that the majority, if not all, of the reviews on Facebook have gone through a similar experience, such as a diabetic lady was not allowed to enter a cucumber that she needed to maintain her glucose level.
Keep in mind that I was holding my son who witnessed the whole encounter. I later realized that the whole scenario revolving around his case may have a negative impact!
Well, looks like EKHER HAMMI is Yuppie Park’s motto.
Never ever again to this park! #boycottyuppiepark
41 Comments
Have you tried to call the ministry of economy or the bureau wich deal with customer in the ministry.
I am not a jurist but it seems to me that this rule is unlawfull although it s very common in Lebanon. This is racketting the customers.
Hello! I did not honestly. Not sure if it will be of any benefit.
Unfortunately Yuppie park which is an amazing outdoor getaway near Beirut, has the worst service ever. My daughter was 6 months old and they did not let me bring in with me her mashed stage one food! And yes they say it very rudely like they don’t give a damn!
I’ve had a similar experience. They are terrible and the people I know are already joining your boycott.
Rest assured, they will be closing soon.
We need to stand up against ignorant people who are sadly feeling too entitled for being gate keepers.
The best place to go with your kids is Riverlane. Trust me. It’s run by beautiful people who care.
Salam,
This is considered a “bad service treatment” and it is outrageous, but this is a personal incidence and it doesnt fall under a Public Opinion/ Collective Cause with all respect…
The admin were following strict rules in a very rude matter but with no signs of discrimination attitude in this particular case,
I do feel your frustration and anger,
But The Boycott Case doesnt apply here…
Just wail for summer and try to enter the beach ! Welcome to lebanese paradise
I don’t know the park but i read all ur comments and its very shamefull that the park didnt make any reply or comment. The owners, the managers or the customer’s service seem that : 3an jad ekhir hammoun !!
I can not believe it ! What kind of Monsters are they ? This is called ignorance and heartless, he should open a factory not a park for little children . Shame on him !
It’s the shittiest park and worst management in Lebanon…
Why dont you go to the free open Beirut huge forest in badaro…
You can enioy all type of nature and birds and trees and no one will ask you not to feed your kids…
Yuppie park had always been the worst park in Beirut… the owners are very arrogant!!!!
Boycott yuppie park
I hate this place and it’s staff!! Worst experience ever!!!
It is a shame that in Lebanon we do not have the quality of parks you are referring to and if there is it would be badly maintained, also our society is not aware or mind opened on healthy food for kids or serious food allergy or whatsoever
I feel for you my dear
I had the same bad experience with the man at the gate, he searched my bag in a very un respectful way, and then shouted on us when I told him, why r u searching my bag in this way, telling me : iza ma ma3ajbek ma tfouty..
I left the park and went to another place to spend time with my kids..
#boycott_yuppie_park
3aib shoum 3layon!
Owners are educated people! I don’t get how ignorant they are when it comes to food. The food sold at the cafeteria is non-food that I would never offer to my kids.
The one time we went there with friends we had a similar experience and eventually asked them to leave our lunchboxes in their fridge.
This needs to be resolved if they care about their clientelle. Until then, we are not setting foot there.
Such a shame!
Several years ago I stopped going to this park because of their inhuman and unprofessional treatment!
I was heartbroken with the attitude of this park’s staff, I would recommend posting this awful experience on Trip Advisor and rate them.
U should not have gone from the first time
I really cant imagine what’s on these people’s mind and how they think
This park should be closed!
They once followed an old women holding an apple to take it as thiefs and insult her and theirselves for an apple that wont waste their park nor they sell the same. They are very impolite and disrespectful.
I went there with my sister and her 2 kids and the lady at the door didn’t want to allow us to have the blended food for my 6 months old nephew! It’s a shame. My sister actually had to explain that he cannot eat other than blended food! And cannot stay with no food! He’s 6 months old!
And the Lebanese lady-manager has a son who is studying robotics in France…. what a shame for such a level!!!
Such a shameful behaviour!! What a lack of respect and unprofessional attitude!
FYI there is another outdoor park in Beirut near Sin El fil called Riverlane, I took my kids 6 months ago when it had recently opened and the staff was very nice.
I haven’t been lately but it can be checked online.
Hey! I totally get you – i don’t feed my son unhealthy food and encountered the same issue on April 12. I hate the fact that they don’t allow food at the park, but can understand their decision as often people leave behind unwanted food and end up dirtying the park.
But to be fair the lady and man at the door were very nice: they allowed me to keep the lunch bag at the entrance because i told them i didn’t want the food to perish in the car as it was a sunny day. And when my son got hungry they told me that i can actually feed him in the car and come back without paying again (they told me that without me asking)..
Hello me 222 i went once and wont go again at all they are not treating people and taking alot of money from the people for what it is still a park they are so bad no one go there so that they get a lesson.
Yes they are rude everyone knows this family and their monopoly park .
This happened with me also when my daughter was 1 year old! But I’m sorry to tell you that I took my kids again to this shity park since it is the only park in beirut of such outdoor playing area. We eat the fruits in the car on our way to the park and visit it for 2 hours max. But every time i enter the park i get upset and remember what happened to us ! At the same time we are going less this shity park.
They said back then they don’t want people to stay all day long! go eat in your house and we don’t care if you post it on social media!
I hate not only this park ! I hate everything in this country… if our country doesn’t care for the children and elders what do you expect from owners of a land that are greedy and cold hearted
Try Riverlane.. An outdoor park in Beirut near Sin El fil Jesr El Bacha. It’s a very nice and friendly place.
I will try it soon, thanks
If an owner is an ass doesnt mean the whole country is bad….i know many owners who are amazing decent people…be fair
Ofcourse their are some good owners! but our country doesn’t value our children in the right and proper way so I don’t expect owners to be better! Since all are doing entertainment places for business investment with high returns not thinking much of the needs of children! our country doesn’t provide anything luxury for free! You have to pay money to take children for a nice outdoor park that is less than our expectations and abide by owners unacceptable rules… hope you got my point of view…
I had the exact opposite experience. The staff were extremely friendly and I told them my nanny was fasting and can’t eat her food till 3 pm so she got it with her. They said that’s ok. Just put her food in the cafeteria and she will eat it there when it’s time for her to eat. So honestly I don’t know if what happened with this woman is been exaggerated or not.
I had a similar issue at that park… Went there once and never again. But today, reading what you wrote, I’m thinking: we can’t just boycott a place like this. We actually need to fight it. Getting the spotlight on such unethical business policies is maybe not enough. That park has been around for several years, and it seems to be going strong, as long as there are people who are willing to go there (arguile on the playground seems to be a big seller). Their business is running just fine without the community of intolerant, allergic, diabetic and other compromised people. In other words, they don’t give a flying f*** about us because they are making tons of money.
BUT today, reading this, I’m thinking: actually, we can’t just turn our back and let businesses like this just carry on. Remaining passive would indirectly contribute to normalize such business ethics. “Eikher hamme”??? Now that, I just can’t swallow. How about we turn it into “hammo”, and create trouble that he won’t be able to overlook? Boycotting is one step, but maybe reporting this to ministries (tourism, finance, shabab wa riyada, whatever…). Not that I have high hopes there, but it may be worth a shot. Trying to get some people directly onto his back, creating tangible trouble. Starting a petition can help gather forces and see our real number. Maybe we’d be taken more seriously than we think. I have witnessed more than one discussion on social media about yuppie park, and a lot of people were complaining about this. I think it’s maybe time we do more than just boycotting.
The owner n his wife r so mean n so rude…. Bass as others where saying…. They know that they have the only decent park in Beirut so they talk with customers as they wish…. Even I was ones telling them to get healthy food instead of this chips n chocolate n lollipops… To get labneh cheese or thym sandwiches…. Or man2oushe…. Or salads… Any healthy food…
I wish there is another park I would have never stepped yuppi Park…. But unfortunately we don’t have…
The owner n his wife r so mean n so rude…. Bass as others where saying…. They know that they have the only decent park in Beirut so they talk with customers as they wish…. Even I was ones telling them to get healthy food instead of this chips n chocolate n lollipops… To get labneh cheese or thym sandwiches…. Or man2oushe…. Or salads… Any healthy food…
I wish there is another park I would have never stepped yuppi Park…. But unfortunately we don’t have…
Same happened to us and my baby was one year old she doesn’t eat any of the crap sold ag the cafeteria plus there’s is shisha somke inside, they were very rude so we didn’t enter , owners and management are stubborn and very rude. Will never go back again!
same experience with me and people suffering from Coeliac disease , and mums with toddler ….
He knows he s the only decent park left in beirut and abuses of the situation. If each of the municipalities took care of its citizens and made parcs with games and sand and security like yuppie park, i bet he would be deserted.
Did you see the shisha cafe in the middle of the park?
The cafe you’re talking about also serves shisha for parents and a lot of dads “on duty” smoke their cigars in this park.
We left smelling like shit.
I also had the same encounter with food.
Went once and never again.
What a shame and wasted opportunity
I had the same experience with this guy! He wouldn’t allow my daughter to have a banana inside his park ! What a shame! I never recommend this place to anyone.
They’re so short sighted and unprofessional!! How stupid!!
What is the name of this Park ? We want to go and ask ministry of tourism to put an end for such behavior.There must be code of practice;rules;criteria and Standards..
I couldnt be more agree with you! And if u would do something to those wealthy dictatorship owners, you will have my respect and all parents respect’s.
What a lack of empathy!
So sorry you went through this, don’t worry about Nadeemo witnessing it, he just saw his super strong mom fighting for him
Rules are meant to be bent for the right reason.
That manager won’t last long and if they don’t change her the park is up for “Worst park awards”