I think whether that's true or not depends on whether you think of that restaurant simply as a food service or an experience. Did you go there just to fill your belly, or did you go because you heard it was the best steak joint in town and you wanted to find out what the fuss was about?
Tell you what I don't understand. Going to somewhere because you've heard it's speiial and then altering all the food so it's just like how you'd have it at home. Why even bother? I mean it's your money, but I don't understand people who will fork out $50-100 to have steak just like they do at home. And if you order that tenderloin or whatever and then ask they don't season it, that you want it well done, and you want a side of ketchup...that's just what you'll get. A steak completely indistinguishable from what you had at home, but for $60. I can't imagine you'll be satisfied with that.
Anyway, I'm playing devil's advocate here. Sure, a lot of these chefs and restaurants are unnecessarily snobby and don't respect their patrons. I do think that customers act entitled as shit too, though.
A $100 steak shouldn't taste the same as what you make at home just because you want it extra rare or ask for a different side. That's what I'm talking about, the idea that somehow a dish goes from gourmet to bland the instant you change something. Now, sometimes customers can be dicks, sure. I won't fault someone for rebuking a customer that's complaining that they can't have their burger animal style. But if you actually take pride in running a restaurant, it means accommodating people who may not all have the exact same tastes. Frankly, when a restaurant is up it's own ass about not offering substitutions, all it does is make me suspect the food's not made to order in the first place. ---
