Australian eatery drops ‘Schindler’s List’ waffle fries

After a woman complained, the restaurant said it would change the name of the item, adding that it did not “look to offend” anyone.

By David Jablinowitz, World Israel News

A restaurant in Australia says that it has taken “Schindler’s List” waffle fries off its menu after a Jewish woman had complained that the name was offensive, according to The Daily Mail.

The Melbourne woman, identified only as Lisa, visited The Arc at Nobbys restaurant on Friday. She felt disturbed when she noticed the Holocaust reference on the menu while visiting with her boyfriend, said the Anti-Defamation Commission, a leading Australian civil rights organization.

“Almost immediately I noticed the ‘Schindler’s List’ waffle fries for 15 dollars,” Lisa was quoted as saying. “I cannot express how disturbed, uncomfortable, and in plain shock we were both in after reading the menu.”

“Schindler’s List” is a 1993 film about Holocaust-era German factory owner Oskar Schindler, who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazis. The movie was produced and directed by Steven Speilberg

Lisa said she complained to the manager, who then apologized for the menu listing. The Schindler’s List waffle fries nachos are among a number of other items on the menu named after blockbuster movies including “Pulp Fiction,” “Terminator,” and “The Godfather.”

“I asked to speak with the manager and explained to her how inappropriate it is to name a dish after the film,” Lisa said.

“The manager was apologetic after I had explained to her why the name of the dish is extremely offensive, and she assured me that it would be changed to something else,” she added.

“At the time, the venue owner advised the customer that her comments would be taken on board and reviewed immediately,” The Arc at Nobbys told the Daily Mail.

The restaurant has since decided to remove the Schindler’s List as the name of the fries and print new menus.

“We would like to add at no time did we look to offend anyone and the intent of the name on the menu may have been taken out of context,” the restaurant said. “Fries are a popular menu item so we named our four fries after four movies that are popular classics.”

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich called the incident an example of “abuse and cheapening of the Holocaust for advertising and marketing purposes,” warning that things like this take place “as we move further in time and people forget what actually happened in World War II.

“It simply defies belief that anyone thought this was an appropriate marketing ploy or a funny gimmick to describe food. I should not have to say this, but there can never be any justifiable purpose for making light of the extermination of six million Jews and millions of others,” Abramovich added.