Restaurant fined over pan-waving worker

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CLEARWATER, Fla., May 15 (UPI) -- Officials in Clearwater, Fla., say they have warned a man known as Pierogi Guy to stop waving a saute pan in front the Pierogi Grill, a Polish restaurant.

Clearwater sign inspector Mary Jo Weaver sent a warning April 11 to Marek Pietryniak, president of Piramida Grill & Steak House, the restaurant's owner, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Thursday.

Weaver said Pierogi Guy violated the city's sign code. The restaurant flouted the warning, and has until June 26 to pay the $138 fine or contest it in Pinellas County Court.

A second fine would amount to $263.

"You kind of feel bad for people because they're trying to do everything they can to survive, but that's not one of the things, unfortunately, that they're allowed to do," Weaver said.