The title pretty much explains it all. Last week, TechyDad stopped on his way home from work to pick up some dinner because it was one of those nights. We opted for some subs. I was really in the mood for some grilled chicken and ordered that. As we were eating our dinner, I noticed a medium length hair of a color that is not mine sticking out of my sandwich.
Insert gagging noises, expressions of horror, and rage.
That was the end of my meal since there was no way I was eating something that was served to me with an unknown hair within it. TechyDad called the store and was told he could go back in for a new sandwich and see the manager. Oh sure, just what we want to do so late on one of the coldest nights of the year with two kids that need to go to bed soon. NOPE, I was not taking that as an answer. I decided to call and ask to talk to the manager. The manager came onto the phone and blew me away with the cluelessness. She did not get how bad this situation was, offered no solution, and certainly NEVER said she was sorry. The next morning, I went to the website of the main company since I did not have a way to get in touch with the local owner. This is what I wrote to them:
My husband decided to stop on his way home to get subs for dinner to take home. He ordered a roasted chicken and veggie patty. As I was eating mine, something caught my eye. A hair was embedded in my sandwich that was clearly NOT mine. That was it, I was done eating. I was disgusted with this. What I was not ready for was what happened when we called the store. First, my husband called. He was told to go back to the store to talk with the manager. He hung up and told me. It was dinner time, we have two young children, and it was freezing. He was NOT going back to the store at that point in time. I picked up the phone and asked to talk to the manager. It was a little after 6:00 at this point. I did not get the managers name. She was less than helpful at best. The manager clearly did not get the gravity of the situation. She stated "Oh you are upset and don’t want your food?" No kidding I was upset, disgusted, and appalled with how she had no clue how to handle this. I told her I was finished and was going to contact corporate. This is when she suddenly seemed to care and wanted to know what she could do. I told her no thank you and hung up the phone. Your Twitter feed helped me to located this page to report the incident. I would like to know what is the proper protocol for avoiding hairs into customer food and what is supposed to be done when a customer finds one within their meal.
Thank you in advance for your assistance with this matter.
After some time, an e-mail from the owner of the store arrived. It was 2-3 sentences long and did not really apologize, state what happened, or anything else. They may have thought it was a sorry, but it was not. Stating that you are “sorry that your experience at my store was not satisfactory” and telling me to print out the e-mail for a free sub next visit does not cut it. Nope, my business will now be going to a new location and I will make my own sandwiches at home without feeding my family hairs.
So my question to you this week:
Have you ever gotten a hair in your food at a restaurant? What did you say and what did they do in response to the situation?
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #186
Yes, yuck. It makes me gag when that happens. I do say something. But usually my appetite is gone then.
Yes. It’s happened a few times and I always request a manager. They offer to comp my meal, but since I’ve lost my appetite they comp the tables meal depending on how many are in the party. If it’s a large party they pay for dessert or appetizers.
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Yes..I have sent it back and received an apology. Lost my appetite after that.
Cheryl “Mash”´s last blog post ..Aloha Friday
I had that happen once at the Four Seasons in Seattle – the manager was mortified and apologized profusely – then comped our entire meal. It definitely makes you lose your appetite!
Stacy Uncorked´s last blog post ..Once Upon a Time I Had a Dream…
I don’t think I’ve ever come across a hair in my food, but it would certainly ruin my appetite. I’m sure myself or my husband would talk to the manager about it.
Kari´s last blog post ..Movie Trailer Tuesday – River Queen
Yes I have had this happen….but it was at a sit down restaurant and they replaced my meal and my dinner was free.
But in this situation, I am going to turn the question back to you….what response from the company (either from the initial phone call or in the email) would have been satisfactory?
While I understand that the people at the store may have had a blase’ attitude about it, asking you to come back to the store does not seem that unreasonable. Inconvenient, absolutely (and I get that), but if they wanted to take care of you and replace your food, they certainly can’t teleport it to you. If the store does not offer delivery, they are not equipped with the ability to bring it to you as they are not staffed to have a person leave or have the proper insurance to send someone out for delivery.
The response from the corporate office at least attempted to rectify the situation by offering a complimentary replacement. Could they have been a bit more sincere….probably, but it wasn’t like they blew you off completely.
So my question is – what reasonable response would you have been satisfied with?
i can say i have not
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Chris had a piece of copper wire in his food at the chinese buffet recently. They comped half our meal. Chris wouldn’t have said anything, but I called the waitress over and asked for the manager.
With fast food however, and take out, offering to comp you a replacement is usually the extent of their ability.
Steff
@Shelley To be honest IF the manager had said she was sorry on the phone that night I would have been done with it and never would have reported it. I know things happen, but there needs to be a protocol within a chain, and or restaurants on how to deal with this situation. As noted in my letter to corporate, that is what I was trying to find out. That was NEVER addressed in the e-mail back to me from owner of the store. A sincere apology would have been nice, but a reply to my legitimate question would have been what I wanted since their manager representing their establishment failed seemed pretty reasonable to me. The free food, not the point in my eyes.
I”m trying to remember. I think no. but I’ve had some pretty nasty lettuce and tomatoes which made me ditch my sandwich.
I agree that a since apology would have helped and maybe asked if there is anything they could do to rectify and if what you want isn’t on their policy, then they could explain that and offer you other options.
Customer service has been given over to machines.
JamericanSpice´s last blog post ..Fingers Or Pencil
Yes I have. I usually stop eating it and do not return to that restaurant. I use to say things however I did not think it got to the right people.
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I can’t remember having gotten a hair in my meal too many times – maybe once or twice – and both times they were in sit-down restaurants. In which case, they just replace our meal with a new, hairless one! :-)
Jennifer´s last blog post ..Simple Pleasures – AF
Yes, I did in a pizza. I called & they apologized & wanted to know if we wanted a new pizza and we said no & just a free pizza coupon for another time would be okay. I so lost my taste for food that night.
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I watch (way too much) Kitchen Nightmares which has totally altered my eating out habits.
Have a great weekend!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2012/01/step-on-the-scale-georgia-school-kids/
Harriet´s last blog post ..Step on the Scale Georgia School Kids….
Well, yuck! Fortunately I’ve never had that happen but it would pretty much ruin the experience for me as well.
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I’ve gotten hairy food more times than I’d like to count. It’s soooo gross and instantly kills me appetite. The worst was at Bob Evans where I found two super long hairs cooked into my scrambled eggs. I about puked at the table.
My sister is always finding things in her food. I guess she just looks more carefully than I do.
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