Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Can you have it your way at Burger King anymore?

It has been a long time since I have been to a fast-food restaurant. Dave and I were both hungry after the radio show and were on our way home. I needed to get back to home so that I could call my dad. I am going to see if I can have him connect to my computer with his so that I can fix some settings on his computer. Anyway, Dave and I thought we would get something quick to eat. We chose Burger King because we can get a fish sandwich and a chicken sandwich there. We chose one on the way home. Dave ordered a chicken whopper, mayo only. I ordered my standard fish sandwich. I was not looking forward to eating it really because they always put too much lettuce and sauce on, so that in the dark car it gets all over everything. But still it is better than McDonald's, I told myself. We pay and then get handed a bag with our two sandwiches in it. I'm ready to take off, thinking that our order was not a difficult order, so it is probably okay. But no, Dave has to check to make sure that there is no rabbit food on his sandwich. I open the wrappers and low and behold, there is lettuce and tomato slathered on his chicken sandwich. Everyone knows that lettuce and tomato is Dave's kryptonite. Nothing turns him off more than lettuce and tomato touching his chicken. I think even the thought that lettuce and tomato has been in the vicinity of his sandwich makes him ill. Well, me being the "problem solver" that I am, I tell him to park and I will take the sandwich in and tell them they made a mistake and get it fixed. I am confident in my ability to be forceful in a friendly, but not condescending manner and to get my loving husband the sandwich that he, by now, so desperately wants.

I go inside to the counter and proclaim that the order was wrong, we asked for a chicken sandwich with mayo only, but clearly we did not get what we asked for. I then open the wrapped sandwich with a flourish and lift off the bun to show the "manager" what I mean. She takes it from me, while explaining that I should have asked for a grilled chicken sandwich, plain, with mayo only. She then turns to her cook staff and asks for that very item. I wait a few minutes, a sandwich then appears at the warming shoot, and the "manager" hands me my sandwich. I thank her, turn and leave, not even thinking of checking it again. That would be silly. How could they not get it right this time?

I get back in the car. Before Dave starts the car I decide I better check the sandwich again. Yep, you know what happens. Lettuce and tomato is again on the sandwich. Now steam is coming out of my ears. I grab both sandwiches and go back into the restaurant (if you can call it that).

I show the "manager" that there is again lettuce and tomato on the sandwich. I tell her that we do not want either sandwich anymore, we just want our money back. She throws the chicken sandwich into the trash.
She says, "Where is the rest of the food?"
I say, "That is all of it."
She says, "No, where is the rest of the food?"
"We only bought two sandwiches. We haven't been to a fast food place in a long time and I guess this is why."
"How much did you pay?"
"$6.71"
"Oh"

Morale of the story - You cannot have it your way at Burger King anymore.

3 comments:

Brett said...

naaah, its the flippin people that work these places. If you ask the BK execs if you can have it your way, it would be all "yes ma'am, yes ma'am."

Sad that they thought if they were going to give you your money back that they had better confiscate and throw away your fries too... fries you didn't have.

They probably don't realize that they just made you a non-customer for life. Why would you ever go back to a place whose manager will throw a fit at you when the 16 year old cook made a mistake?

Burger King is not that good and, apparently, not worth the time or the money either. That's not to mention the stomach ache that comes later.

Kari said...

It amazes me how people are so not customer oriented. I mean, I know people like to take advantage of restaurants and try and get free food whenever they can. But, in this case, it's pretty darn obvious that it was there fault.
Now, it's really sad for them that they just lost a customer just because they were trying to, I don't even know what they were trying to do. What in the hell would be the reason to ask for the fries?! It is just dumb. It's not like your returning two pieces of a three piece suit where they can "resell" the item.
It just makes my cringe over the stupidity of people.
Oh, and my second question would be, what else comes on the sandwich, so that just mayo would be confused with "not plain"? I don't believe those sandwiches come with mustard and ketchup, do they?
AArgh, I've got to stop thinking about it....

Kari said...

Oh, and must I say, it's a bit ironic. Right now I'm eating a salad that consists of lettuce and tomatoes and some italian dressing. I don't think Dave would like it. :)