Here's Brian's letter:
I thought you might be interested in an unbelievable experience I recently had at a restaurant.
Last night I went to Friendly's restaurant in Norristown, PA to get ice cream. My wife and I each ordered a sundae with butter crunch ice cream. After we paid for them, the cashier realized that they were out of butter crunch. My wife is pregnant and has dietary restrictions that prevent her from eating chocolate or nuts - which rule out almost all of the other flavors. So, since they didn't have butter crunch, we just asked for our money back.
However, she told us that she isn't allowed to give refunds. The cashier explained that their manager had been giving too many refunds recently, and that the manager would get in trouble if she issued any more. So because they didn't want the manager to "get in trouble", they refused to give back our money - despite the fact that we had paid for two sundaes that they couldn't give us.
We then asked if we could speak to the manager about a refund. After a worker disappeared into the back for a few minutes, we were told that the manager was in the back and on the phone, so she couldn't come out. I was astonished that the manager refused to come out and help us deal with this issue. After waiting another 5-10 minutes, the employees told us that the manager would not be coming out from the back. I suspect that the manager was not even in the store and the "on the phone" excuse was just used to cover up for her.
We asked for the manager's name, and were told by three different employees that they aren't allowed to tell anyone her name. So not only did they refuse to let us speak to a manager, but they wouldn't give us her name! However, I managed to overhear one of the other workers mention the first name of the manager [redacted.] The employee looked terrified after realizing that the manager's name slipped in front of customers.
By the time we had been waiting at the counter for about twenty minutes, the cashier said that she would be willing to return the cost of one sundae. This was completely unacceptable, since we had paid for two sundaes that we never got!
Eventually, after about thirty minutes, one of the employees agreed to get one of the half gallons of butter crunch from the take-out freezer to make our sundaes. Finally we got the food we paid for and left.
So apparently the manager at this Friendly's restaurant:
-- has instructed her employees not to issue refunds - even when they are fully justified - because she doesn't want to "get in trouble".
-- has strictly forbidden her employees from even telling customers what her name is.
-- refuses to talk to customers, even if they specifically ask to speak to her. In fact, I strongly suspect that she was not even in the restaurant, but told her employees to say she is "on the phone" to cover for her if she is not there
I tried contacting the store's general manager about this, but his business card only lists the phone number of the restaurant. I've put out an "email carpet bomb", but haven't yet gotten a response. Maybe getting the story out on your site will encourage them to do something about this.
Thank you.
-Brian
You might want to also give your local consumer affairs department a heads up about this new "policy." Selling a product they don't have and then refusing to issue a refund isn't, um, cool. Ya know? Come to think of it... it's not exactly friendly, either.
(Photo: *nomad* )
]]>You can have a written contract, or a verbal contract, and that's it!
]]>Beaten to the punch by dantsea!
But it bears repeating: The BBB has absolutely no power or authority to do anything of consequence to any business, ever.
They're really your only recourse when a company is just offering generally bad service, though.
In this case, the restaurant was actually doing something illegal: selling a product, refusing to deliver the product, and then refusing to return the money remitted for said product. A call to the local police would be appropriate, as would be a call to the locality's department of revenue (or whatever local agency handles business licensing).
A call to the state AG might also be in order.
@tedyc03:
This was theft (though I'm not 100% on that, it may be considered a dispute over an implied contract), and the customer would have had every right to call the police (even in the second case). Just like purchasing an item from an auction site and then not being sent the item after remitting payment, this is illegal.
]]>I hope you really are a Deputy, because otherwise, you'd be in a world on legal hurt if it turns out there's a real cop in the restaurant (or the real police get called).
]]>So, the meal was pretty miserable. But it got even worse when my brother made me laugh so hard I threw up my entire Jim Dandy sundae all over the table. True story. I swear. My mom is still pissed about that meal.
]]>@ELC: It's not that easy, like I said if it goes through the system (server had already run the purchase through the register) they would have to void the transaction to be able to remove the money from the drawer, which most of the servers cannot do without a manager. Even if the server wanted to refund the money to the customer, it's possible that they couldn't if the manager said no.
]]>it's not really a refund if no product was ever provided. They get nothing, you get nothing - just take it out of the cash drawer and give it back - or put it back on the card.
]]>@ExGC:
We have one. Right next to Target. Just the name "butterburger" makes me drool. I must try it.
I ate at a Friendly's once, when I lived in Newark, DE briefly in '87. The food wasn't bad but I remember the restaurant was very dirty.
]]>@TangDrinker:
You hate living in Texas, huh? Feel free to leave at anytime. We probably hate having you here.
]]>According to the ReferenceUSA database (available at finer public libraries everywhere), the manager for that particular location is a Mr. Keit Vo.
]]>I worked at Friendly's for about 7 months, and may do so again at some point so I'm going to refrain from making too many negative comments.
First:
"I suspect that the manager was not even in the store and the 'on the phone' excuse was just used to cover up for her."
Nope. There is always, always, ALWAYS a manager present in the building. It may not be the head manager, but there's always at least one. If there's only one, they can't leave the building until the next one arrives.
Second:
It may be different now, but last time I worked at Friendly's (early December), none of the servers had the ability to void a transaction. The manager has to do it. So what's more likely is that the server had had too many voids lately, and didn't want any more, and refused to involve the manager to save his/herself.
Third:
Management style at Friendly's is just odd. Some of it is mandated by the company, other times it's just weird preferences from the manager. Either way, they end up hurting themselves at times for the sake of convenience. It's a little sad.
That being said, Friendly's has never been one of my top choices. I had a couple really bad experiences at a Friendly's. The first happened when I went for ice cream with my father. The waitress put down the tray on the table and the sherbet cooler tipped and spilled all over my pants. It was winter. Not fun. She said she'd come back to clean up and give it to us free. We got up and left. The second time at the same restaurant, the waitress was bringing our meals. She had one of the dishes on her arm. Being the same place as the first accident, I said to my father "watch her drop something". Sure enough, the one on her arm went tumbling over just before she reached our table. We stayed that time because we weren't covered in food and we got a replacement really quick. Normally, at any Friendly's I've been to, the service is super slow. I now just go there for ice cream. It's good ice cream.
]]>I used to love friendly's(I've never had a bad experience with them, sorry) until..........................they posted their food calorie count online. HOLY F**K. A chicken sandwich and fries is over 2000 calories. I know going out to eat is bad, but one meal shouldn't be over my daily intake of calories.
]]>@ageshin: Funny you should mention that. The manager of this particular branch is Manager Manager Manager and her assistant is Not Here.
Reminds me of the problem the newspapers were having when He won a female gymanastics medal. Tough constructing a non-confusing sentence in that case.
]]>I was seated by the hostess, but waited 10 minutes before anyone came over. It was the manager, wondering why I hadn't been served. She explained this table wasn't in anyone's section, and called over a waitress.
I ordered a cheeseburger, nothing on it. A long time later, I was delivered a chicken sandwich.
I advised the waitress of the mistake. I then waited a long time again, and was delivered a burger with everything on it.
I hailed the manager (didn't want to take a chance of retaliation from the waitress, even though I had been mainly calm) and sent back the burger, it came out very quickly. Examining it, I saw the remnants of the mayo on the bun and the burger.
I stood up and left, leaving the bun off the burger displaying the mayo, and never returned. That location went out of business about a year ago.
Though they were incompetent, I think the nail in their coffin was the Baskin Robbins that opened up a block down the road, eating into their ice cream market.
]]>The management was notorious for using the back office as a vehicle to smoke, talk on the phone, and hide from customers. I am not at all surprised by this story.
As far as going to the back, the ice cream containers are giant and cold, which prevents most whiny lazy servers to avoid going back and lugging one to the front.
The only corporate management we ever received was orders to keep our shirts tucked in, and make sure the cooks were wearing hairnets. Myself aside, the servers there were all rude, boorish trolls.
]]>"However, I managed to overhear one of the other workers mention the first name of the manager [redacted.] The employee looked terrified after realizing that the manager's name slipped in front of customers."
You have spoken aloud the name of She who should not be named. You shall die a horrible death after being forced to work 100 straight hours under my "management".
]]>That grade of restaurant usually has a sign somewhere with the name of the manager and any "Commendations" they have "earned" somewhere near the front of the store--usually not far from the Feedback box.
And certainly, if your Server--who undoubtedly is wearing a plastic name tag-- refuses to give the name of the manager, then THAT name should be included, whether or not they have been "told" not to reveal the name of the mythical creature.
]]>Why was the name of the Manager redacted? What is the location of this Friendly's? We need to know in case we want to avoid it.
]]>I knew some idiot was going to say this. Congratulations. Hey idiot, gimme ten bucks. What for? Fuck you what for just give it me, shut up and go away. Get it now?!?
I'm also surprised to not see this solution: Take as much of their shit that adds up to what you lost, be it napkin holders or whatever. That would get their attention. It's called street justice and it points out how ridiculous their theft is. I think they would be willing to negotiate before you left and if they called the cops, it would drive the point home. Why should THEY be the only ones to suggest a substitution for your money?
]]>And, honestly, if my job was on the line, I would not give the refund either. It isn't worth my job.
]]>This is a perfect example of why retail food service is considered the dregs of the working world-it doesn't have to be but this is what retail attracts.
Retail employees including management frequently confuse management or company policy with what is legal or ethical.They think because 'a manager' told them so it is right.
Sounds like this manager is just trying to control their costs by denying refunds.And trying to cover it up by trying to remain anonymous.Probably a franchise just using the company name.
]]>What the Friendly's manager and minions did is stealing, plain and simple.
]]>The oddest thing about the story is that they did have the ice cream in the back freezer to make the sundaes as ordered. Why worry about a refund? Get a worker off their lazy keister and get the ice cream!!
Another point is that there must be something awfully bad about the restaurant if the manager is in trouble for giving out too many refunds.
Poor training and low expectations of the staff and management at the local level are to blame.
]]>"Why do they call it 'Friendly's' if we're all so pissed off?!?"
]]>LOL at your "Just walk out" comment. That's not documented evidence of them not providing you the goods, that is evidence of you walking out of a store.
For all the police know, you ordered the item and simply changed your mind about eating it, (maybe you were in a hurry or remembered you were lactose intolerant or had a surge of willpower to stay on your diet?) and you asked the person behind the counter to throw out the item instead of providing it to you.
Also the security recordings are the property of the company and would only be provided to the police upon receipt of a warrant. Of course, since the company policy is to only keep the data for 24 hours, by the time the warrant would be granted the tapes would already be overwritten, and this would not be considered tampering with evidence as it would be the stores policy with all their stores to only keep the tapes for 24 hours.
And again, if it were possible to sue a company just by buying something and then leaving the store without taking it with you, then that leaves the system far too open for malicious litigation. People could do it intentionally in order to sue for other made up costs like emotional distress, lost work, legal fees, etc. It would never fly.
]]>I thought the picture was an ATM at first lol...
]]>@TerpBE:
Free Food from spit prone previous manager still working at the store in the entry level cook/bottle washing position?
Personally until the person is gone, I don't return to the store.
]]>Walk out.
Seriously, just walk out.
Of course ask the employees to make sure the security cameras are running and documenting their receiving money and then refusing to provide you goods... because you will need the evidence to be forwarded to the local DA.
Then walk out.
As soon as you are out the door of the store the criminal act of theft will have been completed. As long as you are in the store no theft could have taken place.
So walk out.
I bet the manager will come running after you to fix the problem well before you even get close to the exit door.
]]>Also the service provider does not advertise any kind of refund guarantee or satisfaction guarantee, so they have no obligation to offer refunds of any kind regardless of circumstance. The customer should not in the absence of such an offer assume that one exists.
Also the service provider does not guarantee that sundaes will come fresh, or with any toppings, despite what is shown on TV. What is shown on TV is purely for demonstration of what the product could be should you choose to separately purchase toppings and add them yourself. (In the same way that the blueberries you see in Cereal TV ads don't entitle you to sue Kelloggs because your box of cereal does not contain any blueberries). So the service provider could have given the customers sundaes sans-topping and sent them on their way.
Also it is not illegal for a manager to refuse to speak to a customer, and it is not illegal to refuse to give out the first or last names or employee numbers of staff members.
Also the service provider doesn't need a reason to have their private security or the police escort the person off of their property at any time because it's their property.
And if you don't like it, tough. You are welcome to patronize a different service provider that does, in writing, offer you a satisfaction guarantee regarding your purchase.
]]>Call the police, they show up and start asking questions. If anything funny is going on, the employees will give the manager up. If not, and the police blame the OP, then there is another submission for the Consumerist!!
]]>@TerpBE: Good for you. I guess you're more apt to get a serious response from the higher ups/people with a vested interest in the company
]]>@kabuk1: Food too BLACK at Denny's? Racist!
]]>Swensen's pwns Friendly's in my book
]]>Bullshit on the not being allowed to tell the manager's name. Eh, I'd refuse to leave. And if they called the police, calmly explain to the officers that they've stolen your money. And what kind of dipshits don't know when they're out of something? Sheesh
]]>Wouldn't the BBB have something to say about it?
So what if they did? The BBB isn't a government agency, it has no regulatory power and people generally don't use it unless they have a complaint to make, or to confirm that they're not the only people who were treated horribly by a company.
]]>Go inside and demand your money back, increasingly loudly so the other customers can hear. Make sure that you are right inside the restaurant and they cannot push you out.
Explain that you have paid for the goods and they refuse to deliver them, over and over again.
If they threaten to call the police tell them that you will be calling them yourself for the theft.
In fact what is most likely to happen is that one of the other diners will say 'I'll deduct it from my bill'.
You can be pretty sure that the manager is going to come out if there are customers creating a scene in the restaurant itself.
]]>The fact of the matter is that the police exist to enforce the laws of the land, and if one is broken it is totally appropriate to call them.
Although really I think I would probably just try yelling a lot until I got my refund, but if I was forced into it, I would call the police.
Besides, "non-emergency" response times are usually pretty horrid, so that's incentive to find a creative solution.
Regardless, withholding items you have accepted money for is theft. There is nothing you can say that will make that ok. I can understand some of the commenters feeling like $9 or whatever the amount was isn't worth the time required to recover it, but others put more stock in principle and will fight for it.
Who is correct? Why can't both be? What's incorrect is you telling other people not to stand up for themselves. Stop it.
]]>Ah, the memories of going to Friendlys. When I was little, going there after the football games in high school and enjoying their Reese's Pieces sundae (which I'm sure my waistline appreciates). There were THREE of them in my little hometown, two of which were not even a mile apart (didn't understand that unless they had the same owners). All three are still there I think. Friendly's is largely confined to the eastern seaboard - Ohio is about as far west as they go. I went to one in New Jersey a little more recently, and boy was the experience different from what I remembered. We had to wave and yell to get anybody to acknowledge and seat us for several minutes, and they were way understaffed, so service was unbelievably slow and eating lunch there took over 90 minutes. I'm never going back. No matter, all good things come to an end. Let's remember the good times with a few of their old jingles/commercials:
1) "I'm the Friendly's ice cream wizard, and I've got good news for you!" (cue chromo-keyed picture of dorky looking guy in robe with a hat and wand standing in front of an enormous sundae)
2) "Friendly's - Great food and ice cream! That's all!"
3) (shout each letter individually)"F-R-I-E-N-D-L-Y !" "In the summertime!" (it was to the tune of that old 50s song 'Vacation')
]]>Folks, the cops have better things to do than help you get get paid for ice cream that you served a deadbeat customer. Seriously.
Shoe is on the other foot, does that change anything?
]]>It can be a living hell otherwise sometimes. Why do we go back? Because sometimes you have that perfect experience that makes you forget the misery of the bad ones.
When one opened up in NC, I had to go. We waited for ages to get a table, then our idiot waitress kept arguing with us about what was on the menu. We wanted to say "look, honey, we've been coming to Friendly's since before you were born. We know what you serve better than you," but we didn't. My then boyfriend asked for a burger, no mayo. It comes like an hour later and he takes a bite. Mayo. Opens it up and it looks like someone put it on and SCRAPED it off. Which is what our waitress told us. Um, he didn't order "burger with mayo on it then wiped off". She didn't understand why he wanted a NEW one. Told us it woudl take a while. Which it did. My idiot boyfriend didn't learn his lesson and ordered a dessert after. After like half an hour when it still hadn't come, we flagged her down and said "we're just going to cancel that." She said "but I'm sure it's ready now." Really? if it's ready, then why isn't it on my table?
He wrote a scathing letter to Friendly's HQ in Mass. We got a bunch of coupons and gift certificates.
So of course we gave them more chances.
My favorite was I ordered a cheeseburger and got a regular burger and the waitress argued with me over what I ordered. (I know what I order. It was always the same thing. Arguing with a customer over their order is not a good idea when the customer is being polite.) So she brought it back and returned with the same patty, now freezing cold with some cheese on it. I refused to eat it or wait for another and they made a big deal out of not charging me for the burger they messed up and I didn't eat.
But I still go back, lol. Was going to go tomorrow, in fact.
]]>If you paid with a credit card, then dispute the charge with your credit card company. You could have saved yourself alot of time. The manager would have loved the forced refund plus the chargeback fee.
]]>150 W Germantown Pike, Norristown, PA 19401-1330, United States (Map)
Phone: (610) 275-0696
]]>I just Googled it and found this... he he...
Company
Friendly's Ice Cream
Job Title Manager
Job Type Full-time
Hours 41+ hours/week
Pay Type Hourly
Wages To be discussed
Location 150 West Germantown Pike
Norristown, PA 19401
Friendly's Ice Cream Manager Job Overview
Come and work with the best! Come work for a company that illustrates a fun family environment; a company that offers excellence in training, potential in growth, and a company with stamina; a stable growing company since 1935, which allows you to have a career not just a job.
A key management position that drives the guest experience by delivering 100% Guest Satisfaction 100% of the Time by providing consistent Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Friendliness. Functions primarily as a shift manager in the dining room. Ensures that the restaurant delivers the basics of our business to include friendliness, immediate greeting of all guests, great food served fast, no un-bussed tables, sparkling clean everything, everything maintained in as new condition, and achieve profit as planned. Completes weekly and monthly paperwork, writes the restaurant schedule, and can recruit and terminate employees. People working in this position will have the opportunity to grow and develop to the General Manager level.
OPERATIONS
# Drive the guest experience and deliver 100% guest satisfaction 100% of the time
# Fills the shift manager position through dining room presence, directing the crew, coaching them and holding them accountable to the 7 basics
# Will be on the sales floor between the hours of 11 -2 and 5 - 8 driving the guest experience
# Empowers the crew to recover from all guest complaints
# Completes weekly and monthly paperwork
# Writes the weekly schedule
SUPERVISION
# Demonstrates how to deliver the 7 basics through role modeling
# Assume duties of GM when GM is not present
# Ensure all federal and state labor laws are enforced
# Train and develops all subordinates
# Administer benefit programs
# Complete all crew performance reviews
# Sets expectations and hold crew accountable for positive results
# Discipline, and terminate crew members
Job Requirements
Driving
Not Specified
Language(s)
Not Specified
Minimum Age
18+ years old
Additional
APPLICANTS MUST
# Drive the guest experience
# Interviews and hires crew-level employees
# Complete any weekly and monthly paperwork
# Train and certify GSS's and Restaurant Trainers
# Control costs
# Attend district meetings
# Attend schedule and training meetings
# Forecast P&L results
Applicants must successfully complete MIT Program and Management Development Course.
Job Benefits
Not Specified
Job Industries
- Customer Service & Call Center
- Food & Restaurant
- Management
- Other
A no refund policy is virtually impossible to enforce. A till can always be opened somehow so it's never just not possible to offer a refund.
You got one power tripping manager who is probably one write up short of a pink slip. It might not hurt to do an online search to see if you can find her name, just Google that friendly's location and the word "manager" and see if you can find anything.
]]>At Friendly's, they have ice cream for sale at the counter, as shown in post's photo. They also sell their brand of ice cream in take home containers in coolers where customers can buy them. That's what the post meant. They took one of those and opened it up.
I definitely say that OP deserves a gift card!
I love Friendly's. I've never had really bad service either. I'm a sucker for a Friendly Frank, fries and Happy Ending Sundae.
]]>I've had managers like that too, the big-shot store manager that makes $2 more per hour than her underlings & struts around like a Greek Goddess. Ridiculous.
]]>Then, if someone happened to have "previously known" the name of the manager there, they could post it here for all of us to see.
I for one think it would be hilarious to mail this manager a Valdemort picture, signed "Your secret admirer. -He who must not be named"
But seriously, I second the poster who said they would call the non-emergency number and ask for a cop to stop by and sort things out. Another option would be to call the local news station while you were there and say "I'm live on the scene where a local restaurant took my order and my money, refused to deliver the product claiming they are out, and refuses to refund me for the following reasons....yada yada"
I'm sure the manager would like it even less if her face was plastered all over the evening news and local papers.
]]>There are lots of other ways to handle this.
The internet (here). The media. Call the local TV station. I am assuming the OP paid in cash but if not, a chargeback. Writing corporate. Writing the franchise owner. Writing the BBB and the city council.
I'm just imagining the conniption fit the manager would have when NBC 3 sits outside with a camera for 24 hours and broadcasts her face to everyone in town as a liar and a cheat for screwing a poor, defenseless, hopefully photogenic pregnant woman. See how long she keeps her job.
The OP expressed extreme patience and for that I laud him. But the hothead response of "call 9-1-1" that seems to appear so often around here is a crappy one - the matter is civil at best and better solved in other, less expensive to the taxpayer and disruptive to real problems ways.
]]>I would have called the cops after 5-10 minutes of that bull.
I hope to hear more to the story if someone from there responds.
]]>'nuff said..
]]>Should have just told them they have 2 minutes to come up with the refund or you would be calling the police and personally filing a theft report with them.
]]>I had a friend who worked at one when we were in high school. She would always bring us extra food. But back then, there were no POS computers, so it was easy. Now, the only way to do something like this is to issue a refund for supposedly "unsatisfactory" food after it was eaten. This way the orders get made and the system balances out. The staff was probably using too many refunds to comp their friends and family.
The "no refunds" policy was probably never meant to cover the op's situation, but the staff didn't understand the difference.
As far as the manager's no-name policy, that's just someone who hates their job and is collecting a paycheck for doing the least amount of work possible without getting fired.
]]>I feel sorry for the manager. She was probably issuing refunds due to mistakes made by her employees. Now she can't even do that and obviously something's not right.
They should at least put a sign saying NO REFUNDS NO MATTER WHAT!
]]>Employees cant give out the managers name = manager has already had one two many complaints about them and the next will get them the axe and if it dosent who ever gives the name will.
Both are totally wild guesses but in all honesty I wouldn't be surprised at either.
]]>@Dyscord & Mayorbee: No Voldemort references then two in a row! Excellent.
@ITDEFX: You're joking right?
Friendly's was where everyone I know worked in high school. The only good thing about it was having someone to give you free soft drinks and sometimes cheese fries. I'd never go there again if it weren't for the Reeses Pieces sundaes. And thank GOD this pregnant woman isn't being denied chocolate.
]]>If I was one of the employees I would have rang up a fake transaction and refunded the money from the till, then wrote on the fake transaction receipt what happened so that the manager could correct it at the end of the shift. These employees were probably too dumb/scared to think of that.
Even better would have been if they had thought to do what they ended up doing, without putting the OP through all that hassle and BS.
]]>Maybe the manager was just too busy (poorly) Photoshopping sundaes into all of her store's landscapes? :P
If the location around here's any indication, Friendly's will need to change if they want to lower their average customer's age from "clinically dead"...
]]>@incognit000: +1 for the reference.
"and what is her name?
Oh, I dare not speak it!"
]]>I am the same as you, I just don't go back. I protest with my wallet!
]]>I would have called the police by the time the manager refused to come out.
]]>When I was in college, we always referred to them as 'Surlys' for a reason.
]]>I blame the OP - Why did you go into Friendlies in the first place?
LOL (kidding!)
]]>Everyone is missing the real problem here: What kind of country do we live in where a pregnant woman can be denied the God-given right to indulge in chocolate and nuts?! That poor woman.
]]>@Cupajo: the stuff in the takeout freezer is likely inventoried as one unit and meant to be sold as such. the stuff in the counters is inventoried as part of the main food supply. By opening a retail packaged container that store had to mark that container as shrink.
]]>@jrubow:
as in stuff they serve? because culvers has always been a veyr well done fast food experience. good food, usually prompt service(had to wait over ten minutes once and they gave me 2 free scoops of custard coupons before I even got to complain). This friendly's place sounds pretty bad though oh well I doubt a place like that coudl survive where I live. Chicagoans pretty much let crappy restaurants die.
I am convinced that the Waffle-House in Colonial Heights gets the people that are even worse as they dont even bother to serve people!!!
Of course you could visit the KFC on the scenic newly updated with shiny signs Boulevard. They get the prize for idiocy: They run out of chicken on Sundays. Matter of fact they run out of chicken a lot!
Im surprised they have been able to stay open this long..
V
]]>Clearly she is a SECRET manager!
She is a manager so elusive, no one knows where she is!
And those who do know where she is dare not speak her name!
]]>Beetlegeuse!
Beetlegeuse!
Oh no, the manager magically appears!
]]>I'm sure if you mentioned that was your plan after them giving you the run around for 15 minutes their attitude would have quickly changed in your favor..... though I probably wouldn't have taken the ice cream at that point, can't trust angry food preparers.
]]>What does the cashier think is going to happen here? "Oh, well bummer, OK, I guess I'll just leave now and let you have my money for free! You be sure to have a nice day now, and thank you so much for the trouble it took to ring that sale up on the register."
Apparently no cognizant thought whatsoever was taking place here on the part of the employees of this restaurant.
This is a very good illustration why everyone should take 5 or 10 minutes to look up and program all the local jurisdiction non-emergency police numbers into their cell phone. I've been thinking about this for several months, this story will motivate me to actually do it.
]]>I'm surprised no one made the Harry Potter reference. But this is crazy. This is probably why some people wait until after your food is ready to get it. The McDonalds around here does that sometimes if it's not to busy. It wouldn't be too hard to look and see how much ice cream you have left. Then if they didn't have any, they could tell you and let you decide if you want anything else. If not then you leave and they don't have to offer a refund since you never paid.....
Of course, that would be living up to their name. We can't have that.
]]>Wow. Just....wow. I live in California but my hubby is from upstate New York and every time we visit his family, a trip to Friendly's is the first order of business.
The manager sounds like a prime candidate to work in a California DMV. Same attitude, but no ice cream.
]]>I know that here in Houston (maybe all of Texas), it's illegal not to have a manager on duty if a restaurant is open. Restaurants get dinged for this on their health inspection reports. Brian should call up whichever local news station's consumer advocate runs the best "rat and roach" restaurant report and tell them all about their adventure at Friendly's.
]]>i had a friendlys refuse service to me and my family on my 16th birthday :( it was an hour before closing...
i ended up eating mcdonalds...
trust me it wasnt as pathetic as it sounded, the manager was just an ass.
The OP put out an email carpet bomb. Did he call their 800 number listed on the corporate website? It appears that they are franchises. Corporate can let you know who the owner is.
Also, although the BBB is generally useless, the State Department of Revenue or the Attorney General might be interested in a retail business that charges for a product, doesn't deliver the product and refuses a refund.
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation
1855 Boston Road
Wilbraham, Massachusetts 01095
Phone: 1-800-966-9970
What, vanilla wasn't an option? No way I'd wait that long for buttercrunch!
]]>That's hardly true. I spent years living in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I had great, good and bad service. I hardly think you can generalize about an entire region of the country.
I do miss all the seasonal seafood joints in New England ... God I hate living in Texas!!
]]>I'd given up on Friendly's but then gave them a chance once I moved to Virginia. And I was right the first time.
Theft, pure and simple. Can't sell me what you can't deliver and then keep my money for nothing.
Probably a regional manager you can contact.
]]>How anyone could be so dumb as to think a "no refunds policy" could solve any of this is beyond me.
Then again, the majority of restaurants in which I worked during my waitressing and bartending days had a decent number of staff members and managers who had pretty serious drug problems. It's tough to be effective, and frequently tough to even be present in the restaurant during your shift, when you're coked or tweaked to the eyeballs.
Just a thought.
]]>That sort of behavior, and the behavior in OP's letter, is just S.O.P. for most New England businesses.
]]>This is pretty sad. I fondly remember going there in the 80's and loving it.
]]>I used to have a Friendly's not far from my house. The waitresses were all older ladies who were really nice. The ice cream and the appetizers were always great, too. Shame to hear that things have gone downhill.
]]>I'd start raising a serious stink after 5 minutes, and have the po-po on the way within 10. Holding your money (hence, you) hostage for 30 minutes over this is completely unacceptable, and "Friendly's" had better offer you more compensation for the hour and stress invested other than what you originally paid for. Mess with their business license if need be.
]]>If I ran into a similar situation I'd likely tell them they have one more chance before I call the cops and report the restaurant for theft. If they still refused then I would most definitely call the police (not 911 but a non-emergency number), explain the situation to them, and see if they could have an officer come out to get my money back or how to go about filing a police report for the theft. I'd make sure to make this call in front of the employees and any other possible customers. Yes, I know the police are likely to have more important things to deal with, but just the call and mention of filing a police report for theft should get their buts in gear. (Heck, I may just call my home or work number and pretend I'm talking to the cops)
]]>she was probably willing to take the fall for one refund, but not two.
]]>it sounds like the employees were trying to help you. They're probably scared of her! It sucks when you have no power and a bad manager.
]]>We don't have a Friendlys here. I guess that's a good thing.
]]>It's basically a cross between a Frisch's and a Steak'N'Shake.
]]>Also, if the manager doesn't allow refunds to be issued, how was the cashier able to offer even a partial refund? Perhaps there is some secret threshold. Maybe if they had stood around in the store for yet another half hour, they could have gotten 3/4 of their money back.
]]>Pretty much matches my experiences with Friendly's- the most inappropriatley named store, ever.
Of course, Fuddruckers doesn't count unless you pronounce it wrong.
]]>That is COLD!
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