![\"user-pic\"](\"/css/images/default.gif\")
\"We're taking this INCREDIBLY seriously\"
Taking this seriously < Taking this INCREDIBLY seriously.
He obviously knew that unless he pulled out the big guns we wouldn't take HIM seriously.
@taking_this_easy: Normally we see that phrase thrown out willy nilly, with no clue what \"taking this seriously\" entails. Well, we can see what is happening. The response from corporate shows me that they are not brushing this off.
Even if they weren't going to serve that food, they should be fired for their stupidity.
I recommend involuntary sterilization for anyone who films and then publishes a movie of themselves performing a criminal act. The gene pool needs that kind of chlorine.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-83488-100x100.png\")
I don't want to sound high and mighty, but joking about \"so and so should be sterilized\" is about as funny as joking about the Holocaust or lynching or other kinds of genocide. You might not realize that back when our grandparents were young, the practice used to be commonplace (including in North Carolina). The victims never really got justice: they were mostly institutionalized, and no one held Nuremberg trials for them. So sixty years ago, if these fools were convicted of a crime, they might have indeed been sterilized.
@wee0x1B: I have always told everyone that I'm running as a a write in candidate for 2018 (when I'm first eligible). The only law I want to enact is the \"Stupidity Enforcement Act.\" Basically it would be a clause that would say that after the jury decides someone is guilty the jury would be called upon to decide if that person was also excessively stupid. If the person was found to be extrordinarily stupid they would receive a much higher penalty.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-48863-100x100.png\")
@wee0x1B: They claim they were not going to serve that food but who knows. The video shows Michael continuing to make the sandwich.
Unless I'm missing something, its just something they are saying to lessen the severity of their actions.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-483565-100x100.png\")
@dohtem: And even if it's true, they were still beating the corporate name with a sledgehammer and misusing company resources.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-36686-100x100.png\")
He actually had stuff to back it up though. It wasn't just a one line statement, he talked about everything that is going on because of this.
I kinda feel bad for Dominos too, unfortunately I won't be able to support them because I like other pizza better.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-338647-100x100.png\")
@easy2panic: It's quite comforting to know that Dominos is acting quickly and unambiguously at punishing those responsible and reassuring its customers. I think this is the first time I've ever seen Pat Doyle.
Their buffalo chicken pizza is actually pretty good and some of the oven-baked sandwiches are quite tasty. For an ordinary pepperoni pizza, local establishments (in my realm of experience usually) trump pizzeria chains.
I agree with the author : if anyone is holding a grudge find another job and don't screw the customers or your employer .
I don't care if your boss is a butthole or a customer didn't tip you . There are plenty of legal and much more professional ways to deal with problem bosses and customers . Form a union , file a complaint with a regulatory agency , tell your friends the place sucks ,sue - I don't care . But if you partake in criminal acts like this I don't want to hear any whining .
And if I find out this was done to me as a customer I would press charges , sue( at least the offending employee ) and then have their place of employment shut down .
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-346324-100x100.png\")
When I see someone go speeding past me at 20 or 30 MPH over the speed limit, I hope with all my hope that they get pulled over further down the road. Twice in my life I've seen that happen.
I hoped that something would happen to these disgusting people to teach them a lesson. Maybe I'm just spiteful, but I'm happy these clowns are getting what they deserve.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-437936-100x100.png\")
@Mike8813:
\"When I see someone go speeding past me at 20 or 30 MPH over the speed limit, I hope with all my hope that they get pulled over further down the road.\"
Dufus behind me thought I was too slow, pulled out, gestured and gave me the glare, and accelerated into a speed trap. LOL.
You guys are mean. Why the heck does it matter how fast someone else is going, as long as they're doing it in a safe, non-buttholish manner?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-202178-100x100.png\")
@Mike8813: I've only ever seen someone pulled over once that passed me, though I've seen a couple parked in the ditch further down the road...
I think getting in an accident, as traumatic and dangerous as it is, does more for making people slow down voluntarily than getting pulled over does. Nobody finds the police intimidating any more, and I blame movies and the internet for that. </Jack Thompson-esqe rage>
@Mike8813: I enjoy flashing my lights at people coming the other way who I think are going way too fast. They think a cop is lurking and slow down, although there's never a cop. Guy slows down, no one gets a ticket.
@lannister80: Actually, in many states it is illegal to flash your headlights while your vehicle is in motion. So tell me, why is it ok for you to break the law by flashing your headlights when you \"think (they) are going way too fast?\" Let's assume for a minute they ARE speeding, you're both breaking traffic laws.
Except you ruin the headlight flashing warning system for people who actually appreciate it.
Mind your own beeswax busybody.
@lannister80: Except if you end up doing that to a cop and he thinks you're trying to either signal him or tell others of a possible speed trap ahead, you may end up pulled over. Even if it's just to make sure you're all right.
@lannister80: That's a good idea to get him to slow down, but then there is less likelihood that he'll get pulled over. Those people need the speeding tickets. Either they'll learn their lesson or they'll rack up enough tickets that they HAVE to learn their lesson. Temporary safety on the one hand, opportunity for punishment/rehabilitation on the other.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-716675-100x100.png\")
The other thing to is, the chick \"Kristy\" is actually a registered sex offender in NC. See:
[www.wcnc.com]
@Christian Pacheco:
It looks like she'll be going to jail for longer than the sentence for the food tampering. Since she is still on the suspended sentence for the sexual battery, she is screwed (no pun intended).
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-812528-100x100.png\")
@triscuitbiscuit: With a record like that, it's hard to believe her when she says the Domino's act was only a prank.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-774964-100x100.png\")
@Christian Pacheco: Scrolling further down the page, your link also indicates she has priors for felony possession of stolen goods and a misdemeanor for damaging a vending machine. Nice.
@Christian Pacheco: Apparently she is still on probation from the Sexual Battery charge. Unless I am reading it wrong.
@dohtem: I think you are correct. The conviction occurred 6/23/08 and the probation terms are listed as 24M, which I would assume is 24 months.
@Christian Pacheco: I sent in a link to the editors this morning that has a picture: [ncfindoffender.com]
@whyerhead: The statute:
§ 14‑27.5A. Sexual battery.
(a) A person is guilty of sexual battery if the person, for the purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse, engages in sexual contact with another person:
(1) By force and against the will of the other person; or
(2) Who is mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless, and the person performing the act knows or should reasonably know that the other person is mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.
(b) Any person who commits the offense defined in this section is guilty of a Class A1 misdemeanor. (2003‑252, s. 2.)
I'm putting my money on her violating option 2.
@PackerX: Packer, I'll put my money on option 2, and she caused them to be physically helpless by means of a restraint device or date rape drug.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-929652-100x100.png\")
@mariospants: I think it's safe to say that unlike other videos of people doing stupid things (jumping off buildings, kicking each other in the balls, what have you), this will not encourage further stupid behavior. Anyone with a brain and an ounce of self-respect was grossed out by that video. Anyone who wasn't is already spitting into the food they prepare.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-530576-100x100.png\")
@whyerhead: Um, & just followed that link & read the news story, and here's the thing that shocked me the most:
They're in their THIRTIES?!?! Come on now.
I seriously assumed they were much younger. I guess you don't have to be young to be stupid.
@summerbee: I thought the same thing. I was shocked at their ages! I thought they were just out of high school, with that behavior. Wow.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-324163-100x100.png\")
@summerbee: I'm way too squeamish to watch the gross video, so I assumed these were some 16-20 year old kids working an after school job, especially with the way Kristy wrote her e-mail to Tim McIntyre. I'm kinda floored to find out they're in their 30's.
@Crabby Cakes: They definately weren't high schoolers but in their 30s ? wow ...
It ashame though to anyone who has a record and working honestly for their employer . Dominos was willing to give them a chance and they blew it .
So now you have Dominos , the food service industry and honest work seeking criminals under the gun for A PRANK .
Ironic that it was criminals who perpetrated this . I hope everyone learns from this as well .
I received an e-mail from Tim McIntyre this evening thanking me for my role in helping to track the restaurant down. According to the email, sent at 5:24 PM, \"The person in question have not only been fired, they are now in police custody, charged with the felony of food tampering.\"
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-93244-100x100.png\")
I didn't even bother watching the original video of the two culprits. First off - like many others - I kind of expect this kind of thing is going to happen now and again and that the cooking process is going to kill any lingering bacteria. Secondly, watching these videos only creates hits that feed the notoriety and encourage additional activities like this (although in this case, it's probably mostly outraged people watching it).
Although he had to read the statement rather than make his opinions known off the top of his head, I appreciated Patrick Doyle's video and it definitely HAS increased my respect for his company. I will continue to buy Domino's pizza regardless of the video.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-537475-100x100.png\")
@mariospants: and what about the morons who do this to things that aren't cooked, like lettuce and tomatoes? What should we count on to make sure that gets killed off?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-127508-100x100.png\")
@mariospants:
Sure cooking will kill the bacteria. However, cooking does not kill any toxins that the bacteria may have produced.
@nemesiscw: I'm not sure what you mean by \"toxins.\" The CDC is pretty clear that it's safe to eat foodstuffs that have been cooked hot and long enough to kill E. coli and salmonella, with no residual effects; other disease-causing organisms, like the famous prions of mad-cow disease, may not be neutralized by standard cooking stuff, but they're fortunately rarer.
On the other hand, cooking in an oven is probably the least effective way of heat-killing microbes, and I bet stuff like the bread isn't heated to a temp that's going to reliably kill stuff. (It's the food temp, not the oven temp, that counts.)
Though on the other other hand, I think the odds of somebody actually getting sick from the stuff aren't that great--not much greater than if one of 'em sneezed when you were standing across the counter from them. It's not gross because it's certain illness spread, it's gross just because it's gross.
I forgot to say kudos to the Dominos leadership and Patrick Doyle for responding and jumping all over this .
Yeah it's just PR but I hope this doesn't affect the honest,hardworking and professional employees of Dominos or anyone else in the food industry that doesn't do or tolerate this crap .
Kudos again !
I really wish they had named Consumerist specifically, but I can understand not wanting to drive people to the website where they can read other Domino-related failings.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-258324-100x100.png\")
@Crabby Cakes: This story got a mention on the WUSA-9 (DC) \"Websurf report\" this morning (Apr 16), and Consumerist was specifically mentioned as playing a role in bringing this story to light.
@Crabby Cakes: Though I am peeved that one article [www.smartbrief.com] said that users \"discovered\" the footage but that Domino's did the tracking. So distorted so quickly...
@floraposte: Oh, I don't like that at all. More than likely, Domino's didn't even KNOW about it until Amy or Whyerhead brought it to their attention.
This has gotten huge. Some caller mentioned Consumerist on the Philly-area morning show that I was listing to today on the way to work. The entire morning show revolved around having foodservice workers call in & describe the things that they've done and/or seen while behind the food counter.
One guy said he worked at the Phillies' stadium and put \"some time of bodily fluid\" into the hot dog water. And they kept the same hot dog water all season long.
@summerbee: I doubt they keep that water past a single game, if that. I don't know what call in show it was for, but some of the people were calling in to egg the hosts along.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-205831-100x100.png\")
@summerbee: Although I don't doubt that some idiot might have put some sort of bodily fluid in the hot dog water, I'd be very, very surprised if they used it all season long. That in itself is disgusting, and has to be a health code violation.
@MadameX: I think that there's a food-service culture of tales like this, just like most professions have their urban legends; they're especially valuable to workers who feel that fear of taint keeps customers behaving well. I suspect that the \"this totally happened!\" stories have about the same level of occasional truth as in any field.
@summerbee: That's what scares me . I've heard the stories as well from the media and even relatives that work in the industry .
I've been saying this all along but they have to make an example of this . Seriously I want food tampering at level to become a federal offense if not just a felony .
Sometimes I think people talk for shock value or to show they can do anything want but with all the BS I'm sure there is truth . I see too many who ignore very important rules and procedures including ones for THEIR safety/job security and they're more interested/happy in showing how they got over on someone .
There are certain lines you simply don't cross and this is one of them . I gonna hammer this point to death . Food Tampering should be a major felony if not a terrorist offense .
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-406173-100x100.png\")
Felony warrant? Wow. Domino's must have some pull. But after all said and done, they're getting community service.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-851357-100x100.png\")
@twophrasebark: I doubt that they will serve any real prison time if this is their first offense. However, having a felony record while looking for a job can be a serious obstacle.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-25844-100x100.png\")
@twophrasebark: Tampering with food is a felony. They posted videos of themselves allegedly tampering with food. I don't think that Domino's pull has as much to do with it as some idiot posting a video of himself breaking the law on a public website.
@humphrmi:
I don't think you understand how criminal law works. Tampering with the mail is a felony too. You know those dimwit postal workers who get caught stealing Netflix DVDs. They almost all get fired, probation and community service. And those are people who are caught on video.
Making a video of making disgusting food... equals community service.
You're probably right about the community service though.. but at least they'll sweat it out for a bit before they get sentenced to it.
Even without buggers, their food sucks.
It absolutely boggles my mind that in New York City, which has the best mom-and-pop pizza shops in the country, ignorant slobs actually buy the crap that Domino's sells.
@GayNerd: I went and got their pizza on Tuesday after reading story after story about them all day. I was surprised at how clean the restaurant looked and the toppings on the pizza seemed to be of very high quality. Way better than papa johns or pizza hut.
@theblackdog: I didn't write that people outside of NYC who order Domino's are ignorant slobs, did it? Just those in NYC.
I've taken a liking to Doyle ever since he burned the Subway C&D letter in a commercial. After that, I force myself to actually try on of their new \"American Legends\" pizza's and found them to be pretty good.
His next commercial should be of him beating the crap out of these felons with a lead pipe.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-624458-100x100.png\")
@krispykrink:
His next commercial should be of him beating the crap out of these felons with a lead pipe.
Agreed. But, he should make sure to put THAT on YouTube as well!
I'd tune in.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-749055-100x100.png\")
will this escalated out of proportion pretty fast. Just can them and issue an apology.
A lawsuit? What are you going to get out of them? They work(ed) at Dominoes.
An arrest? doesn't really seem to serve any purpose
@zacwax: How do you know they didn't serve the food? The video says she did; all we have right now that says she didn't was her post-publicity plea of innocence via e-mail.
@sirwired:
I don't think her testimony would stand up it in court. It is just basically her word that she didn't serve the food and that is all. I would most definitely not trust her word, especially with many past offenses. I think that she said that it was not served because she realized how much trouble she got herself into.
@zacwax: Yes it does. One, it sends a message to the other dimwits who think doing this is funny. Two, it shows that a company can take something seriously, and protect their image. Three, it means that morons who do this can get punished by the justice system. Apparently this food wasn't served - but what of the jerk who does this for real, and serves the food to someone? Where do we draw the line at idiotic employees who have no filter in their brains?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-350811-100x100.png\")
Sue former Domino's employees? I completely understand their anger, but it will cost them more to sue than these two could possibly own?
@MaytagRepairman: To a company like Domino's, they lose more money if the public thinks that this kind of behavior gets only a slap on the wrist and a form-letter apology. The fact that they're suing, and that these people may see a court room, means they want to protect the company's image and brand.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-38607-100x100.png\")
@MaytagRepairman: Agree Their legal fees would be better spend on finding a way to use business interuption insurance for their losses. But I do like the felony treatment and attention to this. Even if it was a joke, the posting of the video encourages these acts
@MaytagRepairman: Money or material gain is obviously not the issue. This is to drive home a point and make them scapegoats (whether that's good or bad is debatable).
@dohtem: Umm, I don't think you understand the term \"scapegoat.\" A scapegoat takes the fall for something that they weren't 100% responsible for. Nobody forced these stupid assholes to make those videos, and nobody else was involved...
@secret_curse: You are right. I looked it up and it appears I have been using that word incorrectly :(
@Yossarian: I agree. I don't think it's making a scapegoat out of someone when they willingly (and stupidly) commit a crime and post it on YouTube. They deserve to be punished.
You'd figure with the recent peanut butter scare a story like this would've gotten more attention . Well at least food safety got attention out of this crap .
If their boss was the one who set them off I want them exposed & dealt with too . If it comes out they did nothing wrong before this and the boss \" pushed \" them too far ... It still comes down to employee having the professionalism to at least walk away .
I hear other horror stories besides food safety coming from the restaurant industry including the way employees are hired and fired . Especially at the local or smaller chain level . I've worked in tourist areas with alot of restaurants and bars and yet it's just like getting a civil service job - you have to know someone . I hate to say it but in many areas the restaurant industry is very cult like if not clickish .
They almost live outside the rules . I guess all the tip/cash related jobs help perpetuate some of this type behavior and attitude . I heard a story where a manager found out that they had employees looking at other jobs and they were basically fired or let go for ' looking ' . I was told that's an accepted practice ? . Point being it seems like many restaurnat workers have their own code or rules .
But their code is quite literally not for public consumption .
@u1itn0w2day: There isn't anything their boss could have done to push them to do this unless he told them to. You could get mad at your boss, but to take a multiple videos of tainting food and then post it on youtube, that is just something to get attention.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-23360-100x100.png\")
Now here's a guy who knows what \"taking it seriously\" means: Fired employees and felony warrants.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-337579-100x100.png\")
I used to work at wendy's and there were PLENTY of opportunities to pull the crap those dominoes employees did because I was either angry at a customer, co-worker, or some other personal problem and I was as professional (and had more common sense) as to not mess with some customer's order (ie, spitting in their food) because I go to restaurants myself and wouldn't want to have that feeling that someone did that to my food, although I'm SURE people probably have because they were having a shitty day, but it's no excuse to take it out on the customers.
I do like how the president of the company did give a sincere apology about the two jackasses that pulled that stunt.
Props to Dominos for addressing it and to Consumerist for posting their response. I almost want to order a pizza from them in support. I'm going to go with Lou Malnati's tonight though.
I am annoyed he is not looking directly at the camera when he is apologizing, but just looking to side while reading off the telepromoter. Is he the same guy that appears on those domino pizza bail out commericals?
As far as the employees, what exactly are they going to sue them for? They are probably not going to see any jail time. I do think laws for food tampering need to be more strict.
@Portia Barrett: From the Youtube comments: Honestly, it is a problem of a quickly-rigged camera setup. We set up the camera and lights (our downfall) in less than an hour - and it blinded our Pres.
So it's bad camera work and too-rapid response that caused the odd view.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-75067-100x100.png\")
I'm not going to get too worked up about this. Here's why:
This people make me think of the Abu Gharaib guards, or some low level mortgage officer who is busted making fraudulent loans, or something like that. Some low level idiot who comits a crime that can be easily disseminated around the media is hung out to dry while all of the top level people whose actions demonstrably hurt the lives of thousands or millions tsk tsk them for being so bad.
The odds that eating a single booger would make you sick are pretty low. It's disgusting, sure, but not life threatening. The odds that eating this quality of food on a regular basis making you chronically sick and ultimately dieing earlier than your time are very, very high. Sure, this is clearly a crime - \"tampering with food\". But then, shouldn't the chief executives of most fast food chains as well as Monsanto, Coca Cola, etc. be charged with the same crime? Just like these dimwits, they are knowingly selling food that has been adulterated and can cause sickness or death.
To me, personally, that gloppy cheese stick in one of the videos looked like a giant booger anyway.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-120941-100x100.png\")
This is such a great response to this whole thing. Kudos, Domino's!
A+ on Domino's part. I might just have to order something from them soon again...
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-710849-100x100.png\")
To be fair, if there has ever been a time to order Dominos, it is now as I am sure all employees got notices about this in every store
Now the questions should be: How to prevent this in the future and how can we get free pizza out of this?*
* I don't think Domino's is real pizza, but I'll take something free and give it to a homeless guy or something.
@pecan 3.14159265: Recently, there was a code for free cinnastix if you order online, just have to pay delivery charge and tax. Order if you dare!! Ha!ha!
@pecan 3.14159265: Wow, I kind of sounded like a jerk. I meant that I wouldn't eat Domino's, but if I were to take advantage of any freebies, I'd give them to the homeless. They don't to be welcome inside dining establishments.
@pecan 3.14159265: I bet you'd keep the muffin tops for yourself and give the stumps to the homeless, too.
@Yossarian: Out of all the episodes of Seinfeld I've seen, I think that part is the only thing I found hilarious.
Let's hope justice is served. I'm not sure what kind of white trash thinks this is funny. Perhaps if their mother or father spent less time at the bar and more time raising their kids...
Kristy Lynn Hammonds is also a REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER.
pic --> [i43.tinypic.com]
for SEXUAL BATTERY and is on PROBATION. I guess it sucks that she now has a warrant out for her arrest. =)
hmm he seems very insincere.... too much reading not enough heart, dominoe's is overpriced pizza...go local, its always better and usually half price
Good job to the consumerists readers who busted those kids. Too bad Domino's tastes like garbage and I never order form them anyway.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-436584-100x100.png\")
I used to love Dominos but after that incident, it's going to be hard to order from them for a long while.
Granted these two are the scum of the Earth, but there is one part of the videos and the fallout that disturbs me.
In one video they mention that the manager is in the back reading newspapers, \"as usual\". Yet there is no mention of the manager getting in trouble for not supervising them.
I worked at a Wendy's a few years ago. Whenever the manager went away for any reason that is exactly when the teens started throwing hot patties, putting cup lids on burgers under the bun, and other grosser stuff. It all ended up with the manager getting fired for not \"managing\" his staff and letting them get away with this.
Remember this is a franchise, so the manager might actually be the franchise owner if it's only a single location rather than a regional chain of stores owned by one franchisee.
I don't get the impression that Domino's is intentionally penalizing the store owner, nor should they. The act of shutting down the store and sterilizing it is in part about PR and in part about ensuring that the store is the best it can be, and I think it's a smart move both for PR and just simply good business; with people like that working there, who knows what else might have happened.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-488475-100x100.png\")
@calchip:
Exactly. What else might they have done? I don't even want to think about some of the other things that didn't make it onto the tape!
Maybe the manager was looking in the want ads for a better job!
I would expect that if I were a manager and I had people working for me who were IN THEIR THIRTIES, that they knew how to behave if I took a break in my office.
It's the perpetrators' obnoxious immaturity that is to blame, not the manager. The manager is not a babysitter.
@HogwartsAlum: True, may not have anything to do with the manager. We don't know the details. One of these two (as unlikely as it may seem) may even be an assistant manager or team leader that is expected to supervise and \"babysit\" the rest of the employees. All that is clear is that the manager was not around when the videos were shot. Would make me and my stomach feel a lot better if I knew if something had been done with the management. Retraining, reassigned, if she was just on a break, or ANYTHING more than \"she is back in the back, reading the newspaper as always\".
Also, does Domino's do background check's? Would they have been left alone if the management knew the rap sheet Kristy has?
I just wish he called them \"noids\"
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-258630-100x100.png\")
Who the hell is he looking at anyway?
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-72554-100x100.png\")
I'm honestly not entirely buying what he's saying in the video. He comes off as insincere because he isn't looking at the camera, he's looking to the left of it (from his perspective) through the entire video. That makes it seem like he can't look us in the eye. Also, he isn't sitting up, he's slouching down with one shoulder lower than the other, indicating he's way too comfortable about the whole thing.
Basically, his mouth and body are saying two different things, and unfortunately it's been my experience that the body is usually telling the truth.
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@ptkdude: What exactly could he possibly be lying about? Virtually every single thing he says is either fact-checkable or basic PR mumbojumbo.
I'm incredibly proud to have been one of the first people who sent this tip in. Consumerist was my instinctive choice when I learned about this video, and I'm glad to see I was right in that choice.
This was probably the best response they could have done. I'm sure a team of people worked hard to craft it, but, regardless, it was well executed.
The other day I walked by a dominos pizza and thought \"Ew gross, no way I'd eat there\" but after watching this video, I do feel that corporate is going to put their boot down on most of their chains to clean up the act enough to warrant me to reconsider buying pizza from them.
Ya know, in the old days, you farked over the pizza boss man and he hired a couple of his cousins (freshly arrived from the Old World) to take you out back and beat the living sheit out of ya.
If you were lucky, you lived through the beating and somebody forgot the quick set cement to finish your booties. If you weren't so lucky, you might have tried your skill at deep water holding your breath.
These days, I wonder if anybody at Domino's is still appropriately connected?
Domino's as a chain (at least around me) are the best kept restaurants.
The health department publishes the ratings. The Domino's closest to me has never received less than a perfect score on the health department inspection. Most of the local Domino's score better than 95 out of 100 on a consistent basis.
You gotta realize that some of these score criteras have little to do with food prep. Things like emergency door releases for walk-in refrigerators. Whether the employee work areas meet ADA requirements. So scoring a 95 out of 100 on a consistent basis might actually be a perfect score with a permanent mark down for a building design failure.
So how would you like to be the manager that only scores a 94 when the previous manager scored 95s? Or 99 when the previous manager nailed 100s?
Something minor, like a muddy foot print on a customer door mat during a rainy day. One point markdown.
And now you got to explain to corporate why your store got less than a perfect score.
I wonder if it might be worthwhile for that Domino's location to sponsor an event in their community where they take their operation outside for a day, where any potentially concerned customers can see their food being made, at no charge, from start to finish. It would be costly, for sure, but it may go far to restore confidence in their brand.
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According to news reports I read, Dominoes is considering banning video cameras from their stores... Perhaps they see the \"problem\" not of one of criminal acts and food safety but one of people finding out how your pizzas are prepared by their highly screened personnel. This is \"taking it seriously\"? I WANT to know this stuff- without video evidence it's just hearsay.
Removing the video cams from cop dashboards won't stop police and citizen abuse, though it WOULD shut down TruTV and SpikeTV..
wow, bad teleprompter. He's not even looking at the camera.
I am now officially afraid to ever eat restaurant food of any kind again. Fortunately, that attitude meshes perfectly with our shrinking household budget.
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Not that I'm defending these jagoffs, and I don't doubt that Domino's can secure some top notch lawyers, but if the two former employees are claiming it was a hoax...wont it be hard to prove that the particular food shown in the video was never served to their customers and that this had never happened before?
@thrashanddestroy: That's why it's a weak defense--they probably can't prove that it wasn't served to customers and that this was a one-off. Even if they can, it may not get them off the hook if the law is written so that any tampering with the food in a business establishment is a felony. (And I wouldn't be surprised, since you don't want people getting off just because the customer noticed the gross thing before they bit into the food.)
@floraposte: Actually, it should be fairly easy to prove that the food went out. They'll have the date/time stamps from the video taken of the monitors. (Even a low-grade filter can pull that information out.) It won't be hard from there to see that the TWO items being made had delivery stickers put on them (this will be in the computer) and they were sent out for delivery. To argue that they only put them in the box and then threw them away, they would have to account for the stickers they show themselves putting on the box. If they then claim that they put the food in there, but dumped it out, and reused the boxes for the real order, that is equally as felonious, as they contaminated the container with the tainted food (particularly in the case of the booger being stuffed in the already cooked food, and then the utensils used to cut said boogerized food.)
No matter how they try to argue that the food didn't go out, if the food really did go out (which I highly suspect it did) they will lose that argument to a jury.
And that's just the tip of the ice burg.
They have them on the additional felony count of using the cleaning supplies (ie: sponge) to wipe their bare ass with. THAT is the biggest and most damaging act. Moreso than the boogers, as human feces is notorious for transmitting disease.
Finally, in the civil suit, the damage done to the franchise will be more than both of these morons put together will ever make in a lifetime.
Domino's HAS to see this on through. They have to set a precedent and make an example of these two. Not just to save face, but it's overdue that someone show these idiots just how serious food tampering really is, in EVERY restaurant.
I bet the owner of Dominos would beat those two into a tomato sauce-like pulp in 30 minutes or less.
I kind of like apologies better when they aren't read from a cue cards.
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Yes, they are taking it seriously. In fact, I approve that Dominoes is suing them. This is the right thing to do because other food perps working at other establishments may learn something from this. Although I admit this is wishful thinking.
They were both over 30? I definitely expected them to be some dumb-ass teenagers. Of course I suppose if you are over 30 and working at Domino's, you don't have much to live for...
The criminal courts might give these two a slap on their wrists, but rest assured a civil suit will make them practical slaves to Dominos for the rest of their lives. Deservedly.
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I think firing the kids is plenty. Making a criminal charge is a little overboard IMO.
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@axiomatic: Well, they're not really kids. Thirty years old is plenty old enough to know better. Tampering with food is a felony. Throw the book at them.
Speaking of dumb employees seeing consequences for their actions, anyone ever know what happened to the kid who took a bath in the basin at Burger King in Xenia, Ohio (which was reported on the consumerist a few months ago)?
Did anyone catch that the NY times mentions the Consumerist and it's two detectives? (Not by name unfortunately.)
[www.nytimes.com]
axiomatic: Kids? These are grown adults violating food and utterly DESTROYING a multi-million dollar company's image. I hope they serve time, and THEN get sued by Domino's for damages. I can't STAND the idea that some useless piece of filth is violating the food I'm paying for.
FFS, he even put shit on the food AFTER it was cooked! That's just flat unsanitary, and dangerous. He hardly looked clean in the first place. I'd be shocked if he'd bathed in days.
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I really don't buy the popular argument that the blame for this falls entirely on these two \"idiots\", as Dominos has referred to them. Of course, they should be fired and charged with a crime. However, if these two weren't being DIRECTLY supervised, then they were trusted employees. If they were trusted employees, then Dominos management severely failed their customers.
This lack of supervision is of course due to cost cutting measures that Dominos would say are needed to remain competitive.
My point, and what we all should learn from this, is that if you want to feed your entire family for less than $20, and want it delivered, then you're probably going to end up with human mucus (and probably animal waste) in your food.
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To make matters worse, Kristy Lynn Hammonds is a registered sex offender in the State of NC.
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@ floraposte :
Nemesiscw may be referring to toxins like botulotoxin. When you get botulism, it's not the bacteria that get you, it's the toxin that they make, so killing the bacteria won't help.
That said, the likelihood of this asshat carrying it in his nose - and still being able to report to work - are pretty low. So problem solved. Generally, though, it's not the toxins you have to worry about, it's the organism itself which like to wreak havoc on yo' belly. And yes, like the CDC says, cook it, and it's all good...but no, I wouldn't want to knowingly eat something that has been up someone's nose regardless of bacteria. It's really not the bacteria that skeeve me about that proposition. Really.
/throws up just a little at idea
I just found THIS out about Domino's:
1.) They have a 20 acre \"domino land\" or some such in Kentucky. For the holidays, it's heavily decorated and set up for children to come and play for free.
2.) Churches get an automatic discount so all large pizzas are a flat rate of $6 each. (According to my father in Illinois, anyway.)
3.) They're heavily involved in charity.
4.) They funded my sister's church group to come to DC for a church related outing.
You never hear about any of the good stuff they do, and then this happens. Between the way they handled this situation, and what I've recently found out, I will ONLY purchase from Domino's from now on. Maybe someone at Consumerist should dig a bit into their charity work and try to give them some good press after this debacle?
Well, minus the improperly placed teleprompter I'd say that was a sincere message. I wonder where were those idiots are hiding? I'm not a Domino's fan, but I hope people can begin to trust them again and that their business doesn't suffer anymore.
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I know that this doesn't happen at every domino's but I am sure I can never trust the brand again. Also, I discovered a new pizza in my area that delivers!!! I've always ordered domino's because they would deliver in my area; Pizza Hut would not. The new brand: Papa J's. (tastes good, IMO)
I would imagine they will end up with some court ordered community service. Unfortunately it probably won't be enough community service. Something like every weekday evening and 8 hours every Saturday for 2 years might be enough in my opinion.
Notice the awning (sign?) that says \"Principles\" behind his shoulder? What an interesting \"coincidence\".
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I actually kinda feel bad for Domino's. These YouTube dimwits are going to end up hurting a lot of honest hard-working people at Domino's.
@Watergun: @katyggls:
Katyggls: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I could NOT have said this better myself. I started out working in Hardees, and Captain D's Seafood. I never saw a single case of food tampering, and I know for a fact that if anyone had ever done anything of the sort while I was working there, that our managers would have fired them on the spot, and possibly pressed charges themselves. To insinuate that just by the nature of being a minimum wage job then they MUST be tampering with food is asinine, and insulting to every person who's ever worked or is working a minimum wage job.
I absolutely LOVE the response from Domino's, and for anyone to even *suggest* that the lawsuit is \"overkill\" is to try and make these filthy pigs the victims. They are NOT the victims, we as the public are. Yes, Domino's will spend more money in the lawsuit than they will ever get out of them, but I know that prior to this response, I was not a Domino's fan.
After seeing Domino's step up to the plate and say loud and clear that emulating movies like \"Waiting\" is NOT okay, I will be eating Domino's any time we order pizza from here on out. What they may lose in the cost of lawyers they will gain 100 fold in customer loyalty.
@Watergun:
Especially because this story is just getting wound up. It usually takes 3 days to a week for this kind of thing to get to TV media and when it does it will spread like wildfire. All the assurances in the world will not stop the hit that Domino's is about to take. Those two retards will go to jail and then be sued into oblivion by the corporation and the franchisee. Way to go retards, real funny video.
@Watergun: That was a very good response on Dominos part.
@Watergun: I think the company's reaction has been so swift and severe that they're effectively cauterizing the wound. I doubt many people will equate Kristy and Michael to Domino's quality in general.