var json_comments = new Array("
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The Queen of Everything
May 5, 2009 5:33 AM
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I think I would vomit on sight.

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2 replies
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howie_in_az
May 5, 2009 9:48 PM
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@TheObserver: I'm having difficulty not doing it now, and I'm only just reading about it.

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dingdang
May 5, 2009 5:41 AM
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Was the picture necessary?

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7 replies
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consciousj
May 10, 2009 3:32 AM
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@dingdang: You know, a slew of news stations have been broadcasting footage of a woman without a face who looks like Predator meets Little Goombas.

This snake head is nothing.

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Canino
May 5, 2009 3:31 PM
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@dingdang: It isn't really much of a picture. If a blurry black lump grosses you out, you might want to stay off the intarwebs.

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dingdang
May 5, 2009 4:01 PM
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@Canino: I'm staying on the \"intarwebs\" but I'll be avoiding TGIFs at all costs. And possibly looking into a way to get Reader to remove future photos from my Consumerist feed.

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rdm
May 5, 2009 5:31 PM
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@dingdang: Agreed, this isn't the first time Consumerist has put a dead animal front and center on a post (without hiding it behind a cut) and it's disgusting. And yes, I've emailed the editors to ask them to stop, and they don't. I guess it's not sensational enough if there's not a nasty picture.

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TheGuinnessTooth
May 5, 2009 7:04 PM
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@rdm: That counts as a nasty picture? I bet you're one of those people that makes up silly sayings to replace profanity.

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Canino
May 5, 2009 4:06 PM
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@dingdang: You're going to avoid all TGIFs nationwide because one in New York got a bad batch of brocolli?


You might want to stay away from all restaurants everywhere. Grocery stores, too.

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wildhare
May 5, 2009 3:25 PM
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@dingdang: The picture is too blurry to even confirm it as a legitimate snake head so calm down please.

It looks more like a half eaten dolma.

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dingdang
May 5, 2009 3:57 PM
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@wildhare: How does a simple question imply hysteria?

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squinko
May 5, 2009 1:56 PM
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@dingdang: If they wouldn't have posted the picture, but made mention of it, people would've complained about that too.

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Mark Swieca
May 5, 2009 8:27 AM
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Incentive to NEVER eat at Fridays again....as if I really needed that additional incentive.

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3 replies
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supercereal
May 5, 2009 2:39 PM
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@Mark Swieca: Yes, because every Friday's restaurant conspired together to make this happen. Never mind the fact that whoever cultivated and packaged the food had a lot more to do with it...and I wouldn't be surprised if that same exact distributor supplies food to many of the places you eat.

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aamith
May 5, 2009 5:38 PM
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@supercereal: It's not fear of a snake head that keeps people from eating at Fridays, that could certainly happen anywhere, it's that the food at Fridays always TASTES like it has a snake head in it.

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rorschachex
May 5, 2009 3:20 PM
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@supercereal: It's just like pretty much every restaurant is supplied in one way or another by Sysco.

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gaywolverine
May 5, 2009 8:01 PM
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@rorschachex: Interesting that Sysco has under 15 per cent market share, yet you make such a idiotic claim.

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supercereal
May 5, 2009 8:30 PM
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@gaywolverine: When you were playing internet detective, did you happen to find out what percentage they had for restaurant distribution specifically, as opposed to school, nursing homes, companies, and all the other entities that they do business with?

Plus, your quoted market share is higher than Sysco's two biggest competitors combined.

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chiieddy
May 5, 2009 10:21 AM
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You can't really blame the restaurant. They seems appalled and handled it well. It likely got caught up in the food manufacturing process and the restaurant cooks up so much quantity at once, they didn't see it go in the pot.

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William Platnick
May 5, 2009 11:28 AM
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I wonder why this isn't getting any press coverage. I live in the Albany area and I've seen nothing. Was this at the Albany or Clifton Park TGI Fridays?

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6 replies
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Andrew Badera
May 7, 2009 10:07 AM
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@William Platnick:

hey Will!

It definitely got local news coverage by end-of-day on 05/06/2009.

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Mr. Guy
May 5, 2009 2:37 PM
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@William Platnick: that is what i'm wondering too. i've eaten at the Stuyvesant Plaza TGI Fridays more than once. I know it's highly unlikely that this snake in the broccoli was the fault of the management, kitchen, or waitstaff there, but still, i'm dry-heaving like a cat with a hairball.

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Andrew Badera
May 7, 2009 10:08 AM
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@Mr. Guy:

Were I you, I wouldn't eat there anymore. Knowing people who work, or worked, there, who won't eat there unless they're preparing their own food ...

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Corporate_guy
May 5, 2009 2:28 PM
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@William Platnick: Because it has nothing to do with Fridays. This is the type of thing that gets in there when the plants are harvested. It's rare for it to make it all the way to the plate, but it happens. Hopefully Fridays contacts the manufacturer so they can track down the batch and equipment and make sure something isn't wrong with whatever is supposed to screen for foreign matter.

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squinko
May 5, 2009 1:56 PM
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@William Platnick: Maybe because the OP hasn't gone to the press?

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Changed my name to \"I like potatoes\"
May 5, 2009 2:04 PM
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@squinko: Yes - you beat me to the reply. Took me a good five minutes just to get the reply feature to work. Anyway...
I don't think this person called the press. They took a picture and sent it to Consumerist instead. Of course, now you'll see it on the 5:00 news.

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KStrike155
May 5, 2009 12:01 PM
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I probably would have puked everywhere. I was on a Carnival cruise about 2 weeks ago and a large cricket/some other type of bug showed up in my salad. I'm a huge wimp when it comes to bugs, and was pretty disgusted by it. I talked to some manager and he just apologized and started walking away.

I said \"maybe I could get an on-board credit or something?\" He responds with \"We don't really do credits, isn't an apology enough?\" I looked at him with a blank look and he says \"I'll have the chef make you some chocolate covered strawberries and put them in your stateroom.\"

Yeah, 3 things wrong with that:
1) I'm partially allergic to fruit.
2) Um, I can walk up to the dessert counter and get them myself?
3) Like I want more of your food to make up for the nasty crap that just happened to me.

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7 replies
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audiochick
May 5, 2009 5:48 PM
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@KStrike155: What ship was this? I'm leaving on a Carnival Cruise in a few weeks. I hope it's not the ship I'm traveling on!

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Corporate_guy
May 5, 2009 2:30 PM
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@KStrike155: Not too many crickets on boats. Like this snake head, the cricket was probably from the fields. You are blaming someone who has no responsibility for it and demanding things.

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ailema
May 5, 2009 6:44 PM
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@Corporate_guy: No, the people preparing your food are responsible for keeping insects out of it. The manager could have just apologized and offered the guy a bottle of wine. It's no hardship for the manager to at least pretend to be concerned about faults in the food he is responsible for.

What if a supplier was constantly shipping them greens full of crickets? Wouldn't the manager want to be aware of this so they could switch?

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2 replies
May 5, 2009 5:50 PM
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@Corporate_guy:
What?!
That's GOT to be the most retarded & obvious false assertion I've heard so far this month.

There are PLENTY of crickets on boats.
Vermin have been infesting boats since man has been bringing food on as cargo. Carnival is no exception.

And I'd say KStrike155 is VERY justified in complaining to the manager.
Just because the cricket or snake head originated from the field doesn't absolve TGIFridays or Carnival of their responsibility in the quality of food they're preparing & serving, and the manager's utter lack of any interest in resolving the issue makes it all the worse.

By your logic, Dominos had no responsibility for the fact that two of their employees (Kristy and Michael) were serving customers snot, sneezed-on food, and washing their pots/pans with a$$-wiped sponges.

Inspecting food to be served and maintaining cleanliness in the food prep & storage areas IS the responsibility of the establishment, NOT it's suppliers.

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gaywolverine
May 5, 2009 8:05 PM
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@Coop: Actually you are wrong. If a supplier brings something in that is not part of what should be, they are responsible. Dominos is NOT responsible for their employee doing things that are not part of their job. By your logic, if an employee of a company murders somebody or robs somebody they are responsible for that.

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Solange82200
May 5, 2009 5:49 PM
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@Corporate_guy:

Are you serious? This was in their restaurant, on their cruiseship. She is THEIR customer, and something like that is their responsibility. Nobody is saying the manager pulled the cricket out of his pocket and put in the salad himself, but I can guarantee you that his job is to make sure the customer is satisfied. They absolutely should have done something to make up for that. It's not about blame, it's about the manager doing his/her job.

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KStrike155
May 6, 2009 6:27 PM
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@Solange82200: HE is their customer. Thanks ;) I guess I kind of do sound girlie because I'm complaining about a friggin' cricket...

@audiochick: The Carnival Elation. I probably won't be sailing Carnival again, it was nowhere near as nice/accommodating as Royal Caribbean, and the food (crickets aside) left a lot to be desired.

@Coop: @ailema: Thank you. At least some people understand where I'm coming from here.

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KStrike155
May 5, 2009 4:20 PM
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@Corporate_guy: Believe it or not, I found another cricket, live, on the boat. Maybe it's infested?

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SanDiegoDude
May 5, 2009 1:50 PM
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@KStrike155: I would have pushed for free booze, considering everything else is already paid for on a cruise ;)

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kateblack
May 5, 2009 12:36 PM
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I've had it with these monkeyfightin' snake heads in this Monday to Friday sandwich!

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2 replies
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rorschachex
May 5, 2009 3:18 PM
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@kateblack: I read the caption and then I had to go through the comments to find this. Well done.

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ShameFree
May 5, 2009 4:21 PM
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@rorschachex: @rorschachex: @kateblack:

Hi-larious. Funniest thing I've seen all day.

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ChChChacos
May 5, 2009 12:40 PM
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Where was the rest of the snake body..... eeek.

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1 replies
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audiochick
May 5, 2009 5:49 PM
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@ChChChacos: That was my first thought, too!

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rainbowsandkittens
May 5, 2009 12:41 PM
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The mouse baked into the loaf of bread was tolerable. This is just... oh my god.

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1 replies
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korybing
May 5, 2009 1:49 PM
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@rainbowsandkittens: Really? The mouse was better than this? Both are pretty horrible to find in your food.

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HFC
May 5, 2009 12:42 PM
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Why are these kind of pictures always so blurry? I'm not saying I don't believe that's a snake head, but it would be easier to believe with a clear picture.

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5 replies
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Applekid
May 5, 2009 2:44 PM
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@HFC: Clearly it's an alien snake.

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Traveshamockery
May 5, 2009 2:29 PM
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@HFC: Have you ever tried to take a cell phone picture while vomiting uncontrollably?

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Ratty
May 5, 2009 5:38 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver: It has zero to do with flash. phone cameras are just... not going to be as good as dedicated cameras.

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Kogenta
May 5, 2009 1:52 PM
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@HFC: IMO it's because a lot of camera phones don't have built in flash. It's the same thing with normal cameras if you try to take pictures in low light conditions and turn off your flash. Because lighting is so crappy, the camera shutter stays open longer to try and compensate. But because of the increased exposure length, you get a blurry picture because of the minor camera shake that happens when you're holding the camera.

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John Fubar Sjogren
May 5, 2009 3:37 PM
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@Kogenta: or you could just get a phone with a good camera.... the EnV i'm using has autofocus.

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Kogenta
May 5, 2009 7:14 PM
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@John Fubar Sjogren: I concede that the pictures posted are probably crappy due to the fact that focusing is bad (that, and it's doubtful the camera is designed to do macro photography). I don't think having advanced autofocus would have helped much in this case though if they took the pictures as close as it looks like they did.


Flash would likely be a larger factor in pictures that are taken at \"normal\" ranges as most cameras need to switch to macro for ranges under 1 foot.

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unobservant
May 5, 2009 5:58 PM
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@John Fubar Sjogren: Riiight. I'll have to fork over the megabucks to get me a high-falutin' camera phone on the off chance a decomposed animal head sneaks into my food.

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Anonymous
May 5, 2009 12:43 PM
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Seriously.... 2girls1cup didn't make me puke. This did.

Fridays, KFC, MacDonalds.... Is there any place that I'm going to want to eat?

Don't say my kitchen. You don't wanna know what goes on in there...

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1 replies
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The Porkchop Express
May 5, 2009 3:50 PM
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@QuanikaDomainer: Yes I do...very much so.


I just hope the veggies and snake head were cooked, otherwise he was eating veggies that touched an uncooked, rotting snake head.

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MauraGrowf
May 5, 2009 12:44 PM
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Vegetarian snakes are rare, so it's a shame it didn't survive.

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MotherChucker
May 5, 2009 12:45 PM
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Clifton Park.

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Anathema777
May 5, 2009 12:46 PM
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HFC: The picture's probably not clear becuase it was taken with a cell phone camera. I don't really carry around a high-quality camera just in case something gross pops up in my food and I need to take a picture.

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2 replies
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HFC
May 5, 2009 12:50 PM
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@Anathema777: Most cell phone cameras use a fixed focal length lens. Back off a bit and the image will be clearer. It's not rocket science and you don't have to carry a \"high-quality\" camera with you. Just learn to use what you have.

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Conformist138
February 8, 2010 7:12 AM
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While they are not SLRs (obviously), they do have variable focus. Every lens has either a fixed focal length or a range, cell phones have a range that focuses up (taking a picture of an entire room) rather well, but don't have macro abilities (seems strange, but pictures of small things is called macro photography).

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jennyplain
May 5, 2009 1:09 PM
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Probably because the cell phone camera doesn't have a good macro capability. The OP said the snake head was only about the size of part of a finger, and with those tiny little cameras and crappy lenses, there's only so much they can do with something that small.

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Laura Northrup
May 5, 2009 1:22 PM
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HFC: I'm not sure I'd want a better picture.

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1 replies
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TheObserver
May 5, 2009 1:32 PM
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Lawsuit!

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pecan 3.14159265
May 5, 2009 1:33 PM
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I regret reading this story. Is there a way to unsee this?!

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1 replies
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Skunky
May 5, 2009 8:04 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: YOU regret reading it!? I was in the middle of eating a sandwich for lunch. I made this sandwich, I know perfectly well what was in it, I know there hasn't been any brocolli whatsoever near the vicinity of this sandwich, but I still had to pause and very slowly peek between the slices of bread just to make sure a snake hadn't teleported somehow. A completely irrational reaction to be sure, but totally couldn't shake the case of the jibblies until I did. >_<

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r.hinojosa
May 5, 2009 1:34 PM
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Who goes to Fridays?

Reply
1 replies
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MyPetFly
May 5, 2009 4:19 PM
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@r.hinojosa:

Tuesday Weld and Wednesday Addams.

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edwardso
May 5, 2009 1:41 PM
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I ate at an airport TGI Fridays and all the food was premade and had to be heated. Does anyone know if this is the case in all of their restaurants?

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5 replies
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Wombatish
May 5, 2009 7:03 PM
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@edwardso: Some stuff is prepared semi-fresh at these types of chains, but a lot isn't.

Just another reason that working in a restaurant can benefit you, even if it's \"below\" you or whatever.

I now know what to order, where.

It's not 100% from chain restaurant to chain, but since most of them use the same suppliers/practices, it's pretty close.

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Ratty
May 5, 2009 5:40 PM
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@edwardso: Yep. Why I'm not interested in eating there. If I wanted a microwaved meal, I'd buy one for $2 rather than $10.


Mind, this is what chain restaurants all do, so I just don't eat there.

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Anonymous
May 19, 2009 2:52 PM
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@Ratty:

Actually, no, they do not pre-cook all their meals. I've served at a few restaurants in my lifetime, and Friday's is actually one of the few where you cannot pre-cook things. Try going in there sometime and take note of how much longer it takes to get yoiur food at a Friday's in comparrison to an applebees. I've worked at both, and completely different styles of cooking and preparing items.

Don't comment on things you don't know anything about. If they microwaved it all, then 80% of Friday's wouldn't come with a kitchen specifically designed for the guest to be able to see into when walking past. You think designs like that are random? Next time, try to put a little bit of intelligent thought into your statements before you maske them.

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The Queen of Everything
May 5, 2009 4:29 PM
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@edwardso: Honestly, the broccoli packet was probably steamed individually. Meaning the snake was likely packed in all along. Meaning that whatever company supplies their vegetables has a lot of 'splainin' to do.

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Real Cheese Flavor
May 5, 2009 2:40 PM
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@edwardso: I'm pretty sure that's the case in most chain restaurants, not just Friday's.

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greenunicorns
May 5, 2009 1:43 PM
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Snakes on a plate.

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thisheregirafFe
May 5, 2009 1:46 PM
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gonna be chicken-in-a-can for lunch again today. thanks consumerist.

Reply
1 replies
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JulesNoctambule
May 5, 2009 3:11 PM
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@thisheregirafFe: Just make sure it's all chicken before you tuck in.

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HiPwr
May 5, 2009 1:47 PM
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Any time you eat broccoli, you are taking your chances. It's a crap-shoot and you should know that going in. I have a friend whos friend's sister-in-law found a lawn mower grass catcher bag in an order of broccoli. I think it was a Toro.

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pecan 3.14159265
May 5, 2009 1:53 PM
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@HiPwr: I'm guessing that only happens with bag broccoli because I always buy fresh and I don't know how it could happen...I can't find mysterious grass catchers in my broccoli crowns. Maybe in the big crate they're displayed in, though.

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korybing
May 5, 2009 1:55 PM
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I was in the middle of eating my cereal one day when I discovered that it was full of moth larva. The thing that makes this even worse is that they were halfway through eating the thing before they found the snake head.

Most likely no one is at fault here for something like this (snake got caught during harvesting, pieces were so small that nobody noticed them among the broccoli, etc), but hopefully after this incident everybody will be a little more mindful of what's going into the food that they're preparing.

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AbsurdHero
May 5, 2009 2:04 PM
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The picture looks like it was taken with one of those toy Hannah Montana cameras.

If it is true, T.G.I.F**king time to start eating at home more.

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JGKojak
May 5, 2009 2:05 PM
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I'm sick and tired of these monkey-fightin' snakes on a sandwich!

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nakedscience
May 5, 2009 2:05 PM
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i haven't even had my coffee yet.


i hate you.

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kaptainkk
May 5, 2009 2:22 PM
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The description of the reptilian was sorta eewwy, but is this anything to get worked up about? People have eaten a lot worse and they don't even know it. You people are so spoiled to be even disgusted by this. Shit people in the Far East eat snake hearts while they are still beating!

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Avi Oslick
May 5, 2009 2:27 PM
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First of all I was an assistant manager in Philadelphia Pa. It was a very busy store. I was surprised at the things that would find its way into food. A customer complained of ants in the ice cubes, I thought it was a cheap jackass trying to get a free meal. None the less, I walked over to the ice machine and saw ants walking into it. At another point a customer complained of glass in the salad. Now the salads are pre-packaged, but sure enough, there was glass in it. At another point we had a terrible outbreak of cock-roaches. There was a dumbwaiter between the floor, and no where in the cleaning rounds was the job to clean out the bottom pit. I could go on, but why bother.

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pecan 3.14159265
May 5, 2009 2:34 PM
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kaptainkk: But those people choose to do so. The OP obviously didn't go into the restaurant expecting a snake head in her food.

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HogwartsAlum
May 5, 2009 2:40 PM
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Reply still broken. :'(

edwardso:
\"I ate at an airport TGI Fridays and all the food was premade and had to be heated. Does anyone know if this is the case in all of their restaurants?\"

I don't know; I don't think all of it is, but the fact that it was at an airport might have made a difference. Was it a small place that didn't have a kitchen?

Snake head: That is SO GROSS I don't know what I would have done. If they didn't comp the meal I guess they could have just given it back in the form of throwing it up!!!

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Eels
May 5, 2009 2:45 PM
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This is hands down the most disgusting thing I have seen on Consumerist. I don't know how the OP didn't vomit upon seeing it, as my gag reflex is at full throttle right now.

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tc4b
May 5, 2009 3:05 PM
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@ Pecan (reply f'd up)

\"I regret reading this story. Is there a way to unsee this?!\"

Alcohol.

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AgentTuttle
May 5, 2009 3:05 PM
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I'm so glad the guy doesn't know how to use macro on his camera phone.

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squinko
May 5, 2009 3:10 PM
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@Corporate_guy: Don't restaurants usually wash their vegetables before cooking and serving them? You'd think if they paid more attention to the food, this wouldn't have happened.

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4 replies
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Wombatish
May 5, 2009 6:48 PM
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@squinko: Broccoli is probably frozen in individual microwave bags.

That's how Sysco sells it, at least.

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gaywolverine
May 5, 2009 8:00 PM
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@Wombatish: As a former employee of Sysco, it can sold in many ways. The restaurant chooses this. It could be frozen, fresh, or pre-cut fresh. It could been sold as florettes. it is not alwaya sold in individual microwave bags, it can be in boxes as well. SHut up until you know the facts.

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wgrune
May 5, 2009 3:24 PM
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@squinko:


I THINK at places like TGI Fridays, Chilis, Applebees, Shenanigans, etc most of the food is in individual bags. When ordered, they open a bag, reheat, and plate.

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YamiNoSenshi
May 5, 2009 3:20 PM
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@squinko:

They wash a giant bowl, likely dozen of servings at once. If that was in the middle of the cluster, it would go unnoticed. The kitchen staff probably assumed that the vegetables didn't contain any foreign matter. When you crack open some frozen veggies at home, I imagine you assume the same thing. It's really not the restaurant's fault.

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PappaBear
May 5, 2009 3:10 PM
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From the looks of the very blurry picture, it appears the snake was of a non-poionious variety. See - ther is a silver lining on this dark cloud.

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edwardso
May 5, 2009 3:51 PM
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My husband is a restaurant manager and the food inspector told him that the chains like TGI Fridays, Chili's, etc consistently have some of the best cleanliness and food safety ratings all across the nation. It probably has to do with the amount of prepacked food they use. That doesn't make finding a snake head any better, but at least they are generally safe and clean

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Jenkinsbball
May 5, 2009 3:59 PM
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Sue

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MyPetFly
May 5, 2009 4:17 PM
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It's a warning from the mob.

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Mr. Guy
May 5, 2009 4:21 PM
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um, also, the headline of this post is pretty misleading.

Headline: Snakehead Found In T.G.I.F. Sandwich

Body:
After the sandwich was done, I dug into the veggies in earnest.... I came across a gray mass under the broccoli.

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Anonymous
May 5, 2009 4:28 PM
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I was a health inspector years ago, and one time we had a guy claim to have found a snake head in some Chinese food. Turned out to be ginger root. If the suggestion is put in your head, the ginger root can certainly look like the head of a snake or other reptile. The guy still wanted his money back from the restaurant after I explained it to him, but I had to back the restaurant on that one. To this day, whenever I see ginger root in the produce section at the grocery store I think snake.

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kwsventures
May 5, 2009 4:43 PM
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Bogus story

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Duckula22
May 5, 2009 5:05 PM
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So... that makes it a T.G.I.F.W.T.F. sandwich.

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Maglet
May 5, 2009 5:19 PM
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MINE EYES! Hate the picture to death!

This is just... BLEH! Was there more of the snake in the sandwich that went undetected and eaten?

Oh hell... I'm queasy now!

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Victoria Rader
May 5, 2009 5:51 PM
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Am I the only one who isn't really bothered by this?


I mean, I wouldn't be happy if I found some sort of critter in my food, but it happens when you are eating something that grows in the ground. And it happens even moreso when we use machines to harvest everything.

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sourrob
May 5, 2009 5:51 PM
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Why does the headline say it was found in the sandwich?

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sockrockinbeats
May 5, 2009 6:09 PM
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i hate tgi friday's. it's the lame kitschy crap all over the walls that bugs me, though--the food isn't that bad. hahaha

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LoganAdams
May 5, 2009 6:16 PM
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Wait, are we talking about a snakehead, the fish, or a snake's head?

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Terabiter
May 5, 2009 6:16 PM
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So you finished the meal, right?

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pecan 3.14159265
May 5, 2009 6:28 PM
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@Victoria Rader: It's not the 1700s when crops were harvested and if you found a mouse, you just tossed it aside and moved on...we have machinery specially designed to protect food from vermin, to clean it and process it so it is safe for consumption. Yes, things do end up in it once in a while, but then it's up to the distributors to uphold a standard, and then it's up to the restaurant to uphold a standard. This is disgusting, not a reason to shrug and say, \"crap happens.\" Why no one examined the food before or during the preparation is astonishing.

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FuryOfFirestorm
May 5, 2009 6:41 PM
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Snakes On A Plate!

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Kaellorian
May 5, 2009 7:04 PM
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I'm pretty sure that's evidence of the loch ness monster - at least that's what it seems like in terms of photo quality.

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Anonymous
May 5, 2009 7:16 PM
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I would have blamed the restaurant. Sure they may not have MEANT for this to happen, but doesn't a food preparer bear some responsibility to actually look at the food they are serving?

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Thorny
May 5, 2009 7:32 PM
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How about \"Pic after the jump...\" then everyone's happy.

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wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!
May 5, 2009 9:11 PM
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If she'd looked more closely at the broccoli florets, she'd have also found Fawkes and Harry Potter, holding the sword of Gryffindor.

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Anonymous
May 5, 2009 9:21 PM
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I don't understand why people are so freaked out, these things happen. The process that our food goes through to get to us is filled with opportunities for things to get in.

Once I was eating pancakes and happened to glance at the syrup. A troop of ants had found their way inside when the cap wasn't closed all the way. They'd probably been encased in \"amber\" for a few months by that point. Hasn't put me off pancakes. Then there was the mealie bugs in the sealed box of pasta. My father once had a can of beef stew that he found a grasshopper in. I recently had a piece of banana bread that had a pebble inside. Shit happens.

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Robert W Clark
May 5, 2009 9:34 PM
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Snake heads, snake heads,
Roly-poly snake heads.
Snake heads, snake heads,
Eat them up, yum!

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BillyDee_CT
May 6, 2009 2:12 AM
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The question that begs to be asked ... where are the food inspectors in this country?

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a_pink_poodle
May 6, 2009 5:17 AM
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I'm tired of these monkey fighting snakes in my monday to friday sandwich!

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Laura Northrup
May 6, 2009 8:29 AM
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@Thorny: Except for the snake. Sucks to be the snake.

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hypoxia
May 6, 2009 6:00 PM
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Hey, at least he knew what he was eating, which you can't say about EVERY meal at TGIF.

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The-Joker
May 7, 2009 2:12 AM
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lol thats y i only eat at diners and local places. They don't rely too much on mass produced food and the only problems you would really have is maybe rats, but surely if that happened the restaurant would have a bad rating and i wouldn't go to it.

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JulesWinnfield
May 7, 2009 11:39 AM
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The local paper finally picked up the story, and they did credit Consumerist:

[www.timesunion.com]

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Anonymous
May 7, 2009 1:43 PM
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I have worked in the restaurant field for a long time over 20 years, and I can tell you that TGIF restaurants are one of the best when it comes to food preparation and cleanliness in the back of the house. I believe it to be a total fluke that this occurred. Think about it how much more often do you hear about these things from fast food restaurants.

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Anonymous
May 7, 2009 3:03 PM
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What is this guy, Jack Pendleton, looking for? He had to go to the Times Union with this story even after it seems everyone on the restaurant staff kissed his butt. \"Doo-doo\" happens! Did he not get the \"entire year\" of free meals he was asking for? Did the manager rebuff his claim of a snake? NO! This is the positively WORST economic time to do this to a restaurant and I think this guy is a jerk. He even LOOKS like a jerk in his TU picture.

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Anonymous
May 7, 2009 3:45 PM
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Why don't you get a real job instead of posting hoax's like this one? Your story is full of holes. Fridays is top class in the chains and your claim is bogus from the start. In this economy I doubt they wouldn't check for this kind of thing. I suspect you much more than them.

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JulesWinnfield
May 7, 2009 7:26 PM
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@UlbrechtDawgin: The way I read it, he didn't post anything. He sent an e-mail to a co-worker, who sent it here. The TU picked up the story, either directly from here or from someone else who read it here.

Why the hell are people crucifying this guy? He says he doesn't have plans to sue, maybe because he can't stomach (!) the idea of spending years in litigation.

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Donald Hassfurter
May 7, 2009 8:38 PM
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[www.cbs6albany.com] The victim talking about his ordeal. Poor guy.

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Laura Northrup
May 7, 2009 9:20 PM
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@Andrew Badera: This entry was linked from the front page of the Times Union for most of today.

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John Lemyre
May 7, 2009 9:26 PM
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A few years ago my friend had a burnt match stick in his food-same location. I'm sure worse has happened to my food over the years. I still eat there because they will still make me the Chicken Finger BLT even though it's not on the menu.

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JulesWinnfield
May 8, 2009 10:05 PM
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You ain't seen nuthin' yet. The snake head was sent to an independent lab for testing, and IT WAS NEVER COOKED!!!

[www.timesunion.com]

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Anonymous
May 11, 2009 2:08 PM
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This guy is a scammer. The snake head was never cooked. Furthermore I waited on this guy at a diner and he and his girlfriend dined and dashed leaving only five dollars on the table.

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