One strike and you're out.

[dolari]

I had been craving some lobster tail for a while. I've had it exactly five times in my life. And I just got paid today, so I decided to get a lobster tail from Red Lobster.

I don't like eating out. Or at least I don't like eatnig in restaurants. All my life I've had stuff done to my food because I don't pass. Or I become the audiences evening entertainment. Or both. So I usually call ahead for pickup or drive through.

I made the mistake of ordering inside to go. I waited about 20 minutes, reading my sidekick and listening to one of the folks waiting for a table about how she dissapproved of me to her husband. I decided that I would start being more confident, more secure in myself as I was. I realized now that the problem isn't me, it's everyone elses precocieved notions. But anyways....

They called my name, gave me my bag and asked for my credit card. Just as she was about to run it, I asked for it back, and then a manager. I ordered the "Lobster and Seafood Mixed Grill" Comes with scallops, shrimp and a lobster tail. What I got was scallops, shrimp with assorted shrimp tails lying in the plate and the shell of a lobster tail with no meat.

I gave the guy an earful. "Well, sometimes the lobster meat comes off the grill and the preparers don't notice." Doesn't explain the shrimp tails and the fact that one skewer had three shrinp and the other two. I got someone's leftovers.

He apologized profusely, gave me a free meal voucher, and asked me to wait while they made another dinner for me. I said no thanks, took the meal voucher and went across the street to Whataburger. The voucher is sitting in my trashcan.

Maybe I blame too much on the intolerance of others, but it only takes one absolutely verifiable issue to make me suspect everyone else. I wonder if I'd called it in or wore jeans in the restaurant if I'd gotten my actual dinner. Either way, no more Red Lobster for me. I don't crave lobster often, and the craving goes away.

Comments

[mundanecircus.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of a more pleasant time that Jenn should know -- last year, me and my family were in Austin, to scout the place around for a potential move. (And we are still moving to Austin; as for when, that's another story.) And knowing Jenn lived in the Austin area at the time, I treated her to a meal at Red Lobster in Austin's north side. I decided on Red Lobster, as it's one of my favorite places to eat. (So sue me.) As far as I knew, both our meals were okay, the service was prompt, and the staff was pleasant.

I don't know if the Red Lobster experience in 2006 was because she was with me, or because of Austin's liberal demeanor. Like Burger King or McDonald's, there are good Red Lobsters and there are bad Red Lobsters, but if you had a rotten experience at one Red Lobster, you tend to assume that they're all bad. No doubt Jenn will avoid the chain like the plague from now on, and, to be honest, I don't blame her, considering that the "dinner" she received was a form of discrimination. Chains like Wal-Mart and Denny's got in hot water for pulling discrimination stunts such as these.

Speaking of Denny's -- in 2005, I was in San Diego for Comic Con, and, one evening after the show, I took a ride up Interstate 5, through the norther part of the suburbs. On the way back, I decided to stop at a Denny's for dinner. I waited several minutes to be seated, and I was the only one waiting. I wore jeans and a French-language cartoon shirt (which I bought earlier in Quebec). During these several minutes, no one came to see me, not even to say "I'll be with you in a moment." I was so angry, I ended up leaving the joint and went to Jack In The Box -- next door.

The most basic rule of business is, "Screw your customers, and they'll screw you by going to the competition."

And If Jenn still lives in Texas by the time we move, I'll think twice before trating her to Red Lobster.