Stand up for yourself.

A letter I wrote after being treated poorly by a manager of a Popeye's restaurant.


March 9 2005

President
Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
5555 Glenridge Connector NE
Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30342

Dear Mr.President,

In reference to disrespectful manager on duty Feb 26 2005 18:44 PM.

I went to have dinner with my family at the North Versailles, PA restaurant ( suburb of Pittsburgh, PA.

I was to share the cost of the dinner with my sisters. I had a Ten dollar bill my sister had a Ten dollar bill as well. My other sister had three dollars. I went to the counter and asked the employee on duty to give me two fives for a Ten her name was Mamta she said I can’t do that unless you buy something.

I said I am buying something, but I need two fives first to share the cost with my sister. She said she can’t give me the change. I asked her to get her manager and she did. Note: I don’t blame her for this matter only the manager. The manager on duty came over and again I asked for two fives for a Ten, he then repeated that unless I buy something he can’t give me the change.

I stated that I was going to buy the Ten piece deal for Eight ninety nine, but I needed the two fives to give my sister one of the fives. He said well, I can’t give you the change unless you buy something. At this point I said I’m going to buy the dinner, but first I need the two fives. I said if I buy something now then I won’t have enough of money to help my sister and we won’t be able to buy the dinner. At this point the manager crossed the line and for this reason I recommend he be terminated.

He said to me well, you shouldn’t come in here unless you have money. I said I have the money I just need the two fives first. Well, he never gave me the two fives, but my sisters were able to come up with enough money so that we were able to get the dinner for eight ninety nine as well as three drinks. My total bill was fourteen dollars and forty nine cents. Money that Popeyes almost lost as a result of your distasteful and disrespectful manager. I even told him look, I could go to Kentucky Fried Chicken and get a nine piece meal for Nine ninety nine, but I choose Popeye’s.

One reason was because of the extra piece of chicken, but in fact KFC had the better deal as the deal they had given you had nine pieces of chicken and two sides. The deal at Popeyes was Ten pieces for eight ninety nine, but included no sides. I said I’m only staying here because I don’t feel like driving again and I wanted the extra piece of chicken so that we may share it with each other. As a result of this managers actions my sisters, Rose and Diane, said they will never eat at another Popeyes again.

They complained that the food was cold which it was, but I was more concerned about the fact that the restrooms had no warm or hot water which I must point out is a food hazard and could in fact cause people to get very sick. I have noticed that at the North Versailles, restaurant and the Waterfront Drive restaurant in Munhall, PA both have cold water.

This is very dangerous as there have been food poisonings and hepatitis outbreaks in recent months at two well known food chains and people have even died as a result. I implore you to find the cause of these two restaurants not having warm or hot water. This means that the employees can not properly wash their hands and protect themselves or customers from getting sick from bacteria that needs to be washed off by soap and warm to hot water.

I was a loyal Popeye’s customer since the North Versailles, PA and Munhall, PA restaurants opened, but because of this managers actions I currently have no plans to go to another Popeye’s restaurant unless I feel that the Popeye’s corporation cares about their customers and that this manager is suspended or terminated for disrespecting customers. This is not how you should treat any customer let alone a customer who has been loyal to your company and one who has spent a great deal of money over the years at your establishments.

Final notes:

There were no customers except my family. At the time we were eating at your restaurant and only three people came in to take food out. The point? There was not much business and this manager almost lost you 14.49 in revenue.

Resolutions:

If your company has a policy that no change can be given out unless an item is purchased then you need to change this policy as it almost kept a customer from purchasing food from your establishment. (If I were not tired that day I would have gone to KFC.)

The customer should be treated with respect at all times. Whatever happened to the customer is always right?

Teach your employees and managers to be wise enough to know when policy should not be enforced to the point of losing business for the company. (Two five dollar bills avoids me having to write you this letter and your company losing my family as customers.)

Find out why you have no hot water in your establishments, this is a health concern and health risk both to customers and employees.

Write me, call me, or e-mail me to let me know what actions were taken and to let me know if my being a long time customers matters to Popeyes corporation.

Thank you for reading my letter and taking action.

Your loyal customer,