[ music | The Clash – Should I Stay or Go ]
I just got back from my first and most likely my last visit to Shoney’s. I ate some catfish, got sick, threw up in the bathroom, and was called a liar by the manager who threatened to call the “authorities”. All in all, a fun time!
Tom and I had some coupons for some discounts on Shoney’s meals, and decided to try it out. I had the buffet, which had several nice items such as breaded catfish. Very shortly after eating the catfish I started to feel nauseous, then shaky and sweaty, and finally I ran to the bathroom to expel my dinner. I wasn’t happy at this point. I asked to speak with a manager, who came over, and I started off by telling her the waiter was excellent, and that I wasn’t unhappy with him.
I explained what happened, and that I would appreciate it if my buffet charge would be removed from the bill as it made me quite ill. The manager said she didn’t know what happened, and so the best she would do is take half of my dinner off. I said, “Well, it’s simple what happened, I just came back from the bathroom after throwing up my dinner, and I don’t really think I should have to pay for it.” At this point, I was visibly pale, shaky, and sweating, as Tom can attest. It was pretty obvious I was ill, and her response was to look me dead in the eye and say, “I don’t know that, I don’t know that you’re ill, or that you threw up, or that anything even happened.” I incredulously replied, “So you’re calling me a liar?” She shrugged, and repeated the offer for half off the one meal. I was incensed, and said, “I refuse to pay for this.” She stood up, started to walk away and said quite loudly “I’ll call the authorities!”
Given that she obviously tried to humiliate me by telling the whole restaurant she’s calling the “authorities”, I said quite loudly, “Great, I’ll tell them you called the police because your food made me sick!” I managed to get to my feet, and Tom and I walked to the counter to pay and leave. She yelled from the kitchen to the counter, “make them pay the whole thing, no discount!” Weak, shaky, sick, and sweaty, I was now also furious. I said out loud to the restaurant as a whole, “That’s right ladies and gentlemen, the manager is calling me a liar and won’t discount the meal that made me throw up. So enjoy your meal, or she’ll call you a liar too,” and stormed out to the car, threw up again in the parking lot (I should have asked her to come see it for proof!), and we drove away. Actually, we started to drive, but before we got out of the parking lot, I had to chuck again, and had Tom stop the car.
I’ve already left a message for the corporate office on their voice mail, as it’s well past business hours. I’ll be calling tomorrow if they don’t call me first. I really hope we can solve this because while I do not want to go to small claims court over an $19 dinner, I will do so only because I was treated so incredibly poorly.
Did you pay with a credit card? If so, simply dispute the charge.
You know food poisoning takes a few hours to set in so you might have gotten sick from your earlier meal. With that said, they should have given you a full refund because you didn’t get to enjoy your meal.
I’m sorry you got sick. Being sick sucks.
It is i myth that food poisoning takes a few hours to set in (I can testify to that as a cook and the son of a nurse). That being said I hope you won your case as that was some real BS pulled by the manager. Hope you find better dining in the future.
I visited the Dillon S.C. Shoney’s tonight. I ordered the buffet and my wife ordered the grilled chicken salad. I visited the buffet and upon sitting down to eat I discovered my food was cold. I asked the waitress to take it away. I ate 2 mussles, which were cold, a bite of chicken which was cold, 2 bites of wild rice that was cold and 1 shrimp that was cold as well. My wife’s grilled chicken salad was served without the banana peppers, iceberg lettuce instead of romaine and without the tomato basil pesto, all of which they were out of. She was not informed of this before her food was prepared. She asked for vinagrette but they were out of that also. I then proceeded to walk to the cash register. I explained what happened to the manager on duty whose name I did not get because he was not in uniform (sans name tag). I told him that I wanted to square up with him and he offered to take care of our bill. I never asked him to do such a thing. I then told him that because of their lack of quality that we would not return to his restaurant. At this point he yelled at me on my way out the door. He told me that I would not speak to him that way. I turned around to face him. His eyes were wide and his fists were balled up, in an aggressive posture. He then informed me that he did me a favor and I would not speak to him that way. I then reminded him that I had offered to square up with him in regards to our meal. He then told me that you don’t talk to people like that in other parts of the country and that I was a coward for walking away while I informed him that I would be returning to his establishment and that I could report him to his supervisor but nothing would be done. I then asked him if he had enjoyed working for Shoney’s because I would be reporting him. I then exited the building with my wife. As I was walking out he mumbled under his breath and mind you this is what he said verbatim, “You fat prick”. I was infuriated, humiliated and embarrased. I will NOT tolerate being spoken to like a common dog nor being called a “fat prick”. I DEMAND an apology from this gentleman and if I find out that he still has a job with Shoney’s….let me just say that I am quite the persistant individual. I will be a thorn in the side of Shoney’s restaurants that will NOT go away. I assure that what I have stated is NOT idle banter. I can also guarantee you that had I treated one of my customers in such a fashion that I would be in the market for gainful employment.
petchild, i KNOW what your saying is true! i worked for shoney’s for 2 yrs and have seen so many people treated this way by management! it is DISGUSTING! I WILL NEVER EAT OR WORK THERE AGAIN! every manager in the store iworked for are so rude! IF YOU ASK ME SHONEY’S NEEDS TO DO AWAY WITH ALL THE MANAGERS AND START FRESH!