TGI Freaking Sucks...

[AXO Alum]

Okay, so to play catch up with those of you who don't know - my dad was diagnosed with a GBM Grade IV brain tumor on Feb 9th. It is the most serious of the brain tumors, with an average life expectancy of 14 months after diagnosis. This week he started treatments (chemo 7x week & radiation 5x week), so he was feeling pretty good this weekend, but we know what to expect as treatment goes on. My parents had their 39th anniversary on Friday (the 2nd) so we drove down to meet them for dinner (we've been spending the weekends there since this started). We all don't normally like TGIF - they usually have either bad food, or bad service, and usually both. Back in October, they ruined my mother's birthday so much (lousy food and NO service practically) that the corporate manager sent her a certified letter of apology with $60 in gift certificates. The letter said (along with the apology) "use at the TGIF of your choice" -- when my mom spoke with him (he called to make sure she got them okay) she mentioned that their town doesn't even have a TGIF, and he said that the store about 30 min from them was excellent & to go there.

So - we did - on Friday. It was the two of them, and the three of us (including Eli) so we figured we could spend about $15 a person since that would equal the $60. (Keep in mind that the chemo pills alone cost $5000 - my parents own their own business - which means NO work as of Feb - and the bills are already piling up so $60 is a big deal for them).

The meal was great - the service was great - the bill was $57 and change. Then the other shoe dropped - the manager said they would NOT take the gift certs!! My mom showed him the letter and he said that the GC's say "at participating locations" -- but even the corporate manager said to go to this store!!! My poor mother was in tears - she told the second store manager that she just possibly celebrated her last anniversary with her husband, and was there nothing that could be done and she just shook her head.

Now I tried to pay, but my mom would hear none of that - she paid for the meal & left in tears. This was a Friday night at a very popular location - the store was packed and people were waiting outside (this was around 8:30 by this time). There was more than $60 in alcohol alone sitting on the table close to us.

So I got the number for the GM of the store. He called mom the next day and did NOT even try to apologize. He just said he would explain to her again why they couldn't take them (which from the night before we were told that some of the banks had closed that the GC's were written from, therefore they may not be able to cash them) -- mom said she didn't want to even hear it again.

I know this may sound so petty - I mean to a lot of people, $60 is the tip for a good meal out. But it was more the principle of the thing than anything for us - it would have been a perfect night & we would have all left saying "wow, we will come back here" because everything was so good. But not now - I am completely floored at the way TGIF responded to us on this. Mom has a call back into the corporate guy - she just wants to trade the GC's for $60 and be done with it. She says that she will never even look at a TGIF again (neither will we!!).

So I just wanted to rant and say that TGI FREAKING SUCKS - and see if you guys have any horror stories about restaurants like this.

[Xylochick216]

That's AWFUL.

I don't have any horrible stories about TGI Fridays, but I've gotten sick after eating at our local restaurant the past 3 times I've been. I refuse to go any more.

[preciousjeni]

That's HORRIBLE. It made me think of this tip I read in a magazine recently. An older gentleman was giving advice on what to do when you're treated poorly by a store. His story was about tires or something. The company had ripped off his wife, so he went out and found coupons for the store's competitors. He took the coupons, made copies of them and attached some money to each coupon ($5 or $10).

He went back to the store and went to the manager to let him know that if the store didn't fix the problem, he'd start handing out the coupons to anyone walking up to the door. The store would have lost a great deal of money so the manager relented.

In your case, if it were me, I'd let the store manager know that you're going to the media with your story. It really is that serious.

[navane]

That's absolutely ridiculous! I cannot believe they would turn down the certificates at the end of the meal like that! Sure, it says "participating locations", but how would you know if they were participating or not? Call ahead? I mean, the Corporate Manager recommended the place! Perhaps you'd like to call that Corporate Manager and tell him what happened.

I'm sorry that happened to you on what was to be a celebration dinner.

.....Kelly

[GeekyPenguin]

That's CRAP. Here's what I would do:

1) Call the corporate manager and give him one last change to make it right. He gets 24 hours. If he doesn't...
2) Call the customer service department and tell them you're going to the press.
3) Call the local store and tell them you're going to the press.
4) Email it in to consumerist.com
5) Call the BBB and complain
6) Call the local paper and complain
7) Write a letter to the local editor
8) Let everyone know - friends, sorority sisters, your pastor - send an email to your entire address book and copy the corporate manager.

[Kevin]

The tgifsucks.com domain name is available, FYI.

[lilbay77]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

In your case, if it were me, I'd let the store manager know that you're going to the media with your story. It really is that serious.

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

That's CRAP. Here's what I would do:

1) Call the corporate manager and give him one last change to make it right. He gets 24 hours. If he doesn't...
2) Call the customer service department and tell them you're going to the press.
3) Call the local store and tell them you're going to the press.
4) Email it in to consumerist.com
5) Call the BBB and complain
6) Call the local paper and complain
7) Write a letter to the local editor
8) Let everyone know - friends, sorority sisters, your pastor - send an email to your entire address book and copy the corporate manager.

^^^^^
Great Advice!

[RU OX Alum]

yeah, chain restuarants treat their own people like crap, once you eat they do not care if you come back because someone else will. Likewise, one "store" closes, they open another.

[teena]

This is truly awful. Please keep up updated

[Alpha Sig Scott]

Originally Posted by teena

This is truly awful. Please keep up updated

Agreed. I certatinly know how you feel. My mom had breast cancer and if this had happened to me I would have taken it to the press. Put the screws to TGIF and call your local paper.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

yeah, chain restuarants treat their own people like crap, once you eat they do not care if you come back because someone else will. Likewise, one "store" closes, they open another.

Not all chain restaurants. Bob Evans allows their employees to comp ANYTHING, even up to the entire bill to satisfy the customer, and I can't believe TGIFridays wouldn't do the same. They're stupid, that's a great way to loose customers (and they may have just lost hundreds of GC people).

[Drolefille]

Oh, the manager should have the power to give them their meal for free. I worked at an O'Charleys and they can comp basically whatever they want (now how they answer to the restaurant manager/owner is something I don't know)

Either TGIF sucks from the top down or that particular franchise LOSES.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Not all chain restaurants. Bob Evans allows their employees to comp ANYTHING, even up to the entire bill to satisfy the customer, and I can't believe TGIFridays wouldn't do the same. They're stupid, that's a great way to loose customers (and they may have just lost hundreds of GC people).

A restaurant I worked at did the same. And then they fired the manager for comping too much.

Also, what if they had brought them two soups that they did not order, just a simple mistake? The manager would go to the system terminal and take the soups "off" the ticket (usually putting it on a common "mess up ticket" to be deleted/acounted for at the end of the night/shift). Now, if the manager in question wanted to, he could have done that with their meal. He didn't want to. Why didn't he want to? Well, he's either a prick or works for pricks, of whom he is afraid.

[OleMissGlitter]

Yes TGIF's service and food has declined I think in the past 10 years. I mean they closed their store in Metairie, LA (suburb of New Orleans) pre-Katrina because it was struggling. And according to their website they have no locations in Louisiana anymore. The one in Memphis off of Beale Street is completing disgusting. I went there this past Spring before I went to chaperone the AOII Spring Formal at the Redbirds Stadium. Let's just put it this way, we cancelled our main course because the appetizers were less than desirable and left early.

My sister who lives in FL also had a problem with service at one lately and my parents actually had problems with the one in Gulfport, MS two weekends ago...and to think I use to LOVE their potato skins as a meal!

I'm sorry they were so rude and inconsiderate to you.

[Kevin]

I quit going when they stopped having trivia there.