Trash Can Salad

Disclaimer: The following series of events are true. No part of this story is fictional, exaggerated or made up for the entertainment or enlightenment of the reader.

If you are a frequent reader you may be aware of my unusual obsession with Chick-Fil-A. Their strips, milk shakes, Ice Dream and Waffle Fries are truly outstanding. Their service usually exceeds expectations and their restrooms are remarkable.

However sometimes the unexpected happens and tonight it happened.

I got home from work promptly at 7:04pm, in time to watch TMZ and was greeted by my lovely wife who told me we had to run out to Chick-Fil-A later to return a brown, nasty side salad that she had received earlier today when picking up lunch.

My wife, her mother and her sisters are at Chick-Fil-A every day of the week. They dive thru every morning to get iced teas, 3-4 days a week they eat lunch there and usually every night my wife and I get Ice Dream. A short mathematical equation can sum up our combined total spending to roughly: $99.78 in Chick-Fil-A a week. (For a breakdown of this equation email me at danielrholm@gmail.com)

Let's just say we spend $100 a week combined every week of the year. That's $5,200 we are giving Chick-Fil-A every year. I would say we are fairly important customers. As you can imagine the Chick-Fil-A employees at our Chick-Fil-A also know exactly who we are. They knew my wife was pregnant, they knew when we had the baby and they know every member of our family.

On with the story.

The salad my wife got at lunch was definitely not up to Chick-Fil-A's standards. It was browning, and old looking. Knowing that Chick-Fil-A provides outstanding service and also knowing that I was going out to get Ice Dream anyway I didn't think it would be a problem to take the salad with me to show Chick-Fil-A what we were served earlier today.

I opt for walking in as going in the drive thru was bound to be unsuccessful. I walk in and I'm greeted by a delightful Chick-Fil-A employee. I am the only one at the front counter so I take a moment to explain my story, "Hi, my wife was here earlier today and she got this salad, she took it home to eat it and pulled it out of the bag and realized that it was brown...."

Suddenly out of no where I am rudely cut off by Rick, The Night Manager.

"Sir, we can take care of it this time, however next time we request that you call."

The pleasant Chick-Fil-A employee promptly goes to get me a new fresh salad.

I respond, "Ok that's fine, it's just she was just here today and was already home so she wanted to bring it back tonight."

The Night Manager: "I understand, however we make our salads fresh every Monday morning (only on Mondays?) and we don't know where you got this salad. You could have had it for a couple of days or picked it out of the trash."

OK - WHAT?

Now I'm a salad trash picker? This Night Manager, who knows our family and is also well aware of our weekly spending is accusing me of going through the trash to get a free salad!?!?

I say, "Ok.....but you know my wife. She has curly hair, she was here earlier today for lunch you saw her. We got this salad today."

"I'm sorry sir, next time we simply request that you call first."

Disgruntled, annoyed and irritated I take my "replacement" salad back out to the car to greet my wife. I tell her what happened and that The Night Manager treated me poorly and accused me of being a salad trash picker.

My wife, as you may know, got a little furious. She said, "What! They know who we are, we were here FOUR times today!" Flames fuming from her ears she grabbed the salad and walked back in to Chick-Fil-A. I (a defeated husband) sat with the baby in the car.

I don't know what happened inside, however I was fearful that heads were going to roll.

About 3 minutes later she came back out to the car and told me that Rick, The Night Manager gave her the exact same speech. He knew who she was, but told her that "next time" she needs to call in first. (Why is there going to be a "next time"?) My wife, baffled asked The Night Manager why she would bother calling in, how would that benefit her? He explained that he could then go and make sure they weren't make any more bad salads. He continued to say that now they don't know where that salad came from, it's possible she picked it out of the trash.

AGAIN with the trash picking accusations!

Why are we fighting so much with Chick-Fil-A over a silly side salad! We're being doubted, accused of picking out of the trash AND my wife was already there 4 times today!

When you get down to it, this is not about the side salad. It's more about the complete and utter (no pun intended) disappointment I have with Chick-Fil-A. After I have lifted them up so high on this blog tonight they may have shattered it all.

They are known for their service and quality food. Today's experience goes against everything they stand for. A small issue turned big over neglect and poor judgment from a shift manager.

As customers, we're not only interested in getting something for free. All we want is for someone to care and to treat us right.

One thing is for sure, next time we're in the mood for a brown salad we will skip Chick-Fil-A and just head straight to the dumpster.