View Full Version : Applebees Update
Shark Bait
01-25-2005, 08:53
Jo Sul and I recently spoke with the individual who was refused service at an Applebees restaurant while in uniform. He is a recuiter and had gone to an Applebees in Durango, CO. (Not Santa Fe, NM as I had originally been told.) He and some other recruiters had gone there for lunch and were refused service because they were in uniform. Several other customers in the restaurant overheard them being told to leave and they left, too.
Sacamuelas
01-25-2005, 09:07
Brew-
Does your wife have any corporate strings to pull in Durango, Colorado? :munchin
All contact info plus a means of sending a complaint via e-mail can be found at:
http://www.applebees.com/guestrelations/guest_landing.php
Let them know, depending upon if it is a local, area or regional policy I can guarentee that there will be changes in management. I worked in management with Pizza Hut for ten years. When corporate gets a complaint like this, by the time the RBIs get to area level they merely want to know who was canned and when. No Bull!!
I fired off the following E-mail. See, I can be nice but just wait!
I received information that several Army recruiters were refused service at the above restaurant because they were in uniform. I presume this is a store/local policy. I served in the Army for 15 years and will not stand by while our service men and women are abused.
I know this isn't a corporate policy. A few weeks ago I was eating in an Appelbee's in Greenville and there was a young soldier there in BDUs, having lunch with what was evidently his mother. As I left I stopped, shook his hand and thanked him for his service.
I said I'm having a bad day. Someone on the List says they checked this out on SNOPES and it is a hoax. I hope y'all haven't embarrassed me. Maybe Applebee's is doing a little damage control. My letter may keep them on their toes anyhow.
PS
I could only find two references to Aplebees in SNOPES RE: phony $50 gift certificates and female applicants having to audition in the nude. :lifter
Sacamuelas
01-25-2005, 11:47
T-
Jo Sul and Sharkbait said they spoke with the soldier personally. You are on solid ground due to that- no matter what snopes or the corporate HQ says. Give em hell. :lifter
AngelsSix
01-25-2005, 13:00
Here you go::
Claim: A serviceman in uniform is refused service at a popular bar or restaurant because the establishment's owners don't support the war in Iraq.
Status: False.
Example:
[Collected via e-mail, 2003]
I have been holding out on sending out this e-mail until I had all the facts verified. I now know this story to be 100% true. Wild Wings is a restaurant in Hilton Head. They have restaurants in Charleston SC, Mt. Pleasant SC, Marietta GA, Athens GA, Charlottesville VA, and Greenville SC as well.
Also, they are preparing to go national. Last weekend (the weekend of March 22, 2003), five Marines from the Beaufort air station went to Wild Wings as numerous Marines frequently do on the weekends. This time, they were asked to leave. They were not drunk. One of them does not drink at all, and the others had not started drinking yet. When asked why they had to leave, the response was "We do not support the war, and your presence here is a disruption."
I heard this last week, and have been bighting my tongue until I could verify this. I have not only verified this 100% with one of the Marines I have known for a couple of years, but the story has grown. Word of mouth spread the story quickly on this island as well as the local military bases. One of the civilian employees of the Beaufort Air Station actually called the local radio station and the DJ broadcast the story. Needless to say, business was off at Wild Wings last week.
What might the owners response have been? Would they apologize? NO! In fact, they did the opposite. They called the CO of the Beaufort Air Station demanding an apology from the Marines for causing their business to drop by spreading this story! The CO decided that Wild Wings did not deserve an apology. Nor did it deserve any more Marine dollars. Wild Wings is now off limits to the Marines of Beaufort Air Station.
I have always been very wary of spreading stories I heard on the internet. However, I know this one to be true. I heard it from the source.
There are people out there who do not support this war. I am well aware of that. However, if you do not support the members of our military, you do not deserve the freedoms they fight to protect. You do not deserve to run a business in this country. You do not deserve to profit in this country. And, since without our military you would not have freedom of speech, you do not deserve to express an opinion in this country.
I hope that each of you will consider this story before you spend one dime in a Wild Wings establishment.
Erik Smith
Origins: The
preceding tale began circulating on the Internet in March 2003, but it is only one expression of a rumor that has appeared in other towns, where it is also told as a true, local, and recent occurrence.
In late March 2003, Duluth, Minnesota was a site of another blossoming of the "serviceman refused service" legend, one that became so widespread that it was reported as true on WDIO, a local television station. (WDIO retracted the story the next night.) The Duluth News Tribune was innundated by the tale as folks called and wrote to ask about a particular Canal Park restaurant they'd heard had turned away a U.S. Marine in uniform, the restaurant being the kind of funky place folks against the war might frequent. In another version, several Army reservists in uniform were said to have been somehow dishonored at another trendy Canal Park eatery. In still another iteration, someone in a military uniform was verbally abused in the Target parking lot.
Jim Heffernan, a writer for the Duluth News Tribune, asked readers who could prove any of the incidents being described had actually taken place to contact him, put him in touch with the serviceman who had been turned away, or at least give him the serviceman's name. A week later he penned a followup article stating no one had come forward.
As for the Hilton Head, South Carolina, version of the legend, we spoke to the manager of the Wild Wing Cafe about the rumor. He said the story was "a complete lie" and that "we support our troops 100%", adding that they'd "had a group of 15 Marines in just the other night." He provided us with a copy of the denial the owners of the establishment have circulated to those who have asked about the rumor. Because it's incredibly lengthy, we won't quote all of it here, but here are some key excerpts from it:
There are a number of ridiculous claims in this e-mail. There is no ban on Wild Wing Cafe according the CO of the base. There was no radio story. And most importantly WILD WING CAFE SUPPORTS THE PRESIDENT, THIS MILITARY ACTION, OUR COUNTRY AND THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RISK THEIR LIVES TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOM.
[ . . .]
When this rumor first began last week we talked to our staff and found that there was an incident in the past week or so where a handful of Marines, male and female (not in uniform) came to our door after ten PM. One of the young men did not have an ID to prove him to be 21 or older. He was refused entrance. His companions went inside for several minutes and left him outside. As they left they were very vocal about us "not letting in their friend because we were against the war." We believe that this incident was the genesis of this rumor.
[ . . .]
Over the years Wild Wing Cafe has been proud to be supportive of the community. We have sponsored your teams and schools, your kids and their organizations. Now we are asking for your support. When someone tells you that Wild Wing Cafe won't serve the military as a protest to this war, tell them in no uncertain terms, that is a lie.
During our conversation with the manager of the Wild Wing Cafe, he described another recent incident which could also have been the starting point for this rumor. Five guys not in uniform but sporting buzz cuts, and one with his arm in a cast, left the Big Bamboo Cafe (the bar across the street) without paying their tab. The bartender there telephoned Wild Wing and asked them to be on the lookout for those fellows. The fivesome came into Wild Wing, whereupon the bartender told them about the abandoned tab across the street and said he'd call over to Big Bamboo to see if it couldn't be straightened out. While he was making the call, the five young men disappeared.
It's possible either of the two incidents being described could have touched off a yarn about servicemen being shunned by those rabidly against the war with Iraq. These are emotionally charged times, impelling many to perceive slights where none exist or to misparse events so as to transform a Marine turned away for not presenting a valid ID into someone given the boot by folks vehement in their opposition to the war. So many of the rumors of our times are the result of honest mishearings, misunderstandings, or misrememberings of real events or accounts of them that this type of shift — especially when fevers are running high — is almost to be expected.
We expect many more communities to be visited by the "shunned serviceman" story before it fully runs it course. It is, after all, the sort of shocking tale those angered by the anti-war movement will find great comfort in because it vilifies those who decry the current military action by presenting them as being against not only the war, but also against the men and women who are willing to risk their lives in the service of their country.
In late-2004 in an instance of ostension, a Marine was refused service at a convenience store in Fort Worth. The employee involved was fired once news of the act reached the store's owner.
Barbara "slight readjustment" Mikkelson
Last updated: 11 January 2005
I saw that. It is not specific to this alleged incident. However another SF/SOA member contacted the manager in question and found him to be ex-military and quite friendly to the military.
There is another post stating that Durango is a real hot bed of urban legends.
All I can say is that we remember that recruiters tend to be pathological liars. :D
This one isn't on Shark Bait or Jo Sul but on the recruiter. :(
AngelsSix
01-25-2005, 13:32
Posted by QRQ30:
All I can say is that we remember that recruiters tend to be pathological liars.
I couldn't have said it better myself!!!! :lifter
I had seen the urban legend thing before - there may be some inaccurate stories like this out there but there are also some real ones. We had a case with a convenience store where the middle-eastern clerk refused to sell to a soldier in uniform (one of my soldiers) - the soldier in question chose not to make an issue of it, just took his business elsewhere. There was another one like this on the news not too long ago.
SB and I did talk to the E-7 recruiter who said this happened to him. I assume he is telling the truth (he didn't offer me a bonus or ask me to sign anything).
Sacamuelas
01-25-2005, 16:26
SB and I did talk to the E-7 recruiter who said this happened to him. I assume he is telling the truth (he didn't offer me a bonus or ask me to sign anything).
LOL... another classic. :D
We shall see. I sent my letter and already have a preliminary response. I couldn't copy the subject line but it references the "franchise store #" This is a sign that the company is already to hang the manager out to dry. I hope you are accurate. I know how corporations work.
Your e-mail has been received at Applebee's Guest Relations.
We will review your feedback and be in touch within 3 - 5 business days. Our normal response times are between two and three business days. Please keep this e-mail so you have your case number for future reference.
If you are contacting us about an e-mail you received promising a free $50 gift certificate for forwarding it to nine other people, please be advised that the e-mail is a hoax. It was not started by Applebee's and there is no validity to its false promise. Unfortunately, it is extremely easy for someone to begin this type of scam. We know of several other large companies (i.e. Microsoft, Cracker Barrel) who have had similar e-mails started without their knowledge too.
Your Case Number is ****.
Thanks for contacting us.
Applebee's Guest Relations Department
1-888-592-7753
I once told the home office that we were being sued by the father of a bimbo who said she lost her glasses in our store. The response I got was "Lots of luck!!" I then informed them that the name on the suit was "Pizza Hut Inc.". All of a sudden I had all sorts or corporate laywers crawling around and working the case. If they can sacrifice an individual they will in a minute.
brewmonkey
01-27-2005, 03:47
Brew-
Does your wife have any corporate strings to pull in Durango, Colorado? :munchin
It is not a corporate store but she has a meeting in the morning with the Regional VP of that area. I will mention this to her and she will be happy to pass it along.
Edit:
This is a corporate store but they belong to a different group then my wifes store. If this is something you would like to follow up on send me a PM and I will have some contact info for you.
I'll bet a SP5's pay for an hour that this is bull sh*t.
I agree with Terry, considering Jo Sul and Sharkbait spoke to that E-7, it's good enough for me. Besides, and I'm not joking, my recruiter told me everything straight. I took that 3 hour pre SF test in his office, the one John Plaster refers too. The "Mission Impossible" like deal. the old reel to reel tape recorder. No set right answers. Gotta hand it to him though, he told me then, exactly how it was. When I went in and through the process, it was just about as he described it when he recruited me. :cool:
Lost track of what I first wanted to post reading the beginning of this thread. Durango is about 5-6 hours from me. Unfortunately, I can't wear my Uniform (and yeah to any smart asses :p it still fits) (OK a tad tight) Wish I could wear mine (legally) and go into places like that. However, I have another idea, just need a soldier or two in uniform, then go in. Don't want them in deep crap, something like that happens..... I'll "DEAL" with it.
I'll bet a SP5's pay for an hour that this is bull sh*t.
How much does a SP5 make per hour? Can I buy you a Pepsi? I just got off of the phone with the manager of that store and am convinced this incident never occured.
NousDefionsDoc
01-29-2005, 14:34
Well, they are bound to have done something. If nothing else, I'm sure they are exploiting La Raza for cheap dish washing labor. Or maybe they are thinking about refusing service to a soldier. I say we do sumpin' to 'em.
I say we do sumpin' to 'em.Do you have a plan? :munchin
The store manager called me yesterday, too, and said that the incident never happened. I'd really like SharkBait to confront his recruiter buddy and tell him that there were several folks to went to bat based on his 'story' and now look like fools for following up on his behalf. If the supposed victim has details to refute the managers stance, I'd be happy to let the manager know (he stated he's former military, btw) that his shift managers are lying to him. If the recruiter simply passed along an urban legend, claiming he was the victim to add authenticity, then the guy needs to understand the ramifications of his little stunt. :mad:
The store manager called me yesterday, too, and said that the incident never happened. I'd really like SharkBait to confront his recruiter buddy and tell him that there were several folks to went to bat based on his 'story' and now look like fools for following up on his behalf. If the supposed victim has details to refute the managers stance, I'd be happy to let the manager know (he stated he's former military, btw) that his shift managers are lying to him. If the recruiter simply passed along an urban legend, claiming he was the victim to add authenticity, then the guy needs to understand the ramifications of his little stunt. :mad:
Me too!! I got whacked off of the List over this BS. Actually IMHO the one who gave me the shit is a never been there, never done that strap hanger on the List but that's another story. :mad:
Shark Bait
02-01-2005, 13:02
Sorry if this whole thing generated a lot of shit for any of you. I was just passing along what Jo Sul and I were told. We will check into it further. Perhaps we can get some dates or a time frame. Jo Sul and I don't know this guy very well, but we had no reason to doubt what he was saying. He was willing to just blow it off. I just figured that if it were true it needed some attention.
Shark Bait
02-14-2005, 12:31
I spoke with the recruiter again. He said this occurred about a year and a half ago. Could be different management now. He was with another army recruiter and a marine recruiter. They had been at one of the high schools looking for recruits. He insists that it occurred, but it has been a while now. Anyway, it sounds like it isn't a problem anymore.