That's where you are. This was once a proud main street, filled with buildings, theatres, and stores of every kind. I hear stories from thirty or forty years ago about how we didn't need shopping malls or huge box stores like Wal-Mart in the area because you had everything you needed right on Shamokin's main street.
And that's where you find yourself situated, for how many years? 15? 20?
Look, those of us like myself who find themselves so busy with work that they realize that they haven't eaten since noontime at 9:00 at night are pretty much held hostage by the fact that you are the only restaurant open at that time in town. And to be honest, as far as fast food goes, you're not that bad. That's a little bit like saying, "as far as worms go, you're a pretty attractive pet," but you at least have some pretty decent chili and some semi-healthy options like decent-for-fast-food salads and baked potatoes. So about once a week, you're where I turn to when I get home at 9:00 and don't feel like cooking.
But consider this. Your service has been less than spectacular ever since I moved to Shamokin in the summer of 2011. I have a wife who, for whatever reason, doesn't like cheese. I know, I know- cheese is wonderful, and placed on a burger, it elevates the experience to a high plane of deliciousness. But for whatever reason, she doesn't like it. So when she doesn't get the grilled chicken sandwich, as she usually does, I will order for her a single without cheese. I will specify "without cheese". And you will get it right about half of the time.
About half of the time.
Now, as you know, Wendy's in Shamokin, I'm a baseball fan. You know, because half the time I show up to order food, it's in a Philadelphia Phillies t-shirt. As a baseball fan, I know that if a batter would manage to hit a baseball safely half the time, he would have a .500 batting average, which would be the most amazing thing to happen in that particular sport ever. In 2011, Jose Reyes led the National League with a .337 batting average. He was the most successful batter in the league in that respect, and HE ONLY SAFELY IT THE BALL 33.7% OF THE TIME. HITTING A BASEBALL IS HARD.
REFRAINING FROM PUTTING CHEESE ON A HAMBURGER IS NOT.
Your Cheese Refraining Average (CRA) should be .900 at least. I'd be okay if it was .800. But it's not. IT'S MAYBE .500.
Come on, Wendy's in Shamokin!
And while I'm ranting, let's talk about Tuesday. I was stressed out on Tuesday. I'm a pastor, and we had our council meeting. It was a stressful council meeting, and I drove back into town at about 9:00 feeling lousy. I stopped by your place on the way home and ordered two combo meals so that I could eat them and sleep the bad council meeting off. Or that I could eat one of them- Michelle would have the other. Though I probably could have eaten both and slipped into a food coma.
I got home, and Michelle discovered that you refrained from giving us fries. I calmly called the store, explained the predicament, and your manager told me to come back down and she would give me the fries. No problem.
So I went down, and I went into the store, and I explained to the counter person what happened. She says, "I don't know anything about it", and then she disappears. FOR FIVE MINUTES. I hear your workers talking, and they are MUMBLING ABOUT ME. It becomes obvious that they are annoyed because I showed up for my fries that I ALREADY PAID FOR AND SHOULD BE HOME ENJOYING BY NOW. INSTEAD I AM STANDING AT YOUR STORE WHILE THE REST OF MY FOOD GETS COLD AT HOME.
Finally, the manager showed up, looked me over, and verified that the story was correct. I have no idea why it took this long for that to happen. Then they hand me my fries without even an apology.
Come on, Wendy's. I know I shouldn't expect pristine service. I know your employees make next to nothing. I worked in fast food for eight years, and realize how soul crushing that whole deal can be. But still, I expect to be treated like a human being.
I know I did not pay a lot for my food, and that it wasn't the best thing for me to eat, but it was there at the moment and regardless of how cheap the food is, one should expect to simply be treated with basic human respect.
I know Shamokin isn't very good nowadays. I know you often have some crazy people in there. But come on, Wendy's. At least try.
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