Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/04/14) */
In response to our customer complaint #XXXXXXXX:
On February 15, I was asked to speak to a customer who said that her daughter had gotten an allergic reaction to something she ate.
When I spoke to her they were leaving after eating their...
meals, she told me of the issue at which time I looked at the little girl and didn't see any signs of allergy or otherwise.
She asked if we fried all of our food in the same oil, and said that an employee said that we do.
I explained yes it is all the same oil (Canola oil) but we try to use only one of the fryers for fish as it could cause other foods to taste a bit different. That our Kitchen is an open kitchen to our customers to see our cooking procedures. If a customer tells us at the time of ordering of any allergies issues that could occur from mix frying, we would advise them to order a grilled meal instead to be sure.
I apologized for the situation and offered to return the little girls meal. She was not satisfied with that, and my response was "how can I help you then?" She said she wanted me to return her entire parties meal. She stated she was going to the DR. and by the way my father has an allergic reaction as well.
With these statements and looking at the situation, I declined to return all of their meals.
I then said " that I hope everyone is ok."
They left.
I am still willing to return her meal that she originally told me about.
We have been open for many years and have a great reputation with our customers.
Our customers are the only reason we are here and it is unfortunate whenever a customer leaves not satisfied.
Just as a suggestion:
If as a customer you have any preferences on ingredients, any health issues etc. Just let the order taker know so you won't have any issue like this.
Restaurants are not able to track all of their customers issues and preferences unless they are made aware of them when ordering.
[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/04/15) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The night of the incident, I never asked to speak with the manager. I went directly to the staff and ask them if they were using the same oil to fry all their foods in. A young man ask the cook in front of me and he said, yes they had been using the same oil to fry all the foods in that night. I said okay and started getting myself and daughter ready to go home, her face was starting break out in hives. My Aunt gave my some benadryl to give to her to help with the itching. The manager, an older man came and approached me. Just to insure me that they used separate oils and nothing ever mixes and "if it did it would not be enough to cause an allergic reaction". At no time did he offer to refund me for the meal. The managers focus during that conversation was sole to let me know that he was not cooking everything in the same oil. He was not close enough to even see my daughter's face. I did not speak to him about my father because my father arrived after me and had not started eating his meal yet. I left and my father stayed behind with my other daughter, until he started to have an allergic reaction. My father and the manager had their own conversation together. In which my father informed me that the manager yelled at him "Well what do you want me to do about it". This was while my father was informing the manager of what the cooks had told him about frying all the foods in the same oil. The staff said that normally they do not use the same oil, however that night they had been using the same oil.The manager never apologized for anything. He was completely unaware of what his staff was doing and making every attempt to direct the blame away from his establishment. It was the worst customer service I have ever experienced. The manager had no integrity and is willing to say what sounds good even if it is incorrect.
If a refund is given I would like to be refund for my families dinner that night.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/04/14) */
In response to our customer complaint #XXXXXXXX:
On February 15, I was asked to speak to a customer who said that her daughter had gotten an allergic reaction to something she ate.
When I spoke to her they were leaving after eating their...
meals, she told me of the issue at which time I looked at the little girl and didn't see any signs of allergy or otherwise.
She asked if we fried all of our food in the same oil, and said that an employee said that we do.
I explained yes it is all the same oil (Canola oil) but we try to use only one of the fryers for fish as it could cause other foods to taste a bit different. That our Kitchen is an open kitchen to our customers to see our cooking procedures. If a customer tells us at the time of ordering of any allergies issues that could occur from mix frying, we would advise them to order a grilled meal instead to be sure.
I apologized for the situation and offered to return the little girls meal. She was not satisfied with that, and my response was "how can I help you then?" She said she wanted me to return her entire parties meal. She stated she was going to the DR. and by the way my father has an allergic reaction as well.
With these statements and looking at the situation, I declined to return all of their meals.
I then said " that I hope everyone is ok."
They left.
I am still willing to return her meal that she originally told me about.
We have been open for many years and have a great reputation with our customers.
Our customers are the only reason we are here and it is unfortunate whenever a customer leaves not satisfied.
Just as a suggestion:
If as a customer you have any preferences on ingredients, any health issues etc. Just let the order taker know so you won't have any issue like this.
Restaurants are not able to track all of their customers issues and preferences unless they are made aware of them when ordering.
[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/04/15) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The night of the incident, I never asked to speak with the manager. I went directly to the staff and ask them if they were using the same oil to fry all their foods in. A young man ask the cook in front of me and he said, yes they had been using the same oil to fry all the foods in that night. I said okay and started getting myself and daughter ready to go home, her face was starting break out in hives. My Aunt gave my some benadryl to give to her to help with the itching. The manager, an older man came and approached me. Just to insure me that they used separate oils and nothing ever mixes and "if it did it would not be enough to cause an allergic reaction". At no time did he offer to refund me for the meal. The managers focus during that conversation was sole to let me know that he was not cooking everything in the same oil. He was not close enough to even see my daughter's face. I did not speak to him about my father because my father arrived after me and had not started eating his meal yet. I left and my father stayed behind with my other daughter, until he started to have an allergic reaction. My father and the manager had their own conversation together. In which my father informed me that the manager yelled at him "Well what do you want me to do about it". This was while my father was informing the manager of what the cooks had told him about frying all the foods in the same oil. The staff said that normally they do not use the same oil, however that night they had been using the same oil.The manager never apologized for anything. He was completely unaware of what his staff was doing and making every attempt to direct the blame away from his establishment. It was the worst customer service I have ever experienced. The manager had no integrity and is willing to say what sounds good even if it is incorrect.
If a refund is given I would like to be refund for my families dinner that night.