Restaurants I’ll Never Eat At Again

Have you ever been to a restaurant and had something gross you out so much that you can never go back, or something that irked you so bad, you’ll never go back?  Well, I had another hit my list tonight, and I won’t be back.  It never does any good to complain to the management (the last thing I want is a coupon for free food back at their restaurant), so posting on my blog is the next best thing.

Let me give you my list in chronological order

1. Hardees – Back in about 1994 I was traveling between Texas and Illinois.  We had been driving quite a while through Missouri and found a place to pull over and eat.  We pulled into Hardees for some food and a bathroom break.  While my wife took our two small girls to the bathroom, I was finding a table.  One of the employees was taking her break sitting in a booth.  As I looked over, I watched her unbutton her top and begin to scratch the scabies on her chest.  These big festering, open, red sores on her chest.  As soon as my wife walked out, she got up from the booth to go behind the register and wait on us.

Didn’t button up her shirt.  Oozing scabies out in the open, all under her fingernails.  No thanks… we’ll be heading down the road.

That was the Hardees across from Six Flags over St. Louis, just in case you need to know where not to go.  I haven’t been back to any Hardees since.

2. Burger King – In 2002 my family and I were looking for something quick to eat on a low budget.  We went to Burger King.  After I ordered, I went and sat down while my wife stayed at the counter.  The lady behind the counter had a cold.  She proceded to sniff, wipe her dripping nose with your hands, and then handle all our food.  What topped it off was when she got our drink cups with her wet, snotty fingers and put them down inside of our cups.  I thought my wife was going to puke.

She was a lady about 50 years old.  We haven’t been back since.

That Burger King is on Matlock Road in Mansfield, TX.

3. Texas Roadhouse – Last year I decided to go to Texas Roadhouse.  Hadn’t been there in a long time, and remembered they had good ribs.  We ordered our food.  I got ribs.  My wife got a ground steak, and my 3 kids got their stuff.  For whatever reason, it all tasted horrible.  There was this rancid flavor to it all and there was so much fat on all our meat, I couldn’t believe they had the audacity to cook it.  I left half my ribs because if I at another bite I would have lost it all.  To top it off, our waiter was a prick.  I complained about the food and he did nothing.  He brought my check and noticed that it was incorrect.  He left.  The next thing I know his  manager comes over to me, get’s down on his knee and begins to talk like we are kindergartners learning basic math.

I thought my waiter was a prick… well, the manager was even more so.  While it is hard to completely re-tell, without actually having been there.  No tip for you!

That was about a year ago.  Havent’ been back and don’t plan on it.  There are certainly more steak and rib restaurants out there that you don’t have to put up with that.

Bad food; horrible service; humiliating management.

That Texas Roadhouse is in Grand Prairie, TX on I-20.

4. KFC – No more Kentucky Fried Chicken. The first reason is their employees are consistently the rudest, laziest, mumbling group of people I’ve ever come across.  The second reason comes from about 4 years ago when we went there for supper.  We were looking forward to some chicken and mash potatos.  As we stood at the counter waiting to order, we were watching the guy who was dishing up the chicken.  He would prep the chicken and cook it, and then serve it.  He was probably about 350 pounds, and I don’t recall the last time I saw a guy sweat so much.  He was literally standing over the food and sweat was pouring off his head onto the chicken below.  We couldn’t believe it.  Sweat soaked chicken.

Walked out.  Didn’t order.  Weren’t hungry any more.  Never been back since.

That KFC is in Grand Prairie, TX on I-20.

5. Wendy’s – Tonight I went to Wendy’s for their Chicken BLT salad.  I went there about 2 weeks ago and was treated horribly.  The staff was yelling at each other in the kitchen – led by the manager.  I was ticked, but you can’t expect much these days at a fast food restaurant.  After all, it’s not like Ruth’s Chris Steak House or something.  Well, tonight I went through the drive thru.  The jerk at the window never looked at us, just stuck his arm out the window to hand us our drinks and food.  I was getting upset because there was a history here.  After passing all the things through the window, I said “HEY!” He turned and looked at me with this scowl.  “I need some napkins and spoons.”  he grabbed them, wadded them up in his hands, and passed them through the window.

Never one word.  No thank you.  No can I help you with something else.  No come again.  Nothing. 

I am done with all Wendy’s.  No more square burgers, frosty’s or chicken BLT salads.

That Wendy’s is in Grand Prairie, TX on I-20.

Here’s the deal…

I have money in my hand.  I can choose to spend it wherever I want.  Why in the world should I go spend money where there are such poor heigene habits, health hazards, and complete rudeness?  Taking your family of 5 to a fast food place is still going to cost you $25.  Going to a steak house is going to cost you $40+.  Going to a nice place (no kids) is going to cost you $40+. 

They are privelaged to have us show up to eat, not the other way around.

Some places, I will give the benefit of the doubt.  Most places I give the 3-strike rule.  Although some health issues and scabies are an immediate out.

Here is my short list of places with 2 strikes:

• McDonalds – rude and horrible food (especially their eggs)
• Taco Bell – rude and cold food
• IHOP – horrible food (although pancakes are good) and sucky waiters

I love to eat out, and I’ll gladly pay more money for better service, better food, and better health conditions.

If I sound like a whiner… well… this is my blog and everyone is allowed to whine now and then.