Subway – whose way?

Johannah17 Comments

I am done with our local Subway. 

Recently they changed employees (a sure sign something was going on) and then they started running out of food.  What?  Yes, the first time I went in and the employees had changed, they had no flat bread, no olives and no chipole sauce.  The fact that I wanted all three of these — made me leave without getting my lunch.

subway

I seriously thought it was a fluke.  It never happened before. So the next week I went and tried again.  This time the $5.00 footlong of the month was the bacon, egg and cheese on flatbread — but guess what?  This time no flatbread and no egg — and as the girl put it “we aren’t making any more eggs today”.    I got a different sandwich that day but went back to the office and complained to Subway Corporate.

A regional or district manager called me and apologized, wanted to go over my two experiences and ask that I remain a Subway customer.  He promised he was on his way to see the manager of the store, and that the fact that they were running out of items – especially the $5.00 special of the month ingredients was unacceptable.  He promised me that he would be sending me some coupons for free subs and other discounts and I should expect to see them in 7-10 days.  He noted that yes, there was a change in employees because the manager of that store had to move away — however all the employees were changed, so I guess she moved them all with her! 

The coupons never came as promised (it’s been almost 60 days) but the store was stocked the last few times I went in there.   And although I got the “look” when asking for the flatbread and they had to open a new package for me each week – a look that says “do you have to have it on that” is not going to change my mind. 

Two weeks ago, the last time I was there, their oven was broken.  Several people in front of me walked out without sandwiches, and I didn’t know why till I found out about the oven.  The store manager assured me, and I asked at least 3-4 times — that the microwave could heat the sandwiches and they would be fine.  Guess what?  They weren’t.  They were the most miserable sandwiches we have ever had.  The microwave cannot do what the oven can and by the time I got them back to my office…YYCCH.

So Subway, since your way isn’t working for me.  I am not going back to that store.  Yes, I know it means that I will have to chose a different place to go to every Tuesday for my lunch, but you know I cannot fathom paying for a sandwich which I cannot eat.  You wanted to sell a sandwich so bad you lied about how it was going to taste after being microwaved – and that’s the reason, I am no longer a customer.

Please note: The opinions stated here are my own, from my own personal experiences at this particular store.

Food Lion Returns – Why?

Johannah13 Comments

Food LionFood Lion left our area a few years ago — and now is back? Good news or bad news?

I for one wish they hadn’t – come back that is.  So for me, it’s bad news.  I would have preferred any other store in that location.  They had their issues before and they have them now.   Their lure is low prices — but at what cost?  Annoying customers?

Last round, in approximately 1992 or ’93,  they left our area after the PrimeTime Live news reported a story about employee work issues (unpaid overtime being required, etc) and bleaching/remarking meat, seafood and pork as well as cleaning off the expiration dates on the dairy products – and so… who wasn’t glad to see them go?   If they’d stoop that low… what else would they do?   In this affluent area where the median income is over $100,000 per family, do we need any of that drama?   No, and  I believe that management made the smart decison to pack up and change store names to avoid the stigma of those allegations.  No one, at that time, that I knew  was ever going to touch any meat or seafood from a Food Lion again!   Food Lion even posted following that news report that some stores were reporting no meat sales at all.   So even if it wasn’t true in the store you shopped at, no one wanted to take that chance.  Ugly, ugly stuff – almost as ugly as the pink slime fiasco in the schools.  The decision was made to put in a “Bloom” store in our area, the upscale partner of the “Bottom Dollar” stores – both by the same owner/parent company as Food Lion.  These would then be the two new names the company would operate under in our area to avoid the uproar caused by that news report.  For the most part, it was a better shopping experience at Bloom, which had cleaner, remodeled stores, unobstructed aisles and a better overall grade of products.  The employees were nice, available and most helpful.  Some mistakes were made over the  almost 10 years they operated as a Bloom, but always dealt with professionally.

This round ~  different story all together.  And that has me wondering —  if this is the same parent company, was Bloom allowed to operate under different basic rules than Food Lion?  Or now that that have the name back are they going back to their old ways?

Specifically,  I wonder why they did it?  There is a new Walmart Superstore in the same shopping center, probably less than 500 ft. from this store, and also a Target Superstore in this same shopping center.  I would think those are two stores which would be in competition with Food Lion would have made them “reconsider”.   Obvious to a shopper and even with the competition right in front of their face,  they decided to change back to a Food Lion.  I know I still felt the stigma in the store when I visited it recently – and noticed that even all the employees have been changed.   Why do all the employees have to change when they “redo” stores —  wouldn’t that continuity help in the transition?  The new employees don’t know anyone who’s a regular, they don’t use any common sense when dealing with situations, and they never seem to have the “authority” to do anything about any issue that arises.

In case you are wondering, and I know you are… yes, I had a miserable experience at the “new” Food Lion in my area just the other day. It didn’t help that the heat was like 90 degrees outside and the humidity was close to it.  It didn’t help that it was at the end of my overheated work day that I was shopping either.  Heat, as you know stresses our bodies, and let’s just say that stress hit the breaking point on a issue at the Food Lion. It was so annoying to me that I will not be ever setting foot in that store again.

In the end, I made a complaint – not only verbally in the store that day,  but later online and by phone when the credit for the issue wasn’t posted till days after the charge for my groceries.  The manager to his credit, phoned me at home and later emailed me that he was sending me a gift card and a copy of the credit (because at that point I had no idea if they really even did it) as they never gave me a receipt for it.  But I am sorry – the tone of your store was obvious to me after my recent experience and I really will not ever be stepping foot in that particular store location again.

Please note: The opinions stated here are totally my own, from my own personal experiences at this store.

A Diamond Jubilee

Johannah2 Comments

Congratulations to the Queen of England, Elizabeth II who is celebrating 60 years as the British Sovereign this year.  I do not know about you, but that’s a long time.

So many things have changed, been invented and put into common use since when her reign started.  Changes to the world itself, its climate, economic situation and even to the way the monarchy itself functions.

One of those inventions was computers, and to show that the monarchy can keep up with changing technology…. Did you know…?

In 1997 the British Monarchy established their own website: http://www.royal.gov.uk/theroyalresidences/buckinghampalace/buckinghampalace.aspx  from which I obtained many of these facts.

In July 2009 the Queen joined Twitter – though I believe that she has official tweet-iers (tweet – t- ears, my word) who do all the tweeting for her on a daily basis.  Congratulate or send good wishes via twitter to @BritishMonarchy

The Queen joined facebook in 2010 with the establishment of the page called The British Monarchy and for those who’d like to see it, it’s located here:  https://www.facebook.com/TheBritishMonarchy

And in just 3 more years – she will equal the reign of Queen Victoria who reigned 63 years. If she surpasses that milestone – it will make her the longest reigning British monarch.   I, for one, hope she makes that and many more!

Queen

 

The Indianapolis 500

Johannah1 Comment

The Indianapolis 500 will be run tomorrow Sunday, May 27th., just as it has most Memorial Day weekends since the first race on May 30, 1911. Winning this race is an accomplishment for a driver and team not on par with any other.

I haven’t had the pleasure of attending this particular race, or even visiting the Indiana track on an off weekend. However, I did have the pleasure of going to the Las Vegas Speedway and the last race of the 2011 Indy season in October, and meeting last years Indy 500 winner, Dan Wheldon. Dan was actually a two time winner of the Indianapolis 500, in 2005 and 2011. He was the nicest person we met the entire week we were there! He was infectiously bubbly, upbeat, positive and confident. In his trailer before the race he proudly showed us Susies’ initals he had tattooed on his wrist, saying it was a spur of the minute thing they just decided to do to mark the love they had for one another.

But then there was the ultimate tragegy in lap 11. I was standing behind Dan’s pit when the accident happened across the track. I couldn’t see anything but flying debis, fire and smoke. I found myself screaming, where are the fire crews? Why aren’t they out there? What’s taking them so long? And I watched as Susie screamed, took off her headset and ran crying to the waiting cart.

The only Indy car race that I ever attended ended in tragedy and was cut short, having only run 11 laps. But that doesn’t mean the race wasn’t extreme in both excitement, and in speed. The Indy cars go so very fast (over 200 MPH), you cannot actually see them go by ~ whish, whoosh and gone. I certainly would have preferred any other outcome but the one that day. Tomorrow as I celebrate my 40th. Wedding Anniversary, I am doubly saddened by the thought of Dan’s family without him.

Some of the biggest names in autosports have run and won this race, names like Bobby and Al Unser, AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti. And although some of the drivers of the Indy cars have moved to other racing circuts, for example Tony Stewart, Scott Speed, Juan Pablo Montoya and most recently Danica Patrick, there is still nothing like the Indianaplis 500! So if you want to see some exciting racing start to finish, from the comfort of your living room without all the extreme noise that goes with actually being at Indy – watch the race tomorrow at 11:00AM EST.

National Missing Children’s Day

Johannah2 Comments

Today is the 33rd anniversary of the day Etan Patz, a New York City 6 years old disappeared. He was on his way to his school bus stop – the first time he was allowed to go alone. He never returned home.

That day changed how we looked at things, caused us sadness for his family, and fear for our own children. Brought to national attention by the media and his picture being posted on milk cartons, all parents now had to worry, would my child be next?

I lived in a city close to NYC as a child. I can tell you in 1959, it wasn’t like that. Our parents didn’t show any sign of worry as they pushed us out of the apartment in the morning and off to school. I was 4 years old and walked ten city blocks to Catholic school. And yet, I don’t remember ever being afraid.

I know Etan wasn’t the first child to ever go missing, and I know he won’t be the last. Today is the anniversary of the day that changed the way we view other adults. It turned any interaction by another adult with our child from “innocent” to potential “suspicious behavior.” Somehow the realization that Etan (or any child) could be snatched on his way to the bus and never returned shakes any parent to this day. It’s the day that started us watching, waiting and doing all we can to avoid the unthinkable – losing our child to some stranger. It made us hold them close and not let them be a free to be children as they once were.

Is it good, or is it bad? I think it’s a little of both. I am happy to see that parents care enough about their children to take them to the bus stop and wait for the bus to arrive. I am happy to see them paying attention and holding onto them in the stores and around town. I am happy they installed GPS to the school buses – but down deep and overall I am sorry it’s all necessary. And despite all of our efforts, kids still go missing.