I took my 4 year-old grandson with me to make a quick run to buy some headlight polish. When I drove into the AutoZone parking lot, there was a scruffy-looking guy ( as in homeless, carnie, or low-life) standing outside. He asked me if I was going to spend $50 or more inside, because he had a $50 credit he would sell me for $40. A similar- looking guy was accosting another hapless customer parked farther away. I declined and went inside and notified the first employee I saw, behind the register. "No way" he said, but he apparently did nothing about it. Strike One. I caught an employee ( no name tag, or I would give him credit; he just had a gray shirt on) who took me directly to the polishes. That was good service, but that was the last of it. I made my choice from the selections offered (remember, I have a 4 year-old with me) and went up front to the registers. I waited...and waited... and waited. Strike 2. There is a low rack of gums and candies there, so I had to allow my grandson to pick a candy to keep him pacified. He asked a lot of questions and waited pretty well with me. Finally, after about 5 very long grandchild minutes, I asked in a loud voice "Is anybody working the register?". No response from anywhere. Off to my right, there is that dreaded red line where customers with questions wait, where you never know if you are in the right spot to stand. I can see one employee who is staring at a screen which is strategically turned away from the register area; no response. No "Someone will be right with you" or "Hey, Steve, customer waiting". Just silence. Strike 3. Finally, I give up. I leave my items and exit, yelling "Get somebody on the register!". Outside, the same 2 lowlifes are still hanging around. I bundle my grandson in the car, and drive less than a 1000 feet away to Checkers. I walk in, find my item immediately, and, guess what! They have the exact same candy at the register. I am out of that store in less than 5 minutes with a happy grandson, too! When I get home, I set to work polishing the lights and finish about 30 minutes later. I decide to see if I can reach a district or regional manager to complain. I call a different AutoZone and ask for a number, which they give me. Unfortunately, when I call, it asks for a mailbox number. I call the store back and an employee gives me the mailbox number. When I plug that in, though, it asks me for a password. Now I really feel that I am getting the runaround. Because I had my computer up so that I could get the phone number for my local AutoZone, I still happened to be on the site. I notice a small blurb "Take a Customer Survey". All right!!! Time to get some payback! I click on it, click on the proper store location...no, I am not eligible for the sweepstakes...click again....and it asks for my "reference number". Of course, I don't have one, since I was unable to purchase anything. I close out the survey since it won't let me continue (I guess Autozone doesn't consider you a customer until you have spent money there). Furious, I call another different location and explain that I am trying to register a complaint. He gives me the same phone nunber and says that there is probably no one there right now. I started this process at 4:20, it is still 4:48. I ask "Don't they work until 5? I just want to talk to a human!". He says they should still be working there, and that he will try to reach the district manager on another line...he is unsuccessful, but takes my name and number, promising to call the DM first thing in the morning. Now here is where I am torn...at 5:51 DM Manny Torres called and responded to my every complaint. He happened to be heading to that store at that very moment, a store he used to manage back in the day. Anyways, Mr. Torres offered me a $20 dollar gift card along with his profuse apologies and personal outrage at my AutoZone iexperience. Do I downgrade the store for the poor service, the corporation for poor non-customer service and poor accessibility, or do I give high marks for Mr. Torres' most excellent response? I decided on the two stars, since A-OK just didn't seem right. Do you think I should try to sell my credit out front? JK read more