To whom it may concern,
I am writing to formally report two deeply concerning experiences I have had at the La Gran location on Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida. While I attempted to overlook the first incident, what occurred on June 26 was unacceptable, unsanitary, and unsafe, and it requires immediate attention.
1. Previous Incident (A Few Months Ago)
I placed an online order approximately 30 minutes before closing. When I arrived -- about five minutes before closing -- I discovered that my order had been altered without my consent. Several items were removed, and I was left with only two items.
I strongly believe my original order was given to another customer because it was close to closing time. Although I was refunded, this was still poor business practice, and no one contacted me to explain or confirm the change. I chose to let that incident go, but after what happened tonight, I cannot ignore the pattern.
2. Incident on June 25 -- Serious Food Safety Violation
Tonight, I visited the same location and placed an order for:
* Half chicken (for my husband)
* Two sautéed beef bowls
While waiting, I witnessed a customer return his food container to the counter. I do not know the exact issue with his order, but I clearly saw the head cook remove chicken from the customer's returned container and place it underneath the countertop. I saw him take chicken from that same area and give it to the customer as if it were fresh. This raised an immediate red flag because it appeared he was mixing returned food with food being served to others -- which is a serious contamination risk.
I brought this to the attention of the staff at the front -- two Black female employees and a pregnant Hispanic employee who seemed to be the lead. One of them went to speak to the cook, but nothing changed. No one addressed the behavior, corrected it, or reassured me that the food was safe.
When I made it clear that I did not want chicken taken from underneath that countertop for my husband's order, the cook became visibly irritated. He opened the drawer aggressively, grabbed a piece of chicken, and flung it aside while speaking angrily in Spanish. His attitude and behavior were unprofessional, disrespectful, and alarming.
3. Why This Is Unacceptable
What I witnessed tonight is:
* Unsanitary
* A violation of basic food safety standards
* A health hazard
* Disrespectful to customers
* Completely unacceptable for any food establishment
No customer should ever have to worry that food returned by someone else is being stored and possibly served again. That is contamination, plain and simple.
4. Requested Action
I am requesting:
* A full investigation into the food handling practices at this location
* Immediate corrective action regarding the cook involved
* Proper food safety training for all staff
* Assurance that returned food is never reused or stored near food being served
I am prepared to share this experience publicly because customers deserve to know when their health may be at risk. However, I am giving the company the opportunity to address this issue directly and appropriately.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. read more