I lived in Philadelphia for a couple years and was a regular patron of places like Jim's Steaks, so I'm always on the lookout for a great cheesteak. It's not a hard recipe, but it's almost impossible to find a place outside of Philly that really gets it.
Unfortunately, I never got as far as actually eating here, so I can't comment about the food. They could serve the best cheesteak in the universe for all I know, but it doesn't matter because I'll never darken their doors again.
I went in with a pretty specific idea of what I wanted: An 8" Philly cheesteak with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, with a side order of chips and a regular soda. A pretty simple order, right? Any fast food worker with more than two functioning brain cells should be able to comprehend it enough to charge me the correct amount and pass it on to the person making the sandwiches.
I stepped up to the cashier and began to place my order, but before I could even get two words out, he cut me off in mid-sentance to bluntly ask, "for here or to go?" Umm, that's for here. Now can I finish?
When I tried to continue with my order, he once again interrupted me in mid-sentance to ask if I wanted white or wheat bread. Getting frustrated, I answered him, and then tried to continue. And then he cut me off in mid-sentance again to ask me something else. Now I'm pissed.
When I took a deep breath and informed him that I didn't appreciate being constantly interrupted while trying to place my order, he abruptly turned around and went to the back of the restaurant, and while still in full view of the dining room, exclaimed "I'm not dealing with this asshole."
Another employee came up to take my order, and once again, wouldn't even let me get two words out before interrupting me in mid-sentance to ask if I wanted my meal for here or to go, what type of bread, etc. At this point I said "fuck it", walked out, and had a nice meal at the Chipotle location around the corner.
Late that night I sent an email to Penn Station's main customer service address recounting my experience, which was promptly forwarded to that location's franchise owner, who contacted me via email. He explained that their computerized cash register system requires that employees input the information in a certain sequence, which means the employee may sometimes have to interrupt a customer in order to input the order in a way that's satisfactory to the computer. Apparently their employees aren't real humans capable of storing information for more than ten seconds at a time, but are merely automatons who exist simply to input sandwich orders to a computer and collect money.
(The manager also informed me that because of my sin of dropping the f-bomb in front of one of his employees, I'm also permanently banned from his location. I guess the cashier, who sported gang tattoos and called me an asshole, was deeply offended by my use of the f-word in public.)
To me, the whole computer excuse is a complete cop-out. If your computer system requires your employees to treat customers with such rudeness, then you need a different computer system. There's no reason the cashier couldn't have let me finish my order, input whatever information is required, and then politely ask me any follow-up questions. And no computer program made this cashier storm to the back of the restaurant and begin cursing about a customer in full view of the dining room.
I've worked in the food/retail/ bar business long enough to know that some customers will go in specifically looking for trouble in the hopes of getting comped a free meal or drink, and I know that some customers will never be completely satisfied no matter how hard you try. But the service I received here, and the response I got from the franchise owner when I complained about it, was completely beyond the pale. I can understand if an employee is having a bad day, but for the franchise owner to blame the customer or his computer system for the employee's rudeness is totally unacceptable, and belies a seriously dysfunctional corporate culture.
There are several chain sandwich shops within spitting distance of this Penn Station location, including Quizno's, Jimmy John's, and Subway. They can't afford to be alienating their potential customers. I eagerly await the day this Penn Station location inevitably goes out of business and makes room for something better, perhaps as a far-flung Jim's Steaks. read more