I bought a pack of beef ribs from this location. When I got home, I opened the bag and realized that the meat was bad. There was nothing wrong with the color but the smell was unbearable. My wife is pregnant and she almost threw up. Anyway, I put two pieces of ribs to plastic supermarket bags and headed back to the store to return it.
I came to the front desk and explained what happened. The attendant asked for a receipt and told me that she needs manager's approval for the refund. I gave the receipt and started waiting. She announced manager's name over the PA at least 5 times but nobody showed up. I waited there around 20 minutes. At last, she called another person (I believe someone high ranked but little lower than the manager) and I explained the situation to him. I thought I would just get my refund and be good to go.
Once he came, he asked me to open the bag, although he was able to see that inside of the bag was full of blood. But, I complied and opened the bag. He didn't touch anything as if smelly&rotted meat was my goods. (At home, I had to put 2 pieces of the meat in separate bags and put those 2 bags in another bag so the blood wouldn't drip in my car on the way back to the store.) After that he asked me to show the other piece of meat. (I think he thought that I already ate or kept the other piece at home). I felt humiliated but kept my cool. I took the other piece out in front of him and put all the bloody&smelly meat on the counter. It was clear that something was wrong with this person / store, but I didn't know the funny part was actually just starting.
Then he asked me to find the label/barcode of restaurant depot. The bag was in front of him and he was avoiding touching the meat/bag and making me do things. Then I showed her the label. My hands were all bloody and smelly. As soon as he checked something on the label, he told me this meat belongs to the batch that they sold 2/3 months back and he cannot accept the return. I said "that is the issue". I told the story again and told him that I bought it 2 hours ago and showed the receipt." He said "I understand but he cannot accept returns of the goods that was purchased more than 72 hours". I was repeating myself because I didn't have anything else to say. Again, i said I bought this 2 hours ago, please check the cameras. He refused to do that. He was clearly blaming me with fraud. I was begging him to believe me but he neither listened nor believed me.
Then he came up with a great idea. He told me he would check the stand where they sell these items and if he sees another item from the same/old batch he could do the return. "I said what if there is no item from the same batch? If there is a mistake you cannot expect the whole stand to have old dated meats. How can you prove that I didn't buy this meat today by looking at the dates of meats in the stand! What kind of logic is this!" He said, Then, I cannot do anything. It was the most ridiculous thing ever. Then I said "this is the first time that I'm buying this kind of meat from here. Please check my history of purchases and see if I have ever bought this meat other than today!" He said, "yes it is a good point, let me check". Then I waited another 5 minutes he Checked on the computer and said that I was right, i didn't buy this item within the past 90 days. I said "I should not be the one who is telling you what to do and find ways to satisfy customer." I thought that was it. But apparently I didn't know this guy enough. What else could happen?
Then he called the employee who was responsible for that stand. He reprimanded him in front of me in very disrespectful way and made me even more uncomfortable. Very unprofessional! I was just getting start to feel sorry for the employee (because, you know "To err is human", right!?) then he defended himself saying "The item was not purchased today". I couldn't help but hysterically laughed. I said "A sorry was going to be enough, we didn't have to go thru this. Nobody knows how to say "I'm sorry" in this company? What a customer service!"
Then the manager(if he is one) involuntarily apologized for the meat whereas I expected an apology for being treated this way. But it was, at least, something. Besides ruining my day, they gave me a store credit the amount of the bad meat.
The lady in front desk was the only person who was helpful since the beginning and genuinely apologized for what happened.
I have been going to go this place because they have good selection of halal products. I really like the meat sold here. But I think after what happened even god will forgive me buying the meat from somewhere else and eating non-halal. read more