For more than 20 years. I’ve been ordering Chinese food from the very same place. When I was a student, I used to run into “our” little Chinese take-out place with my then SassyBoyfriend with the change we found in the couch cushions and order a Dinner For One and an extra side of rice. For about $8.00 we could end up with a “gourmet” dinner for both of us, a super cheap date night, and we felt all kinds of grown up. It was dreamy and delicious.
Fast forward 20 something years, and a few things have changed. SassyBoyfriend is now SassyHubby, and that Chinese Food Order is closer to $80.00 bucks than $8.00, but still worth every penny. We’re now feeding a crew of at least four, usually more when our girls have friends over. Plus with Chinese food, we always order extra, leftovers are King!
So about once a month we treat ourselves to an overpriced Chinese Dinner, delivered right to our home, it’s always been worth it, until this past weekend. This weekend I made my standard order and enjoyed a crisp glass of Prosecco as we waited for the Delivery Guy. The two greasy bags arrived in just over an hour, and we dove into the containers like starving children. But wait! Two bags? We were missing an entire bag of food! No worries, I would just call the Chinese Restaurant and explain there had been a mix-up. Could they stop their driver and get him to turn around? We were missing Chicken Balls, Chicken Soo Guy and an order of Spicy Chow Mein Noodles.
What I expected to hear was “Of course, no trouble, we will track down your missing food and get it to you as soon as possible.” What I got was. “Are you sure you missing food?” “How many red boxes are on your kitchen counter?” “You need to check again because it was all delivered.” “We do not think you are missing any bags.” WHAT??? They thought I was lying?
I won’t go into the hand shaking, voice trembling, rage inducing conversation that slowly went from polite to…ARE YOU KIDDING ME….except to say that this is the first, and I suspect the last time I will ever be accused of stealing chicken balls. Guess I can check that off my bucket list?
In the end, replacement chicken balls were sent to my home as was the rest of the food. It arrived long after our dinner was over and my girls were in bed. For the price of three containers of Chinese Take-Out this restaurant lost a customer of more than 20 years. Yup, apparently I am now that girl. The holding a grudge against a restaurant girl because they accused me of stealing their chicken balls. Absurd.
Note to the world; if you accuse a customer of stealing chicken balls, they probably won’t order from you again, ever.
Guess I better find a favourite Thai place to give my money to.
Life, even in the suburbs, it’s never boring!
wow , i would find a new place as well that sucks :/
That’s too bad. I am a chicken ball lover and not a chicken ball thief, just like you!!! We ordered from an Indian Place that we love and the Pakora came very undercooked with crunchy potatoes. We called to let them know that their pakora were undercooked and they became really ignorant with us and accused us of just wanting free pakora. Twas a sad day for our love of pakora!
Chicken balls are the most important. I would try again and talk to the manager though because that’s ridiculous.
The Chicken Balls really are the essence of the meal:0 So sad to say I did hear the manager in the background, she simply did not care. Sigh. Moving on! 🙂
Too bad they lost a customer over someone else stealing or misplacing those chicken balls. I would be sad if this happened to me and our favorite Chinese Food restaurant.
Such a silly think to lose a loyal customer over! I guess no one ever taught them the customer is always right….and does not lie about chicken balls?
Oh! I am *cringing* for you. This is the worst! Such a stOOpid conversation to *have to* have.
20 years. How ludicrous!
Honestly, I’d be inclined to go there and speak to the manager and explain *exactly* how long you have been patronizing the business and that you didn’t appreciate being patronized by the dingbat on the phone. : /
Not cool.
Meanwhile, if the new place works out maybe they will get the next 20 years! 😀
The sad part was I could hear them talking to the manager in the background. There was giggling. They thought it was comical? Guess I have to let it go 🙂 And you are so right, it was a ridiculous conversation to have to have. Like I’m going to steal an order of Chicken Balls LOL
I would hurt people who didn’t deliver my chicken balls, the whole dinner would be ruined!
Sadly, we would be really stuck if our Chinese place messed up enough to make me mad, they are the only decent one locally.
Note for next move: check what restaurants deliver
LOL Can I just tell you, your comment made me giggle. Chicken balls are very important to the Chinese food dinner. At least my drama gave you good notes for your next move, make sure there are good Chinese Food places nearby, at least two of them! 🙂
I agree with the other commenters– take your business elsewhere! Have you posted a review on Yelp? You should!
I haven’t posted a review on Yelp, but now you have me thinking that I should! I did give the restaurant plenty of time to make it right, and they choose not too. Thanks for the idea .
Certainly hope your new Chinese restaurant works out this weekend! Sounds as if SassySis is looking forward to another wonderful feast! Certainly do admire the stand you are taking! Customer service is everything!
Thank you Josephine! I thought I had better pop in and tell you this past weekend was a great success. We found a new Chinese food place and were pleasantly surprised with the food and the service. Winning!
SassySis may be the saddest of all as I love the Chinese food at your house. Here’s hoping the new place is fantastic!
LOL Sorry to hear my news made you sad. I promise to keep trying new Chinese places until we find one you love! xo
Sad way to treat a customer. 🙁
It really is sad. I have cooled down now, but I’m still not going back! LOL
Im with you here. Customer service is everything.
Remember the days when the customer was always right? I miss those days :0
I had a similar situation at the SDM I’ve been going to since it was an indie pharmacy in the 70s. I opened an unsealed box of anihistimines to discover the box was empty. It was store brand but when I called and didn’t have a receipt the supervisor basically told me I was a liar and said I could have gotten the box from the other store in town. I was really angry and at first thought I’d cool off and go to the store to see this man. Then I decided not to cool down and just to go and see him. I pointed out he was calling me a liar and demanded an apology and received the dreaded, “I’m sorry you took it that way” — which I explained was NOT an apology. In the end I got an insincere apology and they lost a customer of over 30 years. It’s pretty ridiculous in this day in age because being a loyal customer in many cases no longer means anything…..
Oh Suzi that is truly awful! Imagine thinking a customer would take the time to come back in with an empty box. Ridiculous. I hope you found a better, friendlier pharmacy!
I’m with you…I’d find a new place too.
SassyHubby and I hit google last night. We’ve picked out our new Chinese Food place for this weekend. LOL Wish us luck!
amazing that after 20 years of loyalty you couldn’t be given better treatment! how would they know at their end of the phone that a bag wasn’t still inadvertently sitting in the car, or maybe even given in error to delivery directly before yours.
granted, Thai food is very good…..
Right!? Who says the people the driver delivered to before me wasn’t enjoying an extra order of Chicken Balls and what happened to the customer is always right? Oh well, at least I got a good story out of it? 🙂
That sucks but I would be doing the same thing. I wouldn’t order from them again either. I know there are a lot of people in the world who try to cheat the system but a long term customer is not that person! ((Hugs))
Thanks for the hugs! I was probably much angrier than I should have been but honestly, who tries to steal chicken balls? LOL