It was sometime in the 70’s I guess, and we were coming home from somewhere. Now we know what kind of a story this will be!
Around West Virginia, as I remember, I guess right before you enter the Pennsylvania Turnpike coming north from West Virginia, we stopped at a Howard Johnson’s restaurant. It was late, there were five of us and we were tired, cranky and hungry. I remember we wanted to just sit down and eat after much driving, and the us included my wife and myself and our three young boys.
We sat and received menus and that was about it for a very long time. I can’t remember if the waitress went home before she took our order or after, but sometime in there she left!
We waited and waited and began to get upset. We tried to reason and ask for help and eventually someone figured out we never had an order processed and finally, after and hour plus, we were served!
This was Howard Johnson’s for God sakes! They were fast food before there was fast food and that’s why we went there as an alternative to what else was available at the time.
We ate, paid our bill probably the only time I didn’t leave a tip in my life, and went on our way. When I got home I wrote a scathing letter to Howard Johnson’s national office and complained bitterly. I explained in agonizing detail what had transpired and how upset we were.
After sometime, I received a reply from Headquarters. There was a big apology, and after explaining in detail how we would never darken their doorstep again, wouldn’t you know it, they sent us a coupon good for a free dinner for eight people!
No, I didn’t use it, but rather than let it go, I gave it to friends. In the light of years of experiences and reason, what could they do?
While they could have returned our money, I know that would never happen and they weren’t going to encourage us to stay away. They did what they do, they gave us food, and at least someone got it eat it.
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