Complaint Review: 99centONLY stores - Nationwide

Robert- One last question out of mere curiosity. WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK MY TRUE MOTIVE IS? Since I'm not making a dime off any of this and I am also using up my valuable time WHAT EXACTLLY IS MY TRUE MOTIVE? Please, tell me. I'd like to get educated. Maybe I AM a selfish, greedy self-serving slimeball and I just don't know it.

Actually, Robert, I do respect you for sticking with your convicitons and making the time in putting your beliefs on paper.  Perseverance is a GOOD THING - in most cases. We've had some heated dialogue and we both survived the ordeal. God Bless. Where do you live? Jersey?

If you live in Dallas look me up and we'll go dumpster diving one starry night. I'll even let you dive in first. HaHA. It's a yoke. Yes, I find cartons of fresh eggs too. 

Sir Robert - I don't mind having logical dialogue with anyone but I am not going to respond to any more of your nonsense.

Hey, why should I explain anything MORE to you? Because, you really need some education that satisfies you.

1st - I contacted this store to begin with and actually showed the manager the snack bags we prepared for the homeless from the throwaway food in their dumpster. I told them exactly what I was doing. They did not agree to work with me in picking this so-called expired food up inside their store, but they also DID NOT tell me to "DON'T DARE" take this stuff out of our dumpster. ANd, do you actually think that I am the only one visiting this dumpster? I bet there are a dozen homeless people a day who come by. And, I haven't heard of one arrest yet even though this store is very harsh on in-the-store shoplifters.

And, do you think any prosecutor in Dallas would have the HEART to prosecute on some ridiculous GRAND theft charge when I would have a dozen or more witnesses vouch that these candy bars were given away as an act of charity. Hey, Robert, wanna bet me a $100 that you don't have a case? Period! Put you money where your mouth is.

And, guess what? The cases these candy bars were in all had an expiration date on the outside of the box and ALL THE CASES "BEST BUY" date was expired for over 2 weeks. Fool, (Sorry, I couldn't help myself) do you really think that I had no concern that even though these cases were on pallets right by the d**n dumpster, that maybe, just maybe that they were left outside by mistake even though I felt that was highly unlikely. After all, who would be so ignorant? Heck, they might lose their job. Don't you think? Sorry Charlie, all the cases were expired and I still have several cases in storage to prove that they were expired. 

So, bring on your grand theft crap because it holds no water whatever. At this stage all you're trying to do is save face by digging into the bottom of the dumpster for worthless evidence of some type. In the process I think that most people reading your rebuttal would agree that you're looking rather foolish.

What really disturbs me about you, Robert,  is to WHY you're such a scrooge regarding this matter. Maybe you're just so envious that someone else MADE THE EFFORT to find these candy bars and had the good heart to salvage them, and give them to people who would  be less hungry after they ate them . Do you know what the best defintion of envy is? It's "temporary insanity."

You're more concern about peanut allergies that would be harmful to a limited few than helping out the greater majority. Flawed logic for sure. Robert, are you simply envious of my good-hearted well-intended efforts or do you simply hate homeless people and dread the thought of anyone helping them while you're not getting any of the benefits? What is it?

Do you work for 99centOnlyStore in corporate? I have sent numerous emails to them trying to discuss this issue but I have gotten zero response to date. Maybe you're their mouth-piece. Seems a little bizarre. So long and why don't you try to show gratitude in your life for the good things you having going for yourself instead of dwelling on the things you don't have. Gosh, I didn't know I'd be running into someone as NEGATIVE as you are when I filed this report. I'll pray for you. I'd really like to help you but you've really thrown me for a loop with your negative thinking. Haven't heard one small compliment from you for doing the "right thing' by caring about my less fortunate fellow-man. But boy have you gone bonkers on trying to find faults surrounding me. God Bless

If you want to keep throwing out this "Red Herring" of Candy Bars go right ahead,  Because each post you write gives you less and less credibility.  Where this last update destroyed what little credibility you had left.

These Candy Bars have gone through a big transition.  Originally you "rescued" them from a dumpster.  Now as of your last post they were just sitting there on the dock.

Just to refresh your memory, let's look at your comments...

You speak about PROOF of the 2900 candy bars I rescued from this dumpster which probably is one of the largest candy finds in Dallas history.

and then magically

Yes, I found these candy bars on a loading dock

So what proof do you have that they were being thown away?  Perhaps they were being delivered and you just admitted to Grand Theft.

But it get's better, you apparently don't even have a picture of them on the loading dock, but only of this "stash" at the charity you delivered them to.  By the way since you have an attorney why don't you get him to help you post the picture?

 I do not have a video but I do have a very good picture taken of this stash at the City Square Food Pantry in Dallas which will be posted as soon as I find someone to help me in doing this.

No wonder the media didn't pick up your story, as if they did whoever ran the story would be laughed out of the industry.

But then you talk about how you don't do "smoke screens".  Well guess what that is EXACTLY what you are doing.

You quite convieniently talked about the "Peanut Allergy".  But just as convienently totally ignored the two other questions of what did the management say when you talked to them about this, and how many hours do you spend each week monitoring other stores in the Dallas area?  Yes you mentioned other stores, yet even though according to  you other stores put this one to "shame", you wrote about this company....

But then we get to the to perhaps the most damaging statement you made.

SO, with that being said you need to ask yourself this. Do you honestly think that if I found this kind of waste in just one night that this store has NEVER done this kind of wasteful dumping before?

- So you are now baseing your claims on ONE night?  You are posting on a public site that for a fact according to you this occurs "on a daily basis".  Now that explains why you only have a single picture, you have no proof that they have done this before, for that matter there is now not even any proof that they did it this one time.

So let me ask you this.  Say you were caught going 90 MPH in a 65MPH zone, since you did it this one time based on your logic the cop could give you 365 tickets since you must have done it every day over the last year.  Yea, and just how far do you think that would go in court?

You need to tread really lightly as if you are posting false information and they see this report they may come after you for libel.  At this point is it probably best to just post your true motive and move on before you dig yourself into a hole you can't get out of.

Good luck, I have a feeling you are going to need it..

Robert - In defense of my taking a very telling picture of 2900 Baby Ruth Candy Bars I wish to add this. Yes, I found these candy bars on a loading dock and I contacted the local media to get some excellent coverage on this, but it was almost midnight, so that did not happen as I was hoping it would as it would have made a fascinating human interest story.

SO, with that being said you need to ask yourself this. Do you honestly think that if I found this kind of waste in just one night that this store has NEVER done this kind of wasteful dumping before? If you actually believe this then you need to study the defintion of habitual. Once they start doing something and get away with it they will more than likely continue with their bad behavior until someone steps in and starts shaming them. That's simply the way it works almost all of the time. Besides, it's so easy to simply throw it into the dumpster, so the habit continues long term until a law is passed that penalizes their wasteful ways. Either that or they could wise up and simply send all their so-called expired food to a local food pantry which would be the best possible option.

I got a good laugh over your Baby Ruth peanut allergy concern. The allergy itself most certainly is a serious issue not to be taken lightly, but your dragging this allergy into my donation of 2900 Baby Ruth candy bars is rather ridiculous.

Let's break down your statement:

1st - Most anyone can determine from the Baby Ruth wrapper that there ARE PEANUTS in this candy bar. And, once they open the wrapper it's not too hard to determine that there are peanuts inside the chunky looking topping. I'm also sure that poeple who have this peanut allergy are VERY watchful in what they eat, and parents of small children with this peanut allergy are espcially careful in what their kids consume.

Therefore, there are numerous red flags warning anyone with a peanut allergy that a Baby Ruth candy bar just isn't for them.

I therefore think that you're slightly overreacting with your rather absurb remark. Maybe we should ban the sale of all Baby Ruth candy bars worldwide as somebody with a peanut allergy could get ill? Is that the solution?  God Bless.

Thanks for your short reply. Sometimes people really need to get eduacated and I guess that's WHY there are still articles in magazines and newspapers. Sometimes a mere few words just do justice to a csuse. I hope you understand.

Beleive me, most all the contacts that you have wisely suggested have been contacted by me. That's exactl WHY City Square Food Pantry ended up with a donation of 2,000 Baby Ruth Candy Bars.

As far as the media. The very night that I found these 2900 candy bars I contacted Channel 8 and the other stations to come out immeidatley to cover this story about massive waste and NOT ONE OF THEM even got back with me to discuss some kind of coverage. How finding 2900 Baby RUth Candy Bars is not a great human interest story totally baffles me but that's how the bias Dallas media operates. Please, don't get me going on the sins of the Dallas media.

THank you for your response. 

Instead of your long, drawn out posts call the Bridge, North Texas Food Bank, Stew Pot, CCS, local churches and local news agencies about this problem.  I know about Social Service agencies, community resources etc etc since I am a LSW.

Contact Fox4 news then.  Still want to see the lawsuit documents.

According to your own words they dump out food "on a daily basis" and the best picture of this "food" you have is a picture of 2900 Candy Bars?

Really?  If you are trying to come here and convince people you need better proof.  Oh and if you say you have better proof..BUZZ, wrong answer, thank's for playing.  As if you did you would have already said it.  Of course in your defense at least the candy bars have peanuts so the people can get some protein, well that is as long as they aren't allergic to peanuts.

You say you don't have to provide any proof.  Again, wrong answer.  This is a PUBLIC web site where you are saying a store is ripping people off.  So yes, you MUST provide proof to your claims or people won't take them seriously.

Then onto education, where since you are so fond of it you must also want to be fair to educate people on both sides right?  So where is the description of what the store management said when you talked to them?  You did talk to them...right?  I mean you didn't just come here blasting a company without even trying to get their side of the story..or did you?

Look you claim you want to be an "advocate" for stores dumping out food, go right ahead.  But why not go after all of the stores?  Have done the same due dilligence at EVERY other store in Dallas?  With probably a couple thousand stores my guess would be no.  Especially to the point where you are going through their dumpsters on a daily basis and pulling out good food.  Or is this a case where you in fact have an ulterior motive and this is just a smoke screen?  Oh and of course I expect you to deny that 100% and come up with another set of "facts" to try and prove what ever will become the true motive.

Robert -  Thanks for your response to my post. 

1st - Hey Robert, you're accusing the WRONG PERSON of hiding behind some kind of smoke screen. I suggest that if you truly believe this that you MAKE THE TIME and go to You Tube. Type in 'Angelic Christmas Crusade 2014' and spend the next 5 minutes viewing the so-called SMOKE SCREEN you've got a hang-up with. I have EXECUTED this charity event for 17 years at no profit to my personal self.  You can dare accuse me of hiding behind some kind of SMOKE SCREEN when you match my SINCERE efforts on behalf of Dallas homeless. And, the rest of the year I salvage expired food and give it to needy people. Got a problem with that?

You speak about PROOF of the 2900 candy bars I rescued from this dumpster which probably is one of the largest candy finds in Dallas history. Well, you're RIGHT on this one. A picture or video is, indeed, worth a thousand words. My problem. I really am not computer savvy. I do not have a video but I do have a very good picture taken of this stash at the City Square Food Pantry in Dallas which will be posted as soon as I find someone to help me in doing this. So, a very good picture is coming. THE PROOF you're requesting.

Your request for paper work or something on the recent lawsuit against the 99centONLY store is just plain ignorant. I did not sue them. Several governmental agencies in California sues them for storing and illegally dumping hazardous waste in their dumpsters which ultimately ended up in landfills that we not approved for this kind of disposal. I do not have to prove anything when all you have to go is GOOGLE  '99centONLY store lawsuit and the media accounts will give you the proof. SO, go GOOGLE and stop asking me for something I do not need to provide - because the media covered the facts just fine. And, the fine was, INDEED, over $2 miillion! 

You also bring up as to why I am supposedly picking on the 99centOnly Store and no other grocery store, etc? FYI - Me and my attorney have been contacting a couple different stores over the last two years. ALDI store actually puts the 99centONLY store to shame. With over 1200 stores in the United States they are by far the biggest wasters of so-called expired food that they throw away in huge amounts. Now, the smart asses are quickly installing expensive compactors to cover-up their crimes of waste. Hey, now there's A REAL SMOKE SCREEN you can pursue. And, yes, you are most defintiely correct that this is not isolated to just one store chain. I feel that it's a major problem with most all chain stores in the United States. Kroger and all the other groceries stores are all guilty. Other stores have been contacted by us but they are always ready with cheap excuses for NOT doing the right thing. So, we're still on it! It HARD to change  the stubborn mindset of fools.

Finally, I do NOT have any ulterior motive as you suggest. Whenever I've heard that remark over the years the term,"Do Nothing" comes to mind. Are you possibly the type that talks until you're blue in the face but when it actually comes to getting involved and doing something you go hide - behind the nearest smoke screen? Actions will ALWAYS speak louder than words. That's exactly WHY I can make the time to reply to you as I actually have some substance to back my response. What kind of ACTION backs you?  

Stacey. I greatly appreciate your response but you need to first understand that I am NOT some rookie regarding this matter and because I got truly educated on this topic I do know what I'm talking about.

1st - I do not have to provide legal documents regarding this lawsuit on 99centOnly stores as you only have to Google it to find several accounts of it as it was recently settled for over 2 million dollars. I presume that you are referring to this case and not the case we are planning on filing against this chain for contributing to the creation of methane due to their throwing safe and edible food into local landfills and then becomes a serious issue regarding global warming.

Next - You are wondering if this is good food? Yes, it's safe and edible when thrown into their dumpster and it only becomes UNSAFE and not edible if it sits in this dumpster for several hours, especially if it's refrigerated food that certainly can't be used once it becomes warm. It this food is not cold to the touch we leave it in the dumpster. It is simply using common sense. Any unrefrigerated food can be retrieved for several hours after it is thrown out.

Stacey - Do you know ANYTHING about the Federal Law passed around 1987 that is named the Emerson Good Samaritan Law? If you don't then it doesn't surprise me as most store managers are also extremely ignorant regarding this law and that's why they act like morons by throwing out this safe and edible food instead of giving it to a local food pantry.

Stores CANNOT be sued IF they give even so-called expired food to non-profits or churches at no charge with the stipulation that this food is to be distributed to needy people. Also, the non-profit and churches cannot be held liable if anyone becomes ill. The food must be 'reasonably wholesome' which is where common sense kicks in. That means it can't smell bad or look moldy or feel slimy or is from torn packages. That is really all that is required.

As far as proof on this rescued food. If you wish to send me your email I will gladly send you a picture of 2,000 Full Size Baby Ruth Candy Bars that was saved from a dumpster at a local Dallas store. There actually was 2900 in sealed cases. The 2,000 are the ones we gave to a local food pantry in Dallas that accepts food up to six months after the expiration date. Why? Because. as you just don't understand, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with this food and, besides, these so-called expiration dates have NEVER been mandated by the Federal government. Believe me, if there was a real health issue here the federal government would be very much involved. It's dictated by the grocery store industry. However, there are some food pantries that foolishly do not accept expired food BECAUSE, once again, they have foolish misconceptions that scare them. And, it's just NOT accurate information that they are processing. 

Finally, I do hope that in the future you wisely EDUCATE yourself on a topic before you spread made-up info that just isn't accurate. However, I do thank you for stating your beliefs.

provide the legal documents that pertain to this lawsuit and settlement.   IF they are throwing out GOOD food then provide the evidence.  Throwing out BAD food is just that - they cannot send bad food or expired food to any Food Bank.  That would surely result in a lawsuit for food poisoning. 

 Yes, I have trouble with my laptop where it does not exactly print what I am trying to type. It can skip spaces or insert letters I do not want.Sometimes the keys DO stick.Yes, I've got a legitimate problem so I'm sorry. However, it's my fault in the incorrect spelling of MENTHANE. I did it twice as the type was small and I just did not catch it. Well, at least I got it correctly spelled once. I think that the author of a report should be allowed to EDIT it at any time within 3 days of published report. Sometimes you just don't catch mistakes until after you see it being approved and officially posted. I fear that the credibility of my report went South because of my unfortunate typos. Mark Pfeifer - Dallas