My friend and I ate different foods because I have Celiac and cannot eat breaded food. He ate the breaded sampler appetizer items and I ate ribs and nachos. I was fine. He became suddenly violently ill.
I have known this friend for over 40 years and he never gets sick to his stomach, while I easily become ill if exposed to wheat products such as breading, which I am very careful to avoid because it is never worth it.
He ran to the bathroom and stayed there for over 15 minutes, maybe 20. When he returned, he was white as a sheet and dripping sweat. He reported that he had been vomiting and experienced severe diarrhea at the same time, hardly able to keep the right end over the toilet. He said there was another guy in a stall who also seemed ill with diarrhea, but he wasn't able to ask him what he ate because the guy left while my friend was still too ill to speak.
Before my friend returned, I had already asked for our bill and had my credit card ready and waiting for some time. Now I decided to go to the hostess so I could pay and get my friend home as quickly as possible. I literally wondered if he was going to croak! He waited for me outside.
I waited about 10 minutes before the receipt finally came back with my credit card. While I waited, I told the hostess and another gal that my friend had become violently ill. I feel very strongly they should have comped the bill, in which case I would have given them a 50% tip. This is the first time I have ever given less than a 20% tip, knowing how much work the servers do, but because they didn't bother to report this to a manager, I gave her $5, which was just a little over 10%. They don't deserve to be docked for company policy, which I couldn't know if they were following or if they are just stupid.
On the way home my friend said while eating, he suddenly felt a sharp pain and the sudden need to get to the bathroom. At home, he got into the shower and I called and spoke with a manager named Ebony. She did not express any care that the servers didn't report this. She only said if he needs medical attention to call back. She did say she was sorry, and I told her I don't know their protocol, but I think the servers need to let managers know when a report of sudden vomiting and diarrhea occurs after a few bites of their food. Ebony had no comment about this. Her omission, to me, means "I don't care if such things go unreported. I don't care if other people who also order and eat that food might also get sick. The show must go on." Now I know this is a protocol of the TGI Fridays chain, or at least this particular store.
This is a case of "Follow the money." At least this store, and possibly all TGI FRidays, are more concerned with taking in money than serving safe food.
My friend is worn out from the experience, but doing okay since he purged the food that made him sick. The offer for me to call back if he needs medical attention is shallow, given that he has, like just about everyone these days, medical insurance, and the violent episode from food poisoning is over. Medical attention is a moot point with food poisoning unless severe dehydration occurs, which we will be careful to not allow. I taught medical billing for years and know a little bit about when medical attention is needed, and it is a very small percentage when it comes to food poisoning.
PS. He will be fine and we will never be customers at TGI Fridays again!
Robert
Irvine,#2Consumer Comment
Thu, September 01, 2016
You assumed we woud not realize that it was in fact about the money. If it wasn't about the money you would not have even mentioned that you "felt strongly" that you should have been comped. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that had they comped you, you would have never written this report.
If it wasn't about the money, where is your report to the County Board of Health? Don't you think they should have been made aware of a case of food poisoning? Or did you just "assume" someone else would do it.
You also assumed it was food poisoning. While I am sure in your mind your decades of teaching Medical Billing qualify you to make medical diagnosis. However, there isn't a court or company that would take your word for it. They want to hear from REAL doctors, and without a doctors report all this is, is your assumption.
Ironically if you were really a doctor and failed to report the case of Food Poisoning to the County Health Department you not only could it cause issues with your medical licence, you could be held liable for any injuries that resulted.
As for this comment..
I'm not bothering with the rest of your rebuttal, as I can't waste any more time on this.
Actually the reason you aren't bothering with it is because you have nothing to defend or prove otherwise. There is nothing you can show or prove that it was in fact food poisoning and not an allergic reaction..other than your assumption.
Oh and one other final assumption you made..that somehow I work for this company. It is standard operating procedure on this site that when someone says somthing they don't agree with they accuse the person of working for the company. I personally think I have been accused of working for a couple dozen companies. But like those other people you are wrong. I do not now or have I ever worked for this or any other resturant.
#3Author of original report
Mon, August 29, 2016
FYI my friend looked like he was about to croak when he first sat back at the table. He began to regain color and went outside for air as I waited to pay the bill.
I'm not bothering with the rest of your rebuttal, as I can't waste any more time on this. One thing I am doing is reporting you to the health department.
Thank you for your response. Wish your workers were so inclined to care enough to respond other than to say "I'm sorry" and do nothing.
PS. I paid the bill and even gave the gal a tip. If it was about the money I would not have tipped at all.
Robert
Irvine,#4Consumer Comment
Sun, August 28, 2016
When I look for my Medicail Opinions as to when I should or should not go see a doctor I always consult an Instructor of Medical Billing after all whey they say "follow the money" they mean it.
As let's look at a few statements you made about your friends condition....
He ran to the bathroom and stayed there for over 15 minutes, maybe 20
When he returned, he was white as a sheet and dripping sweat
but he wasn't able to ask him what he ate because the guy left while my friend was still too ill to speak.
I literally wondered if he was going to croak!
my friend said while eating, he suddenly felt a sharp pain and the sudden need to get to the bathroom
So to most "lay" people, if we think someone is about to "croak"(die) that is a pretty good indication that a visit to the ER may be in order. So can you please give us your official medical opinion based on your years of experience teaching medical billing as to what point you would have taken your friend to the ER? Or is this just a case of you using some very "flowery" language to try and make your friends situation worse to try and gain sympathy?
Why is this important...because if you exaggerated his illness what else did you exaggerate? Because it is possible that he did eat something that made him sick, but it is just as likely as it was an allergic reaction. After all you made quite a point about your food allergies...what if your friend had a reaction to something in the food? Because most "food poisioning" symptoms take anywhere from a couple hours to 4-5 days to appear. Anything that is almost instant is more like an allergic reaction.
As for "comping" the bill. Did you come out and ask to have the bill comped or did you just "assume" they would? If you "assumed" they would..why? How many other times have you been sickened by food. If I was in a situation where my friend was outside dying I wouldn't be quibbling or even worry about the bill at that time. So yes, there is more to this story than you are saying.
Giselle
Bloxwich,#5Consumer Comment
Sun, August 28, 2016
It is rare that someone would be sick that quickly, so in all likelihood, your friend was ill from something they had previously eaten or they had a stomach bug. You cannot logically blame the restaurant without medical documentation. Since your friend did not seek medical treatment, you have zero proof the restaurant is at fault. Speaking from personal experience, I once blamed an illness on a pizza I had just consumed, when medical documentation proved I actually had stomach flu.
You exhibited poor behaviour by stiffing the server. They did nothing wrong, they didn't cook the food and if you wanted the manager so badly, you would have spoken up like an adult and said "I need to see the manager". Your failure to do so should not have resulted in the server being punished.