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Restaurant's "brutal" note divides customers

A restaurant has come under fire for their "brutal" note to difficult patrons, encouraging "privileged" customers who wish to "customise or modify" their menu, to stay home instead. A sign posted to the restaurant's front door urged customers with allergies to eat elsewhere as staff simply cannot "provide the service they require". While some applauded the restaurant's no-nonsense stance, others were shocked by the "rude and disgusting" message. "No means no. Are you one of the small group of people who have been living and entitled and privileged life?" The sign reads. "Maybe your mother has taken the onions out of your salad, put the dressing on the side, or substitute your vegetables. Here, however, all meals are served precisely the way we prepare them. We do not offer custom meals." "Remember, we are not your mother and we are definitely not genies that will make your every wish come true." Chef Jozef and restaurant owner Nathalie listed alternative choices for the "privileged" few including hiring a private chef, cooking for themselves "precisely the way you like", trying another establishment or accept their hospitality as it is offered. "We have been cooking for almost 50 years. We have many kind, friendly people, acquaintances and families that have been coming for many decades," they wrote. "So look around, it is a pleasure to see their happy smiles and provide them with our best food possible." The message also called out those with allergies and food sensitivities, encouraging them to take their business elsewhere. "It is simply not possible to guarantee each product used in this kitchen. Furthermore, we do not have the qualifications to provide you with the service you require," they said. The strongly worded sign caught the attention of many online, with some praising the restauranteurs as "honest" and "brilliant". "Amen, the public is not always right. And actually most of the time they're not. This establishment is well within their right to post this," one person commented. "You know from the very start how things are. It's one restaurant. If you don't like it, there are so many others you can go to instead... No need to have a sook. Just go elsewhere. Some of us would enjoy a restaurant like this," a second pointed out. Despite some support for the restaurant's honesty, others were taken aback with lots of people criticising the hard-line stance for being "snarky" and "rude". One disgruntled person commented, "If you are not able or willing to provide what your guests need or even give service, it might seem better to be honest but this message is rude and disgusting. Don't seek employment in service roles and then complain." Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Food & Wine

Subway falls a foot short for one customer

A woman has run into some trouble with her Subway sandwich after taking to it with a measuring tape. The irate customer had been suspicious about the supposed dimensions of her “6-inch sub”, and decided the only thing to do was to find out for herself if she was on to something or not. However, the woman didn’t succeed in putting her fears at rest, instead proving them to be right. The sandwich, advertised as being six inches long, measured up to be just over five. In her annoyance, she told the company that they should be doing better - in her words, “to up your game” - if they expected to be charging extra for what customers weren’t actually receiving. “Usually I wouldn't really care,” she noted, and then explained in some of the world’s most relatable terms, “but I was super hungry today.” To add insult to injury, she also revealed how she’d gotten "one less piece of salami and pepperoni” than usual, and noted that this was simply not up to standard, and that she had inside intel to prove it - her sister had been a Subway manager for years. This wasn’t the first time Subway had run into trouble over the size of their sandwiches - a customer in Australia once took their anger straight to court, going so far as to sue the company in 2013. His photo, posted to Facebook, showed that his footlong sandwich was not the promised 12 inches, but instead 11. That case was settled for a staggering $525,000 (approximately $798,042.00 AUD), and in 2015, Subway introduced new in-store regulations towards ensuring their products measured up, as well as additional disclosures for their consumers. At the time, Subway acknowledged that the media buzz surrounding the case had motivated its decision to settle the case, while the judge was firm in his belief that the smaller sandwiches actually contained no less food in terms of weight. “The settlement acknowledges as much when it says that uniformity in bread length is impossible,” he said, “due to the natural variability of the bread-baking process.” To many, however, this was not - and seemingly never will be - good enough. And to others, it’s a tale as old as time that they’d tired of hearing. “It's clearly a ‘SUBWAY 6 INCH’ and meant as a description rather than a measurement of length,” wrote one fed up individual on yet another related story, this time posted to Reddit. “In that case,” mused another, “there should be a new policy wherein every Subway employee should be required to do air quotes when using the term ‘Footlong’.” Images: Reddit

Food & Wine

“Very questionable”: Kmart mocked after customer's "ridiculous" delivery

A woman has taken to Facebook to mock Kmart over her recent delivery. The shopper shared on Facebook she had ordered a 20mm combination padlock from Kmart and was caught by surprise when it was delivered to her home on February 13. The woman had received a large cardboard box, and when she opened it, it was filled to the brim with plastic wrap to protect the item. However, once she dug out the plastic, she saw a small padlock at the bottom of the unnecessarily large box. “My delivery arrived today,” the woman said on Facebook. Other Kmart fans were shocked by the large box for such a small item, with many users deeming it “ridiculous.” “Omg! Seriously,” a user commented. "Ridiculous honestly yet a pair of jeans get scrunched up into a bag for delivery," another added. "It's absolutely rubbish that they waste like that," a third chimed in. Another comment read, ”How ironic ... how easy is it to break this lock that it needs to be so protected when shipped? Would you need it if it is so fragile? Very questionable Kmart ... What a waste,” Many other users joined in on the teasing, claiming they also received small items delivered in unnecessarily large boxes. "This happened to us recently with a car air freshener," one shopper said. "Yeah they keep sending me one item in a stupidly big box. I’d be much more appreciative of multiple items jammed into a big box to stop wastage or happy to wait for all items to be ready together," another claimed. "I thought my three bowls packed like this was bad!" another commented. Back in May 2021, another Kmart shopper complained that she received a small book in a “huge box.” Although some said it was “terrible”, other users claimed the size of the box shouldn’t matter because it’s recyclable. A Kmart spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle that the complaints have been forwarded to Kmart’s online team, and they will reassess how they manage and replenish packaging materials. "Regrettably, in this instance, it appears the team member who has packed this order did not have available or use the most appropriately sized packaging components," the spokesperson said. "While our team are trained and aim to minimise packaging use and waste, it is likely that they did not have access to appropriately sized packaging options so used what was available in an effort to pack and dispatch this order as quickly as possible." Image credit: Facebook

Food & Wine

“Smooth” barista writes secret message to customer

A woman joked that she would not go back to Starbucks after the barista left her a compliment on her coffee cup. Captioning her <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@chance_twins/video/7072141664227200261?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> video “AHAHAHA never going back there” the woman shared with her followers the barista’s message. On her coffee cup, the words “secret message” were written on the cup with an arrow for her to turn and follow. There the barista had crossed out some words from the warning message so instead it read, “Careful you’re extremely hot.” The video has already been viewed more than 10 million times and received almost two million likes, with many supporting the barista’s “smooth” move. “That was smooth though not gonna lie,” one person wrote. “Be glad someone made their shot. It’s rare these days!” another commented. “Be careful, coffee, she’s too hot,” another joked. “Spill it on yourself and sue Starbucks because the safety info was blocked. Use the money for your honeymoon,” someone else suggested. Images: TikTok

Relationships

Intense debate sparked among fiercely loyal Aldi customers

A new feature on Aldi bread has sparked intense debate among the supermarket’s loyal customers. The retail giant is currently trialling cardboard recyclable tags on many of its loaves of bread, replacing plastic tags. ALDI said it’s made the step as part of its commitment to become more sustainable. “ALDI Australia has a number of commitments to improve the sustainability of our product packaging, including a goal to reduce the amount of plastic packaging across our own-label range by a quarter by 2025,” an ALDI Australia spokesperson has told 7NEWS.com.au. “We have started trialling recyclable cardboard bread tags on a select range of our bread products, and we continue to work closely with our business partners to identify opportunities to transition to cardboard tags on more of our products. “The next few years will see us continue to remove plastics from our range or replace it with sustainable alternatives and by 2025 all remaining packaging will be either recyclable, reusable or compostable.” Since being shared on social media, ALDI’s new cardboard bread tags have sparked intense debate. Many agree that the new sustainable tags are “a brilliant idea”. “Every bit of plastic that we can easily replace with a recyclable version is so much better for our environment,” said one. Added another: “This makes me very happy. Hopefully we can lose the vegetables in plastic wrap next. Good direction.” Said a third: “I was impressed by this too!!! And I found the plastic ones would sometimes pierce the bag.” Wrote one more: “ALDI has a commitment to recycling, I think it’s great, use the reuse-able clips, save our environment.” Others have said they were disappointed in the cardboard tags, saying that they don’t work as well. “These really are the worst thing since sliced bread,” said one Facebook user. Another wrote: “I absolutely hate them… they break or become flimsy the first time you open the bread! So I’ve saved a whole heap of plastic ones and swap them as soon as I get home!” Added a third: “My bread ended up through the boot of my car these clips are useless.” Said another: “I love that it’s not plastic but the cardboard isn’t working well. I got a loaf of bread and it was raining, all open by the time I got to the car.” One more wrote: “It’s a great sustainability initiative however they’re so crap that they fall off after the second time getting bread out. Same for other stores too, not just an Aldi issue.” Another added: “Can’t stand them. They break so easily. I’m glad I kept my old plastic ones.” However, other Facebook users urged ALDI users to rise above the various issues. “Tip to anyone that is complaining. You can buy reusable metal pegs or even reuse other plastic tags,” one wrote. “You just need to think outside the box. Man we are living in an interesting time of convenience and self entitlement. These tags are the worst thing for our ocean.” A few others pointed out a very Australian problem with the new cardboard tags. “You can never really fix a thong blow-out with it though,” said one. Another joked: “Won’t last long when I use it to fix my flip flops! Seriously though, good on ya ALDI.” Image: 7News

Food & Wine

Aldi customer gets trapped inside store

Image: TikTok A customer has revealed how he became trapped inside his local Aldi store and had to be rescued by police. Sharing on Tiktok, the shopper said he and another person were perusing the aisles of a store in the US when staff accidentally locked them inside. In the video, the man claimed the store was meant to close at 9pm. However at 8.45pm, he was stunned to see that the doors had been deadbolted with no warning. “During the pandemic, ALDI closed early and the cashier neglected to make sure no customers were left in the store,” he said, adding the hashtag #youhadonejob. In the video, the TikTok user said he was forced to call police for help. “Oh my gosh, this is no s***,” he said in the video. “Check this out - I just got locked inside ALDI. It doesn’t close till 9pm. OMG. “Can anyone hear me? I’m locked in an ALDI. So I had to call 911 because the alarm was activated and I can’t get out.” He went on to say that he’d helped himself to a six-pack of beer and wine to pass the time. “I don’t have to worry about starving to death because there’s plenty of food and there’s also a bunch of alcohol on that rack,” he said. After enjoying some beer, he said: “Still waiting to be let out. Upgrading to wine since I feel like I own the place.” After a 30 minute wait, the shopper said police eventually arrived and arranged for a manager to open the door. “Thirty minutes and a bottle of wine later, help arrives.” The shopper’s video has since gone viral, attracting 4.5 million views more than 300,000 likes and comments. Most TikTok users were amused by the shopper’s experience. “Party at ALDI!” said one. Added another: “All the food and alcohol. And ALDI usually has blankets. I would have camped out and surprised the opener the next day!”

Travel Trouble

A supermarket in Britain has removed use-by dates in favour of the 'sniff test'

Image: Getty Grocery chain ‘Morrisons’ is being slammed after announcing a decision to scrap “use-by” dates on milk, instead asking customers to use a “sniff test” to determine if the milk has gone bad. The supermarket will switch to using “best before” dates on 90% of its home brand milk packaging from the end of January, The Sun reports. The date will remain the same but Morrisons is asking customers to not automatically assume the milk is off, but instead sniff to see whether it has expired first. Best before dates indicate that a product will have a better quality if consumed before that day, but use by means food might not be safe to eat after that point and runs the risk of making the customer sick. Morrisons said the move is intended to reduce food wastage, as millions of litres of milk are thrown away each year. It is estimated that 48 million litres of milk are wasted due to customers following “use-by” labels. Research shows milk is often fine to be used days after the use-by date the supermarket said. So yes, customers are being encouraged to smell their milk to check if it has actually gone bad before throwing it away. A sour aroma or curdled consistency are both signs milk has been spoiled. Shoppers took to Twitter to complain about the decision, with many asking how they can smell the milk while in store. However, Morrisons said that won’t be necessary because it won’t sell milk that is near the best before date. One customer said: “So, Morrisons – can we open the bottle in order to sniff it before purchase? Or do we have to go home, sniff it, then bring it back if it’s off?” Another added: “I can open the milk whilst still in Morrisons to check then I guess?” Others pointed out that one of the main symptoms of Covid is losing your sense of smell. “Generations before us have always used the sniff test – and I believe we can too” According to Ian Goode, senior milk buyer at Morrisons.

Food & Wine

Young HERO with autism jumps out Maccas drive-thru window to save choking customer

Image: Kare11 A 15-year-old McDonald’s worker potentially saved a customer’s life by jumping through the drive-thru window after she noticed the woman choking on a chicken nugget. Sydney Raley was working a shift at McDonald’s in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, handing customers their orders in the drive-thru when she realised something was wrong with the person she was serving. “I noticed that she was coughing profusely, and her daughter just had this look on her face like sheer terror,” she told the local news station KARE11. “I could tell, oh crap, she’s choking!’ Just seeing that visceral reaction I knew I had to act fast.” Sydney had done first-aid training when she was 11 years old, so she immediately jumped out the drive-thru window and told the customer to get out of the car and instructed her daughter to call for help. The Heimlich manoeuvre didn't work the first few times, so she called upon another customer who was waiting for his food to come and help. The other customer was able to dislodge the chicken nugget stuck in the woman's throat. “It could’ve ended a lot worst but I am super thankful for that bystander who helped so much,” she said. Police officers from Edina Police Department arrived at the scene to assist the woman and rewarded Sydney with $100 – from the fund police use to give back to those who do good in the community. Just after emergency services had arrived at the McDonald's, Sydney's parents arrived to pick her up. Her father Tom told CNN they saw the ambulance and police car out the front and for a moment were worried they were there for something to do with Sydney. He told the station he is extremely proud of her. "I always tell her she has a gift, because she's autistic," said Tom. "She can remember anything – do anything." The police Sergeant was also proud of the 15-year-old. "We’re very proud of Sydney. She’s a great example of how all of us – no matter our age or position – can make a difference in our communities," Sergeant Scott Mittelstadt said, according to the department's Facebook post.

Caring

Apple customers worried about safety of new AirTag technology

Tech giant Apple has copped global criticism after their new gadget held crucial security concerns. The AirTag is the latest accessory from Apple, which is a button-sized electronic device that can be attached like a keychain to valuables such as a wallet or keys, and can be linked to your Apple device to help locate the items when lost. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/05/05/apple-airtags-stalking/">The Washington Post</a>, among other sceptics of the new tech, pointed out the design flaw of the device after its release in early 2021, warning users it could be “frighteningly easy” for stalkers to take advantage. A series of tests conducted by online tech reviewers pointed out how easy it could be for stalkers to place the AirTag on someone without their knowledge and then track their whereabouts. “AirTags are a new means of inexpensive, effective stalking. I know because I tested AirTags by letting a Washington Post colleague pretend to stalk me,” the review said. Eva Galperin, cybersecurity director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has long advocated for more awareness on the dangers of tracking technology. “I don’t expect products to be perfect the moment they hit the market, but I don’t think they would have made the choices that they did if they had consulted even a single expert in intimate partner abuse,” she said. After an influx of global criticism against the AirTag, Apple’s new iOS 15.2 update has made moves to remedy the possibility of stalking, by giving users access to detect “items that can track me” from their chosen Apple devices. Within the Find My app, there is a new “unknown items” option that can scan for rogue devices the user may be unaware of in their vicinity, alerting people to suspicious activity. “These are an industry-first, strong set of proactive deterrents,” Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of iPhone marketing, said in an interview. “It’s a smart and tuneable system, and we can continue improving the logic and timing so that we can improve the set of deterrents.” Image credits: Getty Images

Technology

Customer shocked by exorbitant service fee

One customer was taken by surprise after dining at Salt Bae’s new London restaurant, when they were presented with the bill for $60,000 worth of food as well as a $9000 service fee. Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, recently opened a new restaurant in the ritzy London neighbourhood of Knightsbridge. Diners at the establishment can expect to spend a pretty penny, including $1500 for a tomahawk steak and $55 for fries, but one diner wasn’t expecting a 15% service fee when they were presented with the bill. In addition to the exxy food and drinks, including $18,000 wine, the bill came with a 15% service charge, working out to £4829.10 on top of the £32,194 bill. That’s a charge of about $8933 on top of a $59,327 meal. <img style="width: 434.5156889495225px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844861/https___prodstatic9net.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/47ad6063eed94bab9aaef210baf96b52" /> The customer shared a photo of the cheque on Snapchat with the caption, “That’s just taking the p*ss”, and the image quickly went viral online, with many wondering how any meal could be worth those kinds of prices. Many critics say Salt Bae is overstepping his markups, which include charging $33 for asparagus and $20 for Red Bull, while others believe the prices, including the service fee, are justified considering the quality of the food and the potential to see Salt Bae do his thing. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUTA32OsX6x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUTA32OsX6x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Nusr_et#Saltbae (@nusr_et)</a> </div> </blockquote> Gökçe originally went viral in 2017 with a video of him sprinkling salt onto a meal getting over 10 million views. He now has almost 40 million followers on Instagram, and his videos of him doing his thing in the kitchen regularly get over 5 million views. With the opening of his London restaurant, Gökçe now owns luxury steakhouses in Miami, New York, Boston, Dallas, and Beverly Hills in the United States; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Ankara, Bodrum, Istanbul and Marmaris in Turkey; and Mykonos, Doha, London and Jeddah. Image: Laurent Koffel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Food & Wine

Aldi customer shocked by "babushka" ice cream

A stunned Aldi customer has revealed the strange thing that happened when she was unwrapping one of the store’s ice cream cones. Sharing her unusual find on Facebook, the woman from Victoria said she had settled down for some “me time” when she opened the Chocolate Crowns ice cream box which she purchased from Aldi. But what she unwrapped in the four-pack box from ice cream company Monarc was far from normal. Surprisingly, the ice cream was seemingly double wrapped with a wrapped cone inside another fully wrapped ice cream. “Dear Aldi, what the…. Is that?” she she wrote alongside a picture of her weirdly wrapped ice cream. “I don’t know if the whole box is like that.” Her bonus cone find delighted and perplexed fellow shoppers who were seriously stunned by the unusually wrapped cone. “I don’t understand what I’m looking at?” one baffled person said. “It’s an ice cream babushka?” another asked. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844307/new-project-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/58f5e70d144142be8eae847ca6ab108c" /> Image: Facebook “A cone…. In a cone, what’s inside the wrapper,” questioned a third person. Simply put, one Aldi fan called the mishap “Cone-ception” while others thought the strange “bonus cone” find was extremely lucky. “Buy a lotto ticket….that’s some luck!!” one person said. “Probably the best thing I have ever seen,” added another. This isn’t the first time a shopper has spotted a packaging mishap in a supermarket product. Surprising find in tin of tomatoes This isn’t the first time a shopper has spotted a packaging mishap in the supermarket. Melbourne shopper Shell McKenzie told Yahoo News Australia she was shocked when she opened a tin of tomatoes that contained no tomatoes at all. Instead, the sealed tin was full of water. Shell said she had purchased the Woolworths Essentials brand diced Italian tomatoes as part of her online order. “It was delivered to my workplace,” she explained. “My cook opened it and was shocked it was filled with water….we bought others that were fine.” A Woolworths representative quickly responded to Shell’s odd fine on Facebook. “We’re sorry to see you’ve received a can of diced tomatoes filled with water. We can imagine the surprise this would’ve caused when you opened it,” the spokesperson says. “I spoke with them on the phone and they were shocked and offered a refund and a $10 goodwill credit,” she said. “They have no idea how it happened.”

Food & Wine

Restaurant staff blown away by enormous tip left by generous customer

A group of restaurant workers was left shocked and amazed when a regular diner left them a hefty tip, then disappeared before they could say thank you. The employees at Eggs Up Grill in South Carolina, USA, said this particular diner always tips well and has been generous even during the pandemic. But they were certainly not expecting his generosity after a meal. After dining at the restaurant, the man left an envelope containing the tip for his $10 meal (AUD $13). Inside was a note, and over $2,000 cash (AUD $2,575), which he wrote should be split among all the staff working. "The gentleman that left the tip is a regular who comes in at least 6 days a week," Eggs Up Grill Managing Partner Adam Bair told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/south-carolina-restaurant-staff-2k-cash-tip-note-regular-customer" target="_blank">Fox News</a> via email. "The gentleman paid for his $10 meal and left the envelope with the money and the note without waiting around for his server to open the envelope. We tried to catch him in the parking lot to thank him, but he had already left." The note revealed four servers at the restaurant received $400 (AUD $515), with the rest of the cash split between other staff based on the hours worked. While staff considered him a generous customer, no one was expecting the enormous tip he had left. "It was very surprising. It made a huge impact on all of us above the monetary value," Bair wrote. "It made the servers feel appreciated during a very turbulent time with COVID. Their tips have gone down tremendously and I know the money was very much needed. It was perfect timing." The tip was allegedly left as part of the 'Just Be Nice Challenge' which encourages diners to leave large tips for their servers. Now, staff are keen to see the man again to say thank you. Waitress Selene Montalvo told WYFF4: "He paid most of my bills this month, and that's why I can't wait to see him to really thank him."

Money & Banking

2021 Quality Service Awards NZ winners announced

Reader’s Digest has released the names of the New Zealand businesses that achieved customer service excellence during an extraordinarily challenging year. In releasing the Quality Service Award results, Reader’s Digest acknowledges it has been a time of “extreme difficulty” for customer service given lockdowns and other Covid-19 challenges. Yet the owners and staff of businesses listed as award winners rallied and their success is arguably more commendable than ever, says Reader’s Digest editor-in-chief Louise Waterson. Mrs Waterson adds that while the pandemic may have shifted the standard markers of business success, customer service has remained core among those success markers. “During the peak of the pandemic, the award-winning businesses remained savvy, clever and calm in their approach to customers, so much so that the importance of kindness and understanding once again became paramount.” The Reader’s Digest survey revealed that about two thirds of New Zealanders (68 percent) say they are more money conscious now since the start of the pandemic. And 68 percent of New Zealand consumers acknowledge they now put more thought into their choice of products and services than they did pre-Covid. Reader’s Digest commissioned independent market research company Catalyst to survey New Zealanders’ opinions of a range of service providers. A total of 1,500 New Zealanders of a mixed demographic were asked to rate their experience of service provided by businesses / organisations. Running since 2015, the survey identifies the most satisfied customers across 40 different categories, from pet insurance to pizzas and from Supermarkets to Superannuation. The prestigious Quality Service Award recognises companies that truly understand consumers’ needs. The winners’ line-up includes businesses that have repeatedly featured on the podium, as well as first time Gold winners such as Electric Kiwi (Gas & Electricity Provider) and Hello Fresh (Meal Plan Delivery Service). The full list of New Zealand Quality Service Award winners for 2021 can be seen <a href="https://qualityserviceawards.co.nz/">here</a>.

Home & Garden

Starbucks worker under fire for writing 'ISIS' on Muslim customer's coffee order

A Muslim advocacy group is demanding an employee of Starbuck’s he fired after they were caught writing “ISIS” on a customer’s coffee cup. The incident took place at a store in St Paul, Minneapolis in early July. According to a Muslim customer, she told the employee her name when first asked but the employee chose to label the cup “ISIS” before she was finished. ISIS is a commonly-known acronym for terrorist organisation Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The employee has claimed they misheard the woman’s name, which is Aishah. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836845/isis-starbucks.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e5f19eff67ae4c23b3452d0a9f7f65a3" /> The Council on American-Islamic Relations, however, believe the incident is a result of Islamophobia and is demanding the worker be fired. “After noticing the writing on the cup, she asked the employee why ‘ISIS’ was written on the cup,” it said in a statement. “The employee claimed that she had not heard her name correctly. “Later, a supervisor told the Muslim customer that ‘mistakes’ sometimes happen with customers’ names, suggesting that this is not the first incident.” The Starbucks, which is operated by a Target store in Minneapolis, have since apologised for the incident. According to local outlet Pioneer Press, it says the incident was “not a deliberate act but an unfortunate mistake”. “We are very sorry for this guest’s experience at our store and immediately apologised to her when she made our store leaders aware of the situation,” a spokesperson told the publication.

Travel Trouble

"Think before you lash out": Bunnings worker breaks down over cruel customers

An overworked and exhausted Bunnings worker broke down in tears on air while describing the abuse and entitlement caused by customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The employee, only identified as Luke, spoke with GOLD104.3’s Breakfast Show host Christian O’Connell and begged for customers to be respectful. “I work at Bunnings and the amount of disrespectful, impatient people coming through is disgusting. We are run off our feet, we are trying our best – understand that everyone, and for those that are giving us respect and are being patient we can’t thank you enough,” he said before being overcome with emotion. “It’s a struggle … we are trying, we are definitely trying 100 per cent … trying not to have a breakdown is impossible. Woolworths, Coles any retail worker, we are doing our best.” O’Connell asked how Luke and his team are getting through the challenging period. “We just lean on each other at work, we just get together and support each other,” Luke replied. “I don’t know how people can go home and feel good about themselves making others feel like rubbish and sending them home in tears or making me feel as little as anything. “I understand people are losing their jobs but there’s no excuse to come in and be rude or think you’re the one that should be served first. There are lines, there is self-distancing put in place, and you’ve got people that won’t respect that. And if you’re not going to respect it, then we won’t serve you.” Luke said he hoped his call would prompt people to “think about their actions before they lash at someone”. O’Connell then thanked him and other “frontline” workers for their “bravery and courage”.

Home & Garden

Supermarket customer meets violent fate for “taking too long”

A 69-year-old man has been charged after he punched a customer at a supermarket in Florida for taking too long. Henry Harvey was waiting in line with his wife at American store, Walmart, when he became angry at the customers in front of him on December 4, around 7.15 pm. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7833201/walmart-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c11b8ebf4a44f91a7f27d97003d87b2" /> According to Cape Coral Police Department, Harvey became involved in an argument with the customer ahead of him about how long they were taking. The argument resulted in Harvey punching the victim in the head. CNN reported. Later, Harvey was arrested at his home for battery. Police said the victim was not seriously injured after the assault. Image credit: Lee County’s Sheriff's Office.

Caring

Restaurant sign asking customers to “not presume the gender of our staff” goes viral

A restaurant has urged customers to “please not presume the gender of our staff” and instead use gender-neutral terms, such as “they” or “them” until “you know the person’s pronouns”. A photo posted to social media shows a sign in the restaurant’s window to avoid saying “she is already helping me” as well as avoiding saying “thanks miss” or “hey man”. “Please use neutral terms, so you aren’t mistakenly referring to someone as a gender they are not,” the sign says. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> When snowflakes run a restaurant and get triggered by customers. Yeah, no thanks. <a href="https://t.co/QwE4v9bLcN">pic.twitter.com/QwE4v9bLcN</a> — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1191266779810545664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">4 November 2019</a></blockquote> “Folks, pals, buds, champ, friend are all great ways to address others without presuming their gender. Greetings and goodbyes can be as simple as saying ‘hello everyone’ or ‘thanks buddy’.” The sign concludes by reminding customers that “it’s okay to ask people which pronouns they use” and that “it is always helpful when you share yours, in an Instagram bio, or when asking someone else”. “Little things like this can go a long way to make people feel seen and safe to be themselves. Thank you for helping us build a positive environment for our staff and our patrons alike!” Many were quick to slam the sign, even though it’s not clear where the photo of the sign was taken. One person replied, “I remember an old phrase from my days working in retail, ‘The customer is always right.’ Apparently, in 2019, that is no longer the case. Wonder how this is gonna work out for this place.” Another asked, “Is being misgendered really worse than being called ‘champ’ or ‘buddy’ by another adult?” “Life isn’t safe, reality is always a shock, from the moment we exit the womb. Inner security comes through going out there and knowing the real word,” they wrote. However, others were more than happy to go by the new rules, saying that they don’t see a problem with the sign. “Just one more example of why right-wingers don’t give a f**k about the wellbeing of workers,” one person wrote. Another said that the initial response to the tweet was “legitimately disgusting”. “The fact that people actually think like this hurt me. Respect other people, please,” they wrote.

Travel Trouble

Aussie baker hits back at customer's negative review: "$6 croissant is a joke"

An Aussie bakery has defended its AU$6 (NZ$6.3) croissants against a negative review. When a customer took to social media to complain about the croissants from bakery Flour and Stone, founder Nadine Ingram responded with a thorough explanation. On Sunday, a customer wrote on the business’s Facebook page about her less than impressive experience. "Not the best croissants I have eaten. They're too buttery. 6 dollars [for] the croissant is a joke." Ingram replied with a long statement, which she shared on Facebook and Instagram, to justify why the item is priced so high. "It's true $6 is a lot for a croissant and you're not the only one to raise an eyebrow or two at the price increase," Ingram wrote. "The $6 croissant pays for the training, the ingredients, the purpose." <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D2127585853988397%26id%3D191275080952827&width=500" width="500" height="664" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> She explained that the price increase was to facilitate pay rises and training for her staff. "I allocate 3 training shifts a week just on croissant for the bakers in my team because they said that’s what they want to learn," she wrote. “In addition I have a career mentor program where my staff go and spend the day with one of my peers making coffee, cheese, bread or chocolates. Flour and Stone pays for this and I add, this type of scheme is almost unheard of in hospitality. It’s my purpose.” She also said the use of quality materials for the baked goods, such as Pepe Saya butter and Country Valley milk, also influences the price. She also mentioned her refusal to reduce the number of employees on her payroll. "Did you know there are manufacturers out there getting creative about avoiding payroll tax (a privilege I will have for the first time this year) by investing in machines and reducing their workforce? I’m not going to do this! Because I don't believe this is a sustainable way for Australia to move forward." Many of the bakery’s fans have applauded Ingram’s response. "Excellent response. I would rather pay $6 for a great croissant than $2-$5 for a crap one," commented one user on Instagram. "It's a tough gig running a bakery and people just don't understand the price of ingredients from paddock to plate, adding on wages, electricity... and so many more," another chimed in. However, some customers also came in defense of the reviewer. "It's totally out of line to berate a customer personally with feedback in this condescending manner. [The reviewer] is entitled to leave an honest review of their experience with your product," a Facebook user replied. "I don't think it's reasonable to expect everyone to know what goes in to making the highest quality croissants (or what Pepe Saya butter is)," another customer wrote on Instagram. "A lot of people don’t grow up being able to access high quality produce. So it's great to teach people about what does go into producing your amazing and high quality products, but I don't think it's a good idea to undermine people who don't know." Ingram told <a rel="noopener" href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/2019/02/11/15/41/six-dollar-croissant-bakery-flour-and-stone-outrage" target="_blank">9Honey Kitchen</a> she did not expect her posts to stir up an outrage. "I went to a hospitality symposium before Christmas and listened to a lot of people in the industry who are hurting every day. People who are trying to keep prices low but maintain their integrity,” she said. "I made this flippant remark at the end that there should be a revolution to change the way people perceive food to be produced." What do you think of the baker's explanation on her $6 croissants? Share your thoughts in the comments.

News

Fish and chips shop owner’s hilarious responses to negative online reviews

Most of the time, a negative review can be a real downer for business owners – but one fish and chips shop owner decided to use his quick wit to respond to the unsatisfied customers in the most hilarious fashion. The Bunker fish and chip shop in the English seaside village of Seahouses is known by many as the best chip shop in the entire village. But while business is booming, co-owner Rod White tends to receive the odd negative comment here and there via TripAdvisor and Google, and always determined, Mr White has fired back with his own responses. His witty comments have garnered popularity, with Mr White now having fans of his own – and some, visiting the chip shop to meet the man for themselves. <img width="496" height="165" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820202/eb009eeeb2a9ea8e573469a065617fa4_496x165.jpg" alt="Eb 009eeeb 2a 9ea 8e 573469a 065617fa4"/> <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820203/931e43bbf77bce64732f4d6d9681d798_498x245.jpg" alt="931e 43bbf 77bce 64732f 4d 6d 9681d 798"/> One review complained about the lack of gluten-free options, and that the fish was covered in grease, to which Mr White responded: “Your comments are duly noted sir and from now on we shall be frying our fish and chips in daffodil extract. “Once cooked, the fish will spend 5 minutes in a tumble drier, while at the same time, staff member X will be blow drying the chips, with one of those Dyson hair dryers, you know the one that doesn’t even look like a hair dryer? until there is no sign of grease whatsoever. “Then, and only then, will the plate of Atlantic cod and Northumbrian chipped potatoes be presented to our customers.” One customer complained about the price for chips and mushy peas, to which Mr White responded: “We take note that you and your nine friends won’t be visiting here in the future and will take this into account when preparing next year’s budget forecasts.” Another complained about the long wait for his food, and that the chips were “greasy and soft”, the fish “dry” and the portions “miserably small”. To which Mr White issued a lengthy response, where he offered a chip colour chart for his servers to consult. He wrote: “Each customer will be asked when placing their order, exactly what shade of chip they’d prefer. After pointing to a chip chart at the back of the shop, our fryer can then leave each separate customer’s chips in frying, until they reach their particular favourite shade. “That way, there’ll be no worry that customers, like your good self sir, will be going away with chips of the wrong hue. Absolutely brilliant, even if I say so myself. “So, let me thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to moan in length about the catastrophe that happened in your day. “I hope you’ve managed to calm down now, got a good night’s sleep, and can get on with the rest of your disaster-filled life without too much worry. Anyway, must dash, got a chip chart to prepare.” Mr White, who co-owns the business with his brother-in-law, doesn’t have an explanation as to why he signs his responses with “Lionel Blair” or “Montgomery Applegate” but has said that the comments are a result of “exasperation". “You deal with hundreds of people a day and you cannot please everybody,” he said.

Food & Wine

How McDonald's meal deals are tricking customers into spending more money

McDonald’s is tricking customers into spending more money with the introduction of the value-for-money menu that has seen global profits jump 13 per cent to almost $2 billion. It’s been a big year for the golden arches with products like soft drinks, sausages wraps, triple cheeseburgers available at attractive $1, $2 or $3 price points. But while these initiatives make it seem like the customer is saving money, in reality it’s actually making them spend more of their hard-earned cash. CNBC reports McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook has said customers are creating meals with several different items, making their total a the checkout much higher. “More customers are recognising that we are becoming a better McDonald's, appreciating our great tasting food, fast and friendly service and compelling value as we execute our Velocity Growth Plan,” he said in a statement to <a href="/dailymail.co.uk/auhome/index.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail Australia</a>. Australian restaurants have led the charge with these innovations. “We're keeping the customer at the centre of everything we do as we continue enhancing their McDonald's experience,” Mr Easterbrook added. “We are satisfying the rising expectations customers have for the taste and quality of our food and greater convenience as they visit our restaurants or enjoy meals delivered to their homes and offices.” What are your thoughts? Do you visit McDonald’s often?

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"Think before you lash out": Bunnings worker breaks down over cruel customers

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Restaurant sign asking customers to “not presume the gender of our staff” goes viral

Aussie baker hits back at customer's negative review: "$6 croissant is a joke"

Fish and chips shop owner’s hilarious responses to negative online reviews

How McDonald's meal deals are tricking customers into spending more money