re: A bad experience at Pastime yesterday

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Asked for a little extra gravy/juice and were told no by the counter girl

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mama dela's

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Does the sloppy poboy get you extra gravy? If you say "sloppy", have you used a magic word that gets you more of the valuable gravy? I don't understand that suggestion as opposed to just asking for extra gravy.

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I know this is a long post, but I hope the members of this group will take the time to read it. Thank you.
I wanted to open a thread here on the Pastime Group Page to discuss something with all of you. I know that all of you are customers of the Pastime and many have been for almost 70 years. I can think of no better place to get feedback that with you, our loyal customers.
Many years ago, something changed the way we all interact, connect, gather information, discuss various topics, research, promote, rant and attack people, ideas, opinions, etc. and generally “socialize” in small communities and groups. What changed was how we communicate and that was the internet, social media and various sites, both good and bad on the World Wide Web. This new way of socialization has so many wonderful benefits, brings us so much knowledge, helps us with our everyday lives and has become almost a necessity. So many good things, but so many bad things. Everything from misinformation, scams, exploitation, airing dirty laundry, drama, to vicious attacks, stalking, theft, etc. We all have a choice, most of the time to filter out most of it, or buy software to stop some of it, or simply not participate or join in to avoid it. That is exactly what I have been doing since I ran my own Internet service back in 1986. I always respected everyone’s opinion, whether I agreed with it or not and more importantly I always understood that and that everyone has that 1st amendment right. Believe me, I am a big believer in all of our constitutional rights. People will vent, attack, etc., sometimes for meanness, sometimes for revenge, sometimes because they didn’t get their way but with the advent of so many Internet boards, chat rooms, review boards, etc., people have become empowered because they can hide behind screen names and attack anonymously. This makes them type before they think or they follow a mob mentality and when one attacks, they all attack. Maybe it’s because it makes them feel better to join the mob, maybe it gives them a sense of self-worth or that they feel that they belong. Whatever the case may be, it has changed our society from a one on one discussion to a world where one person can say or post something, no matter if they are right or wrong and can get away with it. In fact, not only do they get away with it, but the mob joins in on the attack and it ends up hurting someone or something. That’s where all this is leading to.
Over the last 10 years, some customers have decided to use this new medium to post both good and bad about the Pastime, or its employees or the food. Again, not everyone is going to like the Pastime, its food, its employees and especially me. I really do understand that but tonight, I have finally had it. Many years ago, our industry leaders tackled this growing issue and the advice they gave at the time, as well as the advice of my attorney was to let it go. To do nothing that would hurt others feelings, or expose me to liability by reacting or addressing the slanderous, misinformed or totally untrue posts by people about the Pastime. I followed that advice and bit my tongue on many occasions. After a few years and as things changed, our industry leaders started saying that it was now ok to address each and every misinformed post, even when they complain about it being to warm or too cold in the building, or the portions were not big enough, or it took more than 5 minutes for the order to be completed with a “ I am so sorry that your experience wasn’t up to your expectations, Please let us make it up to you by providing you with this complimentary meal, or gift certificate”. I and many other restaurateurs do not believe in rewarding these habitual complaining customers who are purposefully looking for a free meal. In fact, when I go and eat at a restaurant, and if something is truly wrong, I wait until the meal is over and the check is paid and then I ask for the manager. When I discuss the problem, it’s not with the intention of getting a free meal, it is so that manager can correct the problem for his future customers. This is the way it used to be done, one on one. I don’t go on a social media site and make misinformed accusations or totally trash the restaurant because they forgot the lemon for my iced tea.
Tonight, a very good customer was on a local board and saw people writing untrue, misinformed and hurtful things about the Pastime. She immediately emailed me with a link so that I could address it. In the past, I would have ignored it like I did when Dino’s Pizza of Lafayette and some of their customers threatened me and my staff. In the last few years if I would listen to some of the industry leaders I would go groveling and offer them free meals, but tonight, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. I very much want to go on this board and “tell them like it is”, but that would only ignite a firestorm and would cause more harm. No matter what I do, this day in age, to address this type of libel, hate, misinformed misinformation, it will come back and bite me on the rear end. I know that after 69 years of doing business in Baton Rouge, after being one of the Top 100 Independent Restaurants in the United States for the last 9 years, after numerous awards and recognition, and with so many generations of loyal customers, that we must be doing something right or we wouldn’t be here. I cannot reply to these posts, but if I made our loyal customers aware of the posts, then maybe, as allies, they would champion my cause and take up the Pastime banner, only to even out the one sided impression these posts would leave on new customers.
So I ask each of you, how do you think I should handle this? Let it go? Reply with free meals? Reply with reason or reply with my usual untactful and straight forward style?
Below is the email from the customer who alerted me to this latest round of posts. Read these and others on this board and tell me what you think, or how you think I should handle this.
Hey Randy.....thought you might want to be aware of this? Would help if people asked for you when they were there wouldn;t it..... I know you do good food..
LINK
I should also mention that an explanation of the "gravy" is posted in the FAQ section of our website.
This posting by itself, if coped to the board in question by any member of this group will in itself start the fire storm that I am trying hard to avoid. With that being said, in order to keep this posting confidential and within this group, I must post the following disclaimer.
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This posting is solely for the use of the Pastime Restaurant Facebook Group Page and contains information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. You are hereby notified that any disclosures, distribution or action taken or omitted in reliance on it is strictly prohibited and will be subject to legal ramifications. This is a closed group and this post is only to be discussed among its members within the confines of this group. Permission to use, repost, share or otherwise redistribute this posting, in whole or in part, in any form, forum or posting now or in the future is NOT granted.

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