Thursday, August 18, 2011

I Really Do LOVE Your Comments... mostly

Found in my email-box today:

"I feel that this blog is very misleading. Here I sit, needing to express my displeasure with a recent visit to Popeyes Chicken, searching for a chicken blog and this is what I find. The meal was filling but did not please my senses to the point of satisfaction. The mash potato container was only 1/3 full and I was only allowed 2 half full sauce containers for dipping. The sweet unsweetened sweet tea was very good. The lady taking orders was very pleasant. All in all not a very good trip but I would try again in the next year or two, with less pretense. I don't know what that means but it sounds good. I love cats. BT"

~From Tina The Lama

Well, dear The Lama, or may I call you Tina?

I am not sure why you feel misled by Chickenblog, except that I do not have a complaint board, or a chatroom for discussing take-out chicken experiences. But, I am here, and I am interested, and you are more than welcome to express yourself, to describe the disappointing lunch.

I have never been to a Popeye's Chicken, and your review gives me pause about ever planning a visit. I have been to Pollo Campero, in Guatemala, and I miss it, or at least the memory of it. I enjoy a filling meal, but I do prefer meals that please my senses to a point of satisfaction... in other words: it better be really tasty. When I read that your mashed potato container was practically empty, I felt a wave of aggravation. Was it too late to go back? I speak up... when servers forget an order, or when something falls far short of what I paid for, I let it be known that I want things righted.

Is "unsweetened sweet tea" a kind of iced tea? I have heard of "sweet tea" and I have assumed it is a regional version of iced tea. I don't drink iced tea. If soda is the only option, then I like to grab a lemon slice, squeeze it over ice, and then add some lime soda, and some soda water. The soda water cuts the sweetness of the lime drink, and the fresh lemon just improves the drink over-all. If I could get Mexican Coke at a take-out restaurant, then I would be sorely tempted, because Mexican Coca-Cola is the best.

Sauce shortage. Was the sauce for the chicken? I loathe sauce shortage. If it's a good sauce, then please let me have enough. Do not be stingy with the sauce, right? So, was the chicken kind of flavorless? Did it need sauce to make it appetizing? I find a well seasoned, nicely cooked chicken doesn't need extra sauce... but, of course sometimes the sauce is the thing.

Good service. I am glad you found that to be pleasant. I've worked many service jobs, in retail and food service, and I always took satisfaction in being pleasant, courteous, and well informed. It seemed to make my job more interesting to be helpful and friendly.

You never know. Someone in the kitchen could have been having an off day, and if you had some favorable moments in your visit to the Popeye's, then maybe they do merit a second chance. Less pretense? I think I can see what you mean... you are not going to have big expectations, since your last visit was "not a very good trip."

Perhaps you will feel differently toward Chickenblog, now that you have found that you were able to express your displeasure, and perhaps you will drop by again, and we can chat about cats, robotics, gardens, deep thoughts, and other musings, or perhaps you will have another chicken meal critique to share. Chickenblog covers a lot of topics, we welcome visitors, but I must protest the suggestion that I have ever misled anyone.

Have a nice day.

Sincerely,

Natalie, The Chickenblogger

18 comments:

judy in ky said...

Yesterday, Popeye's ran out of chicken and people were angry! It was on the news. I hope you don't start receiving all their complaints!

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

LOL!!!
That would be hilarious, or really, really aggravating!
How can people get angry about "out of chicken?" As though it is an eevel plot, a tragedy, a conspiracy?!

Alison said...

I love the way you handled this odd email...I hope Tina is still reading.

and how long ago did you change your comment box? I guess I haven't been stopping by frequently enough...but I'm glad to know I can leave my "brain droppings" again. :)

Oh, and "unsweetened sweet tea" is most often referred to simply as "unsweet tea" 'round these parts. I just had sweet tea for lunch, as a matter of fact. Sometimes I ask for a half-and-half (sweet & unsweet mixed), 'cause when they say sweet, they MEAN IT!

Tami @ Lemon Tree Tales said...

Too funny! I love your response to it. Hmm, I've never been to Popeye's but have heard that they're the most fattening of all the fried chicken joints. When I was a kid we used to go to KFC on Sundays and have a little picnic in the park. It was very good .. or at least it was to my kid-taste-buds. Now I have to admit that I don't like it at all. If I want fast food chicken then El Pollo Loco is pretty good. Kenny Rogers used to be a great take-out chicken joint too .. until they closed it. Gotta love the sight of 20 chickens turning on a huge rotisserie oven. :-) (Tell Betty and her friends to cover their ears.)

PamKittyMorning said...

Very sad for poor Tina.. of course maybe her expectations were too high?

What the heck. Yesterday I had a comment on the word 'dork'. That if I really knew what the word meant I might not use it. Well I looked it up and it indeed meant what I thought.. well the first definition anyway. Which is the one most people mean. The second just wouldn't make sense in context. Poor Dora I'm sure would be dissapointed just like Tina.

They should just keep moving along.

Kim said...

OMG.Hilarious! I love that you answered her. You are dedicated! (and such a funny lady) Thanks for brightening my day!

Rois said...

That's a much better type of mis-lead email than I got once,it was very naughty in a yucky kind of adult way.

I love Popeye's chicken but it makes me SO sick I don't eat it.(it's my gut issues rather than the food)

Oh and I was bummed the picture of Maria's first day of first grade wouldn't show.I bet she was cute as ever.

Irish Zan said...

Holy Cow Moly. I rarely laugh out loud during sitcoms or funny movies (well, Bridesmaids was the exception) but today's post tickled my funny bone like no other. Absolutely priceless how you played right into her comments. Was she for reals?

Zan

kara said...

I am laughing and laughing and laughing!

Anonymous said...

Oh Natalie. I love this post. I think you'd have a great side career answering consumer complaints -- especially if they're not consumers of any product you're selling.

And I think it's this post that stuck in the back of my brain because after work, I found myself picking up some chicken at Chick Fil-A.

Tracy said...

Oh, this is hilarious, Natalie! I mean, I'm sorry you got an odd email to have to deal with and all. But I think you handled this beautifully. I'm confused about the sweet tea too... I don't like sweet drinks much, so maybe that's why...LOL! I wonder if Tina went back to Popeye's today--out of curiosity?! haha... ((HUGS))

Alicia P. said...

"I think I can see what you mean . . ."

OMG. I am laughing so hard. Natalie. Don't do that to me. It's too good.

Evelyn said...

lol That is some dedication to your readers! er reader.

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

Oh, gosh! So many friends, laughing together... I love this. I don't know if Tina was serious, or seriously kidding, but we have to thank her for this happy opportunity to make light.

Natalie T. said...

You. Are. Good!

Jennifer said...

I so needed this wonderful merriment tonight -- ah. The world really is a wonderful place, isn't? Sweet unsweetened sweet tea and all....

Tina the Lama said...

Three months later and I find myself in that old Popeyes again. I approached the visit with an open (and positive) mind. Well, the experience was satisfactory this time. The ever-confusing sweet unsweetened sweet tea was no more. Simply sweetened and unsweetened variants of the beverage. Anyhow, see you next quarter. Maybe.

Tina the Lama said...

BTW, mexican coke is amazing.