Reader Nora placed an order via the internet with Quiznos and paid with a credit card. But when Nora’s husband arrived at the store, he was told that their store didn’t accept online orders. They had already paid online but Quiznos didn’t seem to care. Her letter, inside…
Here is my recent experience with Quiznos. Beware of their online ordering option. My husband and I are fed up and not going back any time soon, if at all.
My husband and I have partaken in the Subway “$5 foot long” sale enough times now that if I never see black olives again on a sub, it will be too soon. So we were pleased to see that our favorite sandwich chain, Quiznos, was offering a similar deal. Last Thursday night (May 8) we decided to have Quiznos for dinner. My husband agreed to go pick up the food and bring it home, so I logged onto the Quiznos web site to look at the menu. While there, I discovered that they now offer online ordering. How convenient, I thought. We could place our order and pay online, so all hubby would have to do it run in and out to pick up the toasty deliciousness. I was so very wrong.
We created an account on the site, selected our local Quiznos, placed the order (one sandwich, two “sammies” and a bag of chips totaling a whopping $11.99) and paid with hubby’s credit card. The transaction went through and a message said that a confirmation email would be sent to his email address within a few minutes. At no point did the web site indicate that our local Quiznos (#6112 in Milwaukee, WI) could not accept online orders.
When my husband arrived at the store 15 minutes later and said he was picking up an online order, the two staff informed him that their location did not accept online orders. He calmly explained that he had been able to place the order online and had already paid with a credit card, so they would either need to give him his food or provide a refund. The two staff members continued to claim ignorance and offered absolutely no solutions, even after my husband pulled up the confirmation email on his iPhone (the iPhone to the rescue again!). He even confirmed that it was the correct location. My husband is normally very reserved, but at this point he raised his voice and said, “You need to step up and provide me with some customer service!”
The “manager on duty” called the franchise owner, who eventually got on the phone with my husband and continued the argument that they did not accept online orders! Finally, after my husband agreed to email the confirmation to the franchise owner, he gave the go ahead to let the staff make our food.
This was a totally unacceptable way for the Quiznos staff to handle the situation. The employees should have made my husband our order as soon as he provided proof of the online transaction, and just figured it out later. The owner should be aware of programs offered by the corporate website, and it would be his responsibility to opt out if he wished; clearly he did not.
In the past, we ordered from that particular Quiznos a couple times a month. My friends and I always called it the “goon squad” because of the inept staff, but we kept going back because the sandwiches are so darn tasty. After this experience we will not be going back to that location ever again. Not only are we fed up with the lack of decent customer service, my husband was treated like a liar, all for just $12.
I haven’t been able to find a corporate email address for Quiznos. The web site offers a tool for complaining to the individual store, but I’m not sure if that will help since the owner wasn’t very helpful in the first place. Any recommendations from Consumerist or your readers would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Nora
Milwaukee, WI
Congrats on making Quiznos see it your way, and nice use of the iPhone! We are baffled as to why their web site would accept online orders for a store that doesn’t take them. Quiznos’ web site has a customer service link, as you already mentioned, to enter complaints. This would be a good place to start. The site also contains the corporate office’s address and phone number which is 720-359-3300. A tactful phone call and a nicely written letter may convince Quiznos to straighten up their act.
(Photo: Getty)
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This is EXACTLY the situation where credit card chargebacks are to be used. Get on the phone with your credit card company right away and start the dispute process.
Not to be hating on every company that appears on Consumerist, but I’m already polarized against Quiznos for being evasive about their nutrition information… this is another nail in the coffin for me.
*sings* Oh the chargeback train’s a-comming…
But the real question is did all of the flavors burst through with each toasty bite?
P.S. Black olives hate our freedom
I cannot sympathize much here. With most franchises, it’s better just to call it in. I love the internet as much as anyone, but there are a few areas where it’s really lacking.
this was a bad experience to be sure, but how would you expect a refund from the local store who had no record of your purchase and who didn’t take your money. finding a contact to the online ordering dept would have been the more logical choice, and if that didn’t work, a chargeback.
Chargeback, easily fixed.
Personally, I think they did her a favor because I think Quizno’s subs are disgusting.
Quiznos Takes Your Money For Online Order, Refuses To Give You Food
No, that did not happen to me. Jesus Christ Consumerist, can you please stop with the BS local news headlines?
@Ash78:
Poppa John’s online ordering is very well done & executed. I always go that route as opposed to ordering a pizza by phone.
I stopped eating at Quiznos when they stopped airing those awesome spongmonkey commercials. I won’t eat at a restaurant that stops playing commercials because they “freak old people out.”
Not sure why that’s the local Quizno’s fault — they’re just a franchise. Asking them to refund your money is like going into McDonalds and demanding they supply you food because you paid over at Burger King.
The right thing to do would have been to pay the local Quiznos and dispute the online charge.
I can only assume the Quiznos people thought that they were trying to scam them. The employees are under the assumption that it isn’t possible to place an online order to their location so when he came in claiming to have done so they thought the e-mail was a fake.
This is a management/corporate error. It shouldn’t be possible to place an online order to restaurants that haven’t explicitly opted-in to taking online orders.
@Jaysyn: I agree, I’ve had good luck with PJ’s online. Not as fast as calling it in, though, but more accurate.
@timmus: Actually, they have their nutritional info online. Just scroll to the bottom of their menu and click display nutritional info.
Her husband should have simply gone into the bank on his next day off, waited in line and explained the situation to his financial institution and chargedback the $6 sandwich fee — or he should have called his bank on the phone, waded through six tiers of menus and robot messages to speak to someone about righting this wrong through the ever-holy chargeback.
See? Simple!
@Ash78: There was no reason for them to assume there would be a problem. Pizza Hut also has online ordering and I only had an issue once. They called saying a coupon code I used was invalid. I said I got the code from the web site and that was that.
@noquarter: Actually, it’s not BS. They refused quite a few times to fill her order. Only after several complaints did they agree to make them the meal.
@Jaysyn: Eh, not really the point. Obviously the OP and her husband really like fast food sandwiches. I have a small weakness for fast food french fries. I do not eat them often but when I do, I should hope no one judges me on it.
I had a similar situation with a different store, but they never charged the credit card, so all was well. Either way, it can’t be good that stores offer an online ordering service then decide not to accept online offers.
@cef21: Eh, it’s not really like that at all. They selected the location they went to on the website. So it’s like…paying online and then being told on person it doesn’t matter. Oh wait, that’s what she complained about.
I had something very similar to this happen while placing a reservation with Hampton Inn.
My new bride and I were headed to Chicago about a year ago, and placed a reservation with one of the local Hampton Inns online. Our card was charged, we received confirmation, etc.
We arrived at the hotel’s location and found that all the Hampton Inn signage was either turned off or being taken down. A vinyl banner with a different hotel’s name “Countryside Inn” or something like that was on the front of the building.
I walked inside, and it clearly HAD been a Hampton, but wasn’t anymore. I tried to check in, and they informed me that their (20 year long) franchise agreement with Hilton had lapsed a few days ago (after my reservation, before my arrival), and they were now independent.
They didn’t have my reservation. Luckily, they did have a room, and we were able to stay (at a higher rate than Hampton had quoted/charged online).
After returning home, I called the Hampon helpline and told them the story. The nice lady said that if I would fax her a copy of the invoice from the hotel, she’d reverse the original charge on my card, and pay for the stay at the “Countryside Inn” as part of their 100% satisfaction guarantee!
So they went above and beyond, and I got a free stay. Good job Hampton!
@Jaysyn:
I was going to say that online ordering at Papa John’s is very hit-or-miss in the DC area. I like the convenience of ordering online, but my experience with pizza and sub places is really not that great and I am not surprised by what happened at Quizno’s. IMO, this is really an issue for corporate and I wonder how the franchisee get the $12 credit to his sales?
@noquarter: Pedantic much?
As a consumer, we are all the collective “you” – I really don’t see how having “you” in the headline affects YOU as a reader anyway.
On topic: If the website allowed her to choose the location and still order online, it’s not unreasonable to expect the order to be accepted at the store, franchise or not. Quiznos FAIL IMO.
I recently just moved and went online to order from Dominos.com, and when attempting to put in my order, it told me that my local Dominos does not support online orders, so I called instead. Something as simple as that could have saved this whole situation.
Because Quizno’s will not release their nutritional details, I am convinced it is the magical, tantalizing MSG that makes things so “tasty”.
The resulting stomachaches, cold sweats, and racing heartbeat just remind you that you’ve already eaten.
I cannot follow the chorus of “blame the customer”. Especially the comment, “It’s better to just call it in.” Online transactions are good enough to handle all your banking matters, stock purchases, computer purchases, and pretty much every other important dealing anyone may have. Yet when it comes to ordering a damn sandwich, this woman should have known better.
Or even better, the comment that the husband shouldn’t have expected that his online order would have found its way into the hands of that franchise. The audacity of him not to know how Quiznos structures it finances among its licensees. And shame on this family for relying on an official company site that was set up for the express purpose for which they used. Tarred and feathered they should both be.
My one and only experience with Quiznos they screwed up my sandwich and I never went back. I am not kidding, it took the Manager to intervene to understand my “no cheese” request. I simply asked for a steak sandwich with sauce but no cheese and the clerk was flummoxed. She turned to the Manager for help. I was not surprised when I got home and found no cheese and no sauce. After choking down my dry meat only sandwich, I decided it was back to Subway for me.
I once bought a Quizno’s sub at a local Chicago store. The cashier was on the phone the whole time and pretty much ignoring me. Then right in the middle on my transaction she break into tears and runs into the back. From the gist of the conversation I’m guessing someone broke up with her.
I always hate when retail employees talk on the phone in front of customers but these was really awkward.
@cef21: This was my thoughts also. It is not the local stores fault – it is the on-line retailer.
Best thing to do would have been to pay for the local food, and then fight the on-line retailer for the refund (and chargeback if needed). It is not the local stores fault for the problems of the on-line corporate.
was that letter written by Onion columnist Jean Teasdale?
lol @ the chargeback train…
chuga chuga chuga chuga chargeback
I am a victim! An American Victim!
I’m not so sure I would want to eat sandwiches made by the monkeys you just argued with, then called the manager on!
@timmus: Why, they got their sandwiches. They just had to fight for them. They’re not out the money.
“…but we kept going back because the sandwiches are so darn tasty.” Oh my…
To all of those blaming the customer – Why is it their fault?
When Pizza Hut started their online ordering system, I tried to order online but my local Pizza Hut didn’t participate. When it was time to select the store that I wanted to order from, my order wouldn’t go through because they didn’t participate. Once they started participating, I could order and pay for online for delivery from this store.
If Quizno’s online ordering system allowed them to select this particular store location for pickup, then it’s not the customers fault, it’s Quizno’s fault.
The customer shouldn’t have to think ahead about whether or not this is a franchise that may not participate in this program, etc. That’s something the online ordering system should have taken care of.
Most likely, if it didn’t get resolved w/the franchise owner, then they probably would have done a charge back. But they did the right thing by trying to resolve it with the store first!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let the franchise owner take it up w/Quizno’s Corporate.
Quit blaming other consumers because they aren’t as informed as you THINK you are!
Sorry, but I have a small problem with this. An email on someone’s cell phone does not in any way constitute “proof”. It takes very little effort to spoof an email address; I can send anyone here an email addressed from “confirmation@quiznos.com” with a simple receipt in about five minutes and to the casual observer it would look legitimate.
Yes, Quiznos screwed up — but it wasn’t the Quiznos FRANCHISE that screwed up. It was the Quiznos CORPORATION. Consider: Did the franchise set up the web site? Did the franchise accept the order? No, they did neither. The corporation did. For “Nora” to penalize an innocent franchise over the poor process of the corporation is just plain stupid. If I were the owner of that Quiznos I wouldn’t want Nora as a customer anyway; anyone that narrow-minded is more trouble than they’re worth.
This is the real kicker: This was a totally unacceptable way for the Quiznos staff to handle the situation. The employees should have made my husband our order as soon as he provided proof of the online transaction, and just figured it out later. The owner should be aware of programs offered by the corporate website, and it would be his responsibility to opt out if he wished; clearly he did not.
First, your husband did not provide proof, as I already explained. If you wanted to provide proof then you should have taken your iPhone and shown the manager your credit card’s online banking system, showing the charge amount on the online statement. That would have proved that Quiznos took the order.
Second, it is completely unfair to say that it’s the owner’s responsibility to be aware of decisions that happen above him. Yes, the owner should be aware of it — but it’s not automatically his fault if he isn’t. The CORPORATION should have made sure the owner is aware. Do you have a job where you work for someone else? Are you aware of EVERYTHING that the owner decides upon for his business? At any point in your professional career, has anyone EVER asked you about something that you had no idea about — but were supposed to be a part of? ‘Cause I’ve got news for you: That sort of thing happens ALL the time, and not just at Quiznos.
If you want to be upset about the situation, fine. But don’t direct your ire towards the local franchise. Take it up with corporate.
@thegirls: Thank you for getting it right.
And what’s with the “chargeback” crap? They got what they paid for even if they had to raise a fuss to get the store to not fraudulently fail to provide the agreed and paid for service/product.
@Rectilinear Propagation:
If I was an employee at the Q I too would have thought scam.
This issue all started because the local store did not or could not properly opt-out of the on-line ordering.
I blame Q’s corporate on this one.
@sgodun: I have news for you: those confirmation emails ARE meant to be used AS CONFIRMATIONS and include an order number in them. How stupidly simple is it for the store to confirm that the order number is in fact valid and was in fact issued in the name of the man standing before you, possibly even holding up his credit card or other ID WITH THAT NAME ON IT?
99.999999999999999999% of people ARE NOT SPOOFING THE EMAIL and just want what they paid for, and if it is not provided to him, that’s FRAUD.
@sgodun: 100% right. A lot of people get mad at franchisees even though they don’t have to conform to corporate offers. That’s why we always see “at participating restaurants.”
But Quiznos, near me, has been among the most difficult fast food joints I’ve ever seen when it comes to participating.
Once, a manager yelled at me because I tried to use a “free salad with purchase of sandwich and drink” coupon.
I said “ok, well, then just sell me the sandwich. you charge 99 cents for a soda that costs you a few pennies, and the shredded lettuce you call salad and charge another 99 cents for probably costs just as little to make. instead now you’ve lost the dollar and a customer.” all over 99 cents of profit.
New Flatbread Scammies!
@Corporate-Shill:
When you have a problem with your bank teller, don’t you talk to the branch manager first. Then if it’s not resolved, you may have to escalate to corporate. But at first, you deal with the people at the branch you’re working with.
Same thing here!
I didn’t realize that I should look and see if every single store I go to is corporate or franchisee owned, just in case a problem may arise!
If the online ordering system allowed them to order from that store online, then the franchise owner needs to resolve that up with corporate, not the customer!!!!
As a side note, I’m not saying that it is the customers fault – I’m just saying it is NOT the local stores fault.
It is the fault of the Quiznos corporate on-line ordering site.
The customer taking it out on the local store was not the correct thing to do in my opinion.
@Buran:
If the store is unable to take online orders, what makes you think that they’d be able to access the system that links online order confirmation numbers to customer names or credit cards?
Also, wasn’t there an article here a while back about how badly Quiznos corporate screws their franchises? Or was that just a sidenote in an arbitration article?
Im sorry but Why the F*** would you do an online order for sandwich, to much hassle to just walk in and order the damn thing like a normal person?
@tubby: They took the order. They extended the offer and it was accepted and payment was offered and taken. If the local shop was not participating, the order would not be accepted. The order was taken, therefore the local store agreed to fill it.
You would be right IF there had been a message stating that that store was not a participating location.
But it was. It was the manager’s/staff’s fault for not being properly trained on a system they agreed to take part in (or the order wouldn’t have been accepted).
@Rectilinear Propagation: Agree! The frontline employees can’t give out “free” (in their minds) food. As we learned from the Tim Horton’s debacle, they can get fired for that. The fact that the franchise owner argued with them though is asinine. It was HIS job to handle the situation or empower someone at that location to handle those decisions.
I wonder if the “manager on duty” was the same type of thing when I was an employee at a chain ice cream store – which means, person who has been employed the longest (regardless of the fact that person may be 16 and employed 3 months in their entire life).
@SonicPhoenix: But they were able to take online orders. The customer didn’t get a “you can’t order from that store” message.
And there is no possible way that a franchise of a national chain would not have a phone number to call in case of problems.
@Breach: So everyone who orders anything from any store in advance for any reason is not a “normal person”?
Fail.
Just found this:
Quiznos e-mail format first_last@coltrin.com
Greg Brenneman – President and CEO
Rick Schaden – Chairman
Ben Howington – Press Relations
Eric Anderson – Just a name listed on the site
A general phone number: 866-4-TOASTED
@Buran:
Exactly! One of the great things about online ordering is just that, so that when you get to the store, you don’t have to order and wait while they make it….You order it online and by the time you get to the store, your sandwich is ready and waiting!
It cracks me up how judgmental folks are – They think that if a person doesn’t think and act the way they do, then somehow they’re out of line.
@Buran: Who is “They”? It reality, the company that took the order is not the same company as the local shop. The store was not able to take online orders. The customer’s beef is with the company that told them otherwise. (Which happens not to be the local store.)