Nice letter. Hope they send him some coupons for free food soon. Sounds like the employee was having a bad day. Or perhaps a bad life.

As my Dad always says.."theres a reason they work THERE". Fast food places often offer the minimum in pay and so , in turn, get the lowest quality employee.

Even so, the way the OP was treated was reprehensible, even if he hadnt been a disabled person. You see someone drop something like that, its common courtesy to help. Thats what the other customers did. Too bad that restaurant didnt have any similar minded folks working that day.

[www.californiatortilla.com]

Time for a training opportunity anyone? Relevant EECB info is located there.

I wish the OP the best.

Should be fascinating to see what their response is. I know it's not their fault that your spilled your tray, but the fact is that it's moments that make up superior customer service, not just consistent service. Friendly is good, fast is good, but your situation gave them the opportunity to go outside the norm to serve a customer. 5 minutes work and 2 bucks (their cost) of food would have reinforced why you love the place and recommend it. Instead you get poor service. No doubt your cashier did a little emo poem on her myspace that night:

Burrito burrito crash splat
mop, bucket not for me
funny how your brace makes you
look like a crab as you
scuttle on the floor trying
to pick up what you dropped
haha crippie boy
i hate the prom queen

Or something to that effect.

And for those that are about to say "what do you expect from a minimum wage employee", I say this: You can get bad service from someone making 40 bucks an hour as easily as someone making 5. Good service is a matter of pride, not compensation. Even if you pay a premium for your employees, all you'll do is make them work a tiny bit harder when directly observed to keep their premium rate.

on the point of sounding like a prick, he mentioned that he had the kids there with him, (Prick part coming) one would think if you had just recently regained mobility that you would let your kids help out.(end of prick)

Sorry, I personally felt I needed to say that even though it was very mean.

How come we know the store's name but not the employee's name? This seems kind of backwards given the circumstances.

@cwsterling:

maybe his kids are very very young? still feel for the dude though, her making a huge to-do about cleaning up when he isn't exactly in any shape to do so. I wonder if the brace was externally visible?

@outphase: THANK YOU! I always contact businesses to let them know of the stories I read here and I SO wish this site just including this information right in the post!

Ok, bear with me.

This is unfortunate, to say the least. But as I understand it, doesn't one normally wear a brace of that sort under their clothes? This is a really mean way to react to someone with a disability, but it's not as reprehensible to respond that way to an able bodied person who makes a mess and then asks you to clean it up, without making an effort to do so themselves.

I think it's entirely possible the worker didn't realize his disability, just saw some guy drop a full tray of food and then expect her to do all the work to clean it up. Things happen. People have bad days. We've all snapped at someone who didn't have it coming.

...on the other hand, it's entirely possible this person was just rude.

I'm sorry, why didn't you speak up? Why didn't you ask for assistance rather than watch employees walk by you in the restaurant? They may have thought that you had it under control/not paying attention.

And when the cashier was ignoring the situation why not say "Hey, is there any way to get a replacement? My kids are hungry..." If she is a bad employee then a little nagging would have helped. I don't agree with how the situation was handled, but I also don't understand when customers with a valid grievance don't speak up. No one is going to watch out for you. (and McDonald's has never cared when I've spilled my soda, btw.)

@crazyasianman: I do feel totally sorry for the dude, I would hate to personally go through that my self. And, totally forgot about the potential youngness of the kids

@icingsugar: I understand losing things you just paid for (and how it sucks). I do not understand why America faults someone else when you spill something you purchased. The store did not make you spill your items, why should they have to foot the bill? If you buy a new car and hit a pole leaving the dealership you wouldn't throw it in reverse and ask for a replacement, would you?

I understand that each situation is different- I just do not get why it is always someone else that is at fault when someone has an accident.

That said, I would expect more from any establishment and the treatment of ANYONE that has a spill in their store. Also offering to replace the lost items (it isn't like he bought this meal with the intention of throwing it on the floor) would be a great offer.

...And yelling at anyone is never understandable.

href="#c8017513">Roclawzi: I totally agree. I worked at a chain sandwich store during college, and the first thing they tell you in cashier training is that you are the only representative of the company that the customer is likely to see. I agree with this wholeheartedly, and am ashamed when I encounter people like this. Regardless of what the job is, it's your job, so treat it with some respect if you hope to keep said job and move up to a better job down the road.

@wdnobile: Aww balls. Totally not true. I worked fast food (did you?) for a few years - and at a nickel above minimum wage for that matter - and rarely ran into people who didn't take their work seriously and try to always do a good job. If they didn't do their job well they'd hear about it and leave everybody else hanging in the lurch.

Low pay doesn't encourage poor performance in fact it's probably quite the opposite. You do well, you get noticed, you move up, you move on. Fucks'sake, it's a pretty hard job too, you should try it sometime.

Some of the laziest snottiest people I know make an easy 6 figures. Is there a reason they work where they work?

I don't know what crawled up that girl's ass that day but she needs to get into a new line of work. Preferably one without customers. That's no way to treat a cripple.

On a lighter note, what the hell is California Tortilla and why don't we have them in Chicago?

@GundamAC197: I think you missed the point. He couldn't have cleaned it up with napkins even if he didn't have the brace. And as an employee, you're supposed to get the hell over your bad day and be nice to customers. Your other hand is correct.

@cwsterling: I was thinking the same thing. You know the old saying: "old enough to eat a kids burrito or some kind of platter, you got time to clean." I'd say if they're on solid food they can help out dear old dad a bit especially if some youngster is giving him a hard time. Plus by that age I'd have them cussing out the belligerent employee and chasing her with plastic knives.

Seriously though, the letter is just a wee too familiar and upbeat. I hope it works, but it's spunkiness is maybe a little to informal.

I can definitely sympathize (life is difficult enough with just a cast and crutches...nevermind a full back brace), but was I the only one who was kind of shocked when Mark expected the employees to automatically approach him with offers of free food?

Sure, the employees should have been nicer and more understanding. Walking right by a large spill without even asking the customer if everything was all right seems a bit cold, dangerous, and unsanitary. But to expect a fast food joint to run in and save the day seems a bit much to ask.

@chad

No, do a search for "clamshell brace" and click on anything that refers to spinal cord injuries.

It is exactly what it sounds like - a big clamshell looking brace for the entire torso and it sounds like the OP had a cervical collar just for good measure and, yes, I'm familiar with them.

OP most likely now has a back full of titanium rods, screws and maybe a cage around his spine just for good measure.

@chadbailey:
"I understand that each situation is different- I just do not get why it is always someone else that is at fault when someone has an accident."

He never said it wasn't his fault - he took full responsibility for the mess, he just couldn't clean it up and needed help with that. Your analogies don't fly. He just wanted some human decency.

Oops sorry, I meant to reply to Gundam...

@chadbailey: Totally agree. When I was a kid I dropped the ice cream off my cone right outside the store (Brocks in Yuba City, CA. Go there. They're nice). My grandfather took me back in to get a replacement and they very sweetly gave me a new scoop for free. To this day I think back on that incident with fond memories and it's probably made me look at the world just a little bit differently.

I don't know if this guy necessarily deserves free food after spilling his. Sure it would be a really nice gesture and pretty good for one's karma, but I wouldn't expect it.

man, with 75 hotsauce choices, this place is really a fast food joint? thats INSANE!

@GundamAC197: You might be thinking of the normal Lumbar belts and such that people often wear for back injuries.

I work in a hospital (though not as an RN!), and, if memory serves, I've seen the braces they use for people who have back fractures. They're easily some of the most awkward things I've ever seen; they're molded to fit the patient's body with plaster, then straps are added so they can be secured. They're not really meant for mobility, and most times in a case like the OP's, they're worn outside of clothing due to their bulk.

With that out of the way, they're really hard to miss, unless you're blind as a bat like this employee seems to be. I can't believe that anyone with an ounce of sense in their heads would let someone sit there and practically beg for help when something like this happens. Had it been me, I'd have cleaned it up no problem, then offered to have the meals remade.

Bad show by the employee, I say.

I'm really surprised to read this, because California Tortilla has usually had the most chipper employees of any fast food chain I've been to. My wife and I have speculated that they must pay them better or something. But the chain has kind of exploded over the last couple of years, so I guess quality standards in hiring and management must have slipped as they've opened franchises left and right . . .

Hmm, never heard of this place. It looks like California Tortilla has no locations in California! Ha.

Looks like this is basically a Baja Fresh, Rubio's etc? ("Fresh Mex")

Well, we have much better mexican places i'm sure.

How is this even a story?

There was a bad employee. The customer sent a letter. No response has been received yet.

Wow. Enthralling.

When California Tortilla responds with either "Go f yourself" or some amazing, above and beyond reaction, then let us know that they either suck at customer service or, alternately, have great CS.

Until then, it's just one employee providing poor service...

Not to belittle the OP's embarrassment at the hands of this rude cashier, but is this really that important?

Right now the congress is going to spend 700,000,000,000 of our tax money to bail out the very banks that have been royally screwing people for years.

Which is not to say that OP doesn't deserve an apology from the restaurant, but will every frustrated fast food worker's bad day get posted here?

@Jackasimov: "Seriously though, the letter is just a wee too familiar and upbeat. I hope it works, but it's spunkiness is maybe a little to informal."

Ah, but this is a case of "know your audience" -- check out the California Tortilla website. It's a very wacky and informal place, founded by comedians actually. They refer to their staff as "spunky cashiers," have a weekly Burrito Wheel to spin and win prizes, and even throw in random Pop Tarts and ice pops days as promo fun throughout the year.

I love CalTort too, and I'm hoping they come through to redeem themselves. Pam ("the lady on the cup," and brains behind the operation) has seemed pretty cool before; she seems to be all about the customers and appreciating that they stick around.

I think the letter is too long and poorly written. I'm not sure why people feel the need to go into so much unnecessary detail when sending these kinds of letters. Even more useless are the attempts at being cute. It should have been a short and sweet letter, something to the effect of "I'm a long time customer of X store. This is what happened. Here's what I want you to do to fix it". No one cares about how his injury happened, or how he is limited. He needed help, the employee gave him shit when he asked for it. End of story. A busy executive doesn't give a damn about all the details, and such a lengthy letter is much less likely to get read entirely. That aside, I agree with the commenter who said something about his clear expectation that a replacement meal be provided. It's not the stores fault he dropped it, he shouldn't EXPECT them to give him a new meal. Yeah, it's a great opportunity to go above and beyond, but to be pissed that they didn't give you a new meal for free is simply unreasonable.

having worked at several fast food places in my teenage years and having to deal with many full soda spills -
usually used to take me about 3-5 swipes with the mop to get all that soda off the floor, wringing it out each time into the big yellow bucket.

aside from the customer's disability, the employees have a choice in this situation - mop the spill or replace EVERY napkin in the dispensers after the customer uses them all to sop up the floor. guess which choice costs more and therefore brings your manager down on you like a tons of bricks? there's a reason many fast food places only put one napkin per two food items in your drive through bag.

sure it would have been nice if he had been offered at LEAST a replacement beverage but obviously not required. but it's quite likely to be store policy to mop that up and i can't even begin to imagine what the safety and liability laws are for not at least putting a 'caution - wet floor' sign nearby.

and being rude about it, specifically being rude about the customer when speaking to other customers, is what seems to be upsetting the OP the most. regardless of the circumstances, whose fault it is, or what the situation is, in the customer service world, being rude is not the right way to handle it.

and for everybody who says that 'it's just a fast food job, it doesn't matter' - a letter of reference from my first fast food job supervisor helped me get my first [retail] management position. begin as you mean to go on....

@catastrophegirl: [i said "at least a replacement beverage" since that would be the least expensive part of the meal. i realize that the OP was hoping to have food replaced as well, however unlikely that might be]

@chadbailey: i'm not sure what you're talking about. i'm a naturally clumsy guy so i spill things on a near-weekly basis. i've never asked nor ever received a replacement (except for Thrifty's ice cream). I've never seen anyone (except for small children) request/demand a replacement for something they've immediately spilled (except for small children and ice cream).

Additionally, in the automotive world the official term used is a "collision". There are no accidents when driving; there's always someone to blame. it's the same thing when you spill your food: very rarely is it the wind that blew all of your food off the table and onto the grass, but you smacked it over. Mark seemed sad at not getting replacement food, but he seems much more heart about the lack of encouragement (or anything) from the employees.

As a sidenote, the ADA does not require the employees to help Mark clean up his mess. However, if Mark just walks away from it (as it is his right to do so, if not a little dick-ish) then the employees are required to clean up the spill, as it is now a safety hazard.

@starrion: This is the Consumerist, not the Economist. So yes, in terms of this site, yes it is important. Apparently, important enough for you to load the site, and take the time to post a comment.

Actually, as money gets tighter, it's important that consumers know more about the places that they decide to spend their money. If a restaurant is being rude to its customers, I'd like to know that. I have much better places that I can spend my money.

This is awful, and I hope California Tortilla responds well.

But...I couldn't help thinking, "Is this from The Onion?" while I read the letter. Yikes.

@SabyneWired: Ah, ok.

And if anything, I wholeheartedly agree that it was a bad show by the employee. I just feel like a lot of people here are quick to be like "Ugh, this is such a horrible person, they shouldn't be working anywhere EVER" when the truth is everybody has a bad day. For all you know, her mom died that morning and she was lamenting a life of customer service.

@yodel: Ah, got ya.

@Pylon83:

I think it's horrible what happened and I do hope something comes of this, but I must agree. Time is money in business, and a longer letter often will be glanced at rather than fully read causing important points to be missed.

Should he have his meal replaced? I don't think the store's obligated but a $20.00 meal for a "random act of kindness" buys a lot of happy customer's in line(or a lot of food dropping customers).

@Pylon83:

I think the "cuteness" of the letter is more in the spirit of the OP being a long-term customer, and the vibe he got from California Tortilla ( he mentions what he did just to get free Burritoes, and the "fame" it gave him).

I suffer from tremors, and frequently have small spills of food that "miss" my mouth sometimes. (I try to clean up my booth when I'm done. I don't have the mobility issues of the OP).If a worker where I was eating had loudly exclaimed about the mess I had made, I would be mortified!

@wdnobile: As someone who worked in a fast food place, and did my best to be polite and a hard worker...I say ..your father's full of it.

Looking down on people working minimum wage jobs saying there is something wrong with them that they can't find a better place to work is just despicable. And where would you be without them? Checking your own groceries out and making your own greasy hamburgers.

However...this particular employee is also horrible. Rude employees happen at every level. I hope something's done.

Yeah, I knocked my drink off the tray at a Burger King in Singapore when I picked it up too quickly from the counter and swung around. I was in a fairly crappy situation because I was pretty much the only white person and American easily within the area. I was on their turf and country, not my own.

But, they were all really nice about it and immediately moved to clean it up with a mop and give me a new drink. Nobody got mad or kicked me out of the store. So, I quietly sat down and finished my meal.

My name is Larry Herman, Owner of California Tortilla in Ranson, WV. Thanks so much for the post. Two minutes ago was the first I became aware of your story as I was forwarded an email from someone who read that post. It was the first time that I have been made aware of this incident. I was never forwarded the email sent to headquarters. Not an excuse, just an explanation as to why I am commenting now. I want to immediately respond. I apologize for our failure to communicate and accept all responsibility. In spite of the fact that I have many, many wonderful emails explaining great experiences (a few references were made in yours), anything less than the finest service on every visit with every customer is unacceptable. Plain and simple. Even one instance will not be tolerated. I would like to know some more details from you so I can address and deal with the employee and any other staff that were involved as well as ensure that any and all future visits were just like all the others that you have had. I appreciate the comments suggesting possible scenarios. I accept NONE of them! We employ people to do the exact opposite of this and think they all do. Obviously, someone did not this time. Once is over my limit. 100% concern 100% of the time for 100% of the customers is our ONLY acceptable type of behavior. This type of attitude, EVEN ONCE, is something up with which we will not put! There is NEVER a reason to treat anyone with this or any type of disrespect. I will personally make sure that this employee and situation is dealt with swiftly and immediately. Please contact me at the store 304-728-7500 or ranson@californiatortilla.com. YOU and all of our customers are the reason we are here. We appreciate you and will only employ people who treat everyone with the most superior respect, care, and courtesy. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks. Larry

@cwsterling: He did say he spilled soda and other things. While napkins help, you will need a mop and water to clean the rest up, otherwise you have a slipping hazzard from the grease and the soda will make everything else sticky. There's nothing wrong with alerting/asking an employee for help with a spill. I doubt they have a mop and bucket full of cleaner out for customer use. Just saying...

@SabyneWired: Is it the same kind of thing Kennedy was wearing in Dallas, which they say kept him propped up, which meant he couldn't duck?

Additionally, in the automotive world the official term used is a "collision". There are no accidents when driving; there's always someone to blame@jeebussez: I'm going to have to disagree, unless you consider God/nature someone. If I am driving and tree crashes in the road ahead of me, and I hit it, is it my fault? If a deer runs into my car(happened to me, he ran into my passengers side), how can it be my fault? Don't mean to be snarky, but just sayin.

This letter is pathetic. Besides the grammatical errors and unnecessary information, the guy lets the company know he's obessed with the restaurant and I doubt anything will keep him from eating there. The "I'll take my business elsewhere" line is just an empty threat, which even if followed through on wouldn't matter much to the company anyway.

He was spurred to visit the restaurant because of their recent poor sales. That translates into corporate putting heat on their store managers, who take it out on their mimimum wage employees. No one would be offering up free burritos at a time like that.

@wdnobile:

My first summer out of high school, I worked mornings at a fast food mexican restaurant and evenings as a waitress at a '50s style diner, and I can say without any hesitation whatsoever that I never used my crappy $5.30/hour wage as an excuse for poor service. No matter how awful your day is, and no matter how poor your pay is, you are expected to provide a smile and good service to your customers, even the clumsy, annoying, or verbally abusive ones! As I read this, I was genuinely shocked that an employee didn't immidiately ask if he/she could help and offer to replace the food.

@Marshfield:

Not to defend the rude employee but I think working in fast food service will make for bad days and a bad life. Still, it's no reason to take it out on the customers.

How is this even a story?

Until then, it's just one employee providing poor service...

@randalotto: Looks like you just answered your own question.

@Eels:

He's more likely to get a good response BECAUSE he's a rabid fan.

Who do you want giving your restaurant chain a bad review? The random guy who just happened in one time and didn't like his burrito, or the guy who is known by friends, co-workers, and associates to be a rabid fan of your restaurant?

If the guy who thinks you can do no harm suddenly decides that he's never going to eat at your place again, he's probably going to take a dozen or three customers with him.

In addition to that, he has kids. When his kids get a little older, do you want them to inherit his enthusiasm, or do you want them to be telling the story of how their disabled father was treated like crap by your company?