In a busy food-service establishment, it’s understandable to refer to customers by nicknames or a shorthand. However, problems arise when these nicknames actually appear on the customer’s receipt. Just ask a New York Papa John’s that’s been plagued with prank calls since a receipt identifying a customer of Asian descent as “Lady Chinky Eyes” hit Twitter. [More]
Zabar's Admits Its "Lobster Salad" Was Really Crayfish
By August 12, 2011
For twenty years the famous Zabar’s deli in Manhattan has been selling a delicious prepackaged “lobster salad.” It’s beloved by devotees and a tasty treat. The only problem is that there’s no lobster inside. It’s crayfish. [More]
Mom Sues Preschool For Failing To Prep Tot For Harvard
By March 16, 2011
A Manhattan mother has filed a class action suit against her 4-year-old daughter’s $19,000 a year Upper East Side preschool for not properly preparing her child for a top-tier university. [More]
70-Year Old Gunman, With Cane And O2 Tank, Fails To Rob Store
By July 15, 2010
A man in his 70′s shambled into a tony Manhattan clothing store this week with a cane and pulling an oxygen tank, then pulled out a gun and said it was a stickup. [More]
NYC Forces Retailers To Stop Selling Illegal Knives
By June 21, 2010
If you were planning on picking up a sturdy switchblade or gravity knife from one of the Home Depots in NYC for your next home improvement project, or because you wanted to stab someone, you should note that they’re no longer available. That’s because last week, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office persuaded that store and 13 other retailers to stop selling such knives. They’re generally illegal in New York, and the retailers have agreed to surrender their inventory and forfeit any profits they made from illegal knife sales over the past four years. [More]
H&M Store Cuts Up Unsold Clothing, Throws It Away
By January 6, 2010
Some retailers donate unsold clothing to charity, or discount it by the palletful and sell it to thrift stores or closeout retailers. But the New York Times reports that the H&M at Herald Square in Manhattan gets rid of their unsold clothing by cutting holes in it to render it unwearable, then throwing it away. [More]
Sears Won't Deliver Air Conditioner Until Customer Pays Fee Sears Forgot To Charge
By July 24, 2009
Eric wrote to us this week with a tale of such epic dysfunction while trying to purchase air conditioners from Sears that there’s not much we can add to it. Inside: Imaginary deliveries, super-secret New York City surcharges, and the hazards of daring to order anything over the phone.
Subway Launches Text Message Ordering In NYC
By January 29, 2009
Subway has launched a pilot program called SubwayNow where New York City residents (Manhattan only at the moment, it looks like) can register to place pick-up orders via text message. According to IntoMobile, after registering with your address and providing payment info, which they keep on file, you set up a list of sandwich orders that are saved as a personal menu. When you’re ready to use the service, you text “menu” to the Subway shortcode, and Subway sends back your pre-set menu. Then you text back the menu item you want, and Subway responds with a pick-up time.
99-Cent ATMs At NYC McDonald's
By August 4, 2008
Tip for the savvy traveler visiting New York: all the McDonald’s in New York have ATMs with only 99-cent fees. However you will probably have to put up with a freelance “doorman” bumming for change on your way out.
Modell's Beats Any Price, As Long As It's Not On Sale
By July 22, 2008
Modell’s own peculiar definition of “low price guarantee, we will beat any ad” surprised reader Randy when he tried to get them to honor it on a baseball glove he bought, as it would even the most casual student of Logic or Semantics. He writes:
VIDEO: Activist Bum Rushes iPhone Line With Flag Pony
By July 11, 2008
The first person in line at the 5th Ave Apple store in Manhattan was some kind of activist Daniel Bowman Simon, part of a group who camped out in front of The Cube for over a week, hoping to use it as an opportunity to bring exposure to issues of, “sustainability, affordable housing, energy security, and locally-grown food,” who tried to bumrush the applauding Apple receiving line of Apple employees and penetrate The Cube with what appears to be a metal/aluminum-foil horse carrying an American flag. The world may never know now knows exactly what sort of brilliant political statement he was trying to make as he was quickly intercepted by burly security guards who jettisoned him away to make room for more obedient cult members. Video, inside…
By December 7, 2007
Turkey subs from Subways in Manhattan now cost $11.03! [East Village Idiot]
By August 17, 2007
Parking in New York is such a hassle that NYPD cops have no choice but to park in front of hydrants when they patronize Victoria’s Secret and get sandwiches from the bodega. [The Red Tape Chronicles]
Go From Couch Potato To Marketing Guinea Pig In One Easy Aerobics Class
By May 11, 2007
We can understand salsarobics, tai-bo, and after enough whippets, even jazzercise, but these marketing themed classes are really something special. Here’s Crunch Gym’s announcement for the Legally Blonde steps class. Angie never got one of these for her ill-fated Spiderman 3/A Clockwork Orange/spinning class.
Buy Brand Name Cereal For Only $1.79 At Grand Central Northeast RiteAids
By February 28, 2007
For some inexplicable reason, you can get any box of cereal right now for $1.79 at the Rite Aid in Grand Central in Manhattan. These normally run $6-plus. $4-plus.
IDT Energy Continues To Con New Yorkers
By February 9, 2007
Door to door marketers working for IDT Energy are still preying upon New Yorkers, pretending to work for ConEd in an effort to get residents to switch over electrical service to the energy reseller.
