1999-12-08 09:57:48
The Whataburger Incident
And I told it so well the first time too. Maybe it's a sign I should just move on with my life.
To backtrack, I've been trying (poorly) to stick to the Dr. Atkins, hi-protein, lo-carb, Zone, carb addicts diet. Yesterday I had a wonderful lunch at the Magnolia Cafe. I went to the original one on Lake Austin Blvd. I like it better because of its size and atmosphere(you're less likely to have blaring weird music on the speakers) but I usually go to the South Austin one because it is closer. Yesterday I was over on the Mopac so I went to the old Magnolia and had a wonderful jalapeno Cheeseburger without the bun. Lots of fresh tomato and lettuce and great iced tea. I don't remember the total but the burger was about $5. Add the tea and tip and tax. So today, I'm in more of a hurry and I'm always cheap so I thought I'd just drive through the Whataburger on South First. I went through and asked for the double meat cheeseburger and a diet Coke. I could throw the bun away myself but I didn't want the temptation of fries in a combo meal. The guy gives me the total of 5.08. That sounded about right. The burger was something like 3.67 and the coke was 1.19 (when did fast food quit using round numbers?). I finally get to the window and pay with exactly 5 dollars and 8 cents. The guy gives me my Coke and I wait some more and then he asks if I want ketchup with the fries. I said, "I didn't have fries, I had a burger and a coke." Oh,he says, you didn't want the number 2 combo? No, I had a burger and a coke. He says, then I owe you some money. I was about to say don't worry about it, just give me the burger but he's already asking permission from someone to open the register, etc. He digs through his wallet to get card to swipe through the register and finally gets it open and voids the transaction and pulls out money (I thought he was going to give me the whole 5.08 back) and then he says, "Oh, ma'am, you gave me 5.08 and it is 6.37." Now, realize that, yes, I know the combo meals are always a better deal. If I had pulled up to the window in the first place and he said 6.37 I would have paid it (although that sounds awfully high from the prices I saw on the menu). So I looked at the guy and I snapped. I am not a person that cusses when I am mad unless I am extremely over the edge. I curse more in jest or for fun. I said, "You mean to tell me you want me to give you more money for you to NOT give me the fucking french fries!?" He said, yes, that the combo meal was less than just the burger and coke. So, of course, I said, through clenched teeth, "Give me the fries." He hands me a sack, I reach in and pull out the large order of fries and hand them back to him. Of course, they had to just be thrown away now. What a stupid waste. What a stupid idiot. And, yes, when I got to work to eat the burger---no cheese.
Thank goodness for the internet. I went to work and wrote all of this into a letter toWhataburger at whataburger.com. I also made it clear that tomorrow I would be more inclined to peacefully eat and enjoy a perfectly made burger at the Magnolia than to dealwith idiots at that Whataburger.
Kramer (www.astrofish.net) suggested I write down thoughts for the diary as I go about my day. Now I have a list of nine things of which the Whataburger incident is just one. The others aren't quite as volatile. I am going to attempt to get this up while I can and then I'm going to change trains of thought and move on to something else and hopefully put the Whataburger incident of Pearl Harbor Day behind me. Of course, if Whataburger sends me some nice coupons, I'll have to use them, but I'll go to a different Whataburger.