The good and the bad... complaints and praise?

[Hoshi]

Didn't really know where else to put this, but I was wondering, what has your experience been with complimenting/complaining about fast food chains?

I sent a complaint about the fact that my local McDonalds always gives out old, chewy, dark brown fries...and I always ended up getting them...but I also included a compliment because they are always fast and my order is always right. I was very surprised by the response. They emailed me back, called me on the phone to apologize, then sent me a letter apologizing even more and including a coupon for a free combo. I wasn't digging for a freebie, I just wanted fresh fries. And since then, my fries have always been fresh.

On the other hand, I sent a complaint to Hardees about something very serious. The fry bit is a small thing. I went through the drive-thru at hardees and got a chicken biscuit...I bit into it to find, to my horror, that it was RAW!! Not just a little, I mean completely raw. The outside batter was warm, but even the outside of the chicken was cold and translucent...still frozen in the middle. That is VERY BAD. And you know what? They never even so much as emailed me back. No apology for giving me raw chicken.

Has anyone had good experiences with Hardees' customer service? It's possible my email just sort of "got lost"...or was purposely ignored. I'm just curious about other people's experiences with complaints and praise and how the company responded.

[abond0017]

I don't complain to places unless I am at them when whatever happens happens because I don't expect emails to be returned.
I just write unflattering reviews about them online.

[mom2lucas]

I've not had experience with emailing Hardees, but emailing McDonalds provided good response to a complaint. We also received awful, horrible, never to return again service at a Ruby Tuesdays. They provided an apology call from a district person and sent a gift card good at any RT location. In both the McDonalds and Rt cases, I had complained on site and was unhappy from the on site response. Thus, the emails included the original complaints and what was done on site to correct it.

[kval07]

If Hardees has a FB page, I'd complain on there about the raw chicken and lack of email response. They typically have people that will send your complaints to the appropriate area.

How long ago did you send your complaint? Did you take the chicken back to the store?

[Hoshi]

If Hardees has a FB page, I'd complain on there about the raw chicken and lack of email response. They typically have people that will send your complaints to the appropriate area.

How long ago did you send your complaint? Did you take the chicken back to the store?

This was last year, so it has been a while. I didn't take it back because I was on my way out of town. Didn't notice it till I pulled it out to take a bite right before I hit the interstate.

[chitownmelli]

I called Taco Bell to complain once after MULTIPLE orders being wrong - and they picked up the phone and hung up on me.... i don't buy from them any more.

[3timesoccermom]

I was in a just-opened pizza restaurant a few years ago and they have huge bowls of salad on ice. As I was getting up to get some I saw a fly land on the salad so I found the manager and told him they might want to replace it because of the fly. He was grateful to know (at least he seemed that way) and a little later came over and gave me 2 coupons for freebies.

Another time I'd gone through Jack in the Box's drive through line and after getting my bag drove home before opening it. When I got home I found I had the wrong order. I did not drive back to return it but I did call right away and told the manager of the situation and he said the next time I come through the line let them know and the order would be free. I did this a few weeks later and the lady at the window was so rude and suspicious - like I was trying to break Jack in the Box - and didn't believe me. It was so humiliating. Of course now I always check the order before leaving. That was when I was young and trusting!

Another time (all of these have been years ago) I was in the drive through line at Whataburger and it took a while though I have waited longer. When I got up to pay the lady at the window she said no charge - you shouldn't have to wait that long. I hadn't said a word but it was nice.

[momof2inohio]

I got the wrong order once at Cane's chicken. I didn't notice until I got home so I just emailed them to let them know. I got a very nice email back and she also sent me 6 coupons for free box combo meals!

I have complained to Wendy's because every time we get fries at this one particular Wendy's they are loaded with salt we just throw them out. Never heard back from them so we don't go there any more.

I prefer to email complaints because I just do not like talking on the phone.

[kval07]

This was last year, so it has been a while. I didn't take it back because I was on my way out of town. Didn't notice it till I pulled it out to take a bite right before I hit the interstate.

I've returned something at another store before. One time I went through the Wendy's drive thru. I ate my fries first so by the time I got to my burger and realized it was wrong, I was long gone. I stopped at the next Wendy's I saw and gave them my receipt and my messed up burger and they replaced it.

[sns4063]

I have had good response in a compliant to McDonalds-I was surprised. They messed something up, and then that particular store was closed for renovation. They told us to go to the nearest one in Wal-Mart to get a replacement. I was happy (it was a toy issue with my kids-who wouldn't let it go! lol!) I've also emailed another local chain, with fantastic response-I got a $20 gc in the mail for a major mess up of my $6 meal. That particular chain has also messed up when we've gone to get a family sized meal, they were really nice when we called the store and they said to come back. When my husband got there, they not only fixed the problem, but also tried to give him a whole pie (but hubby didn't accept it :( )