Will sent a message to Julia Stewart – Chairman and CEO, DineEquity, Inc. – Email Address that said:
Dear Julia,
I would like to relate our experience at your Dudley drive, Naples restaurant today. My wife, two friends and myself decided to have breakfast at that particular Ihop as we were shopping in that area. Our normal restaurant is the one on Tamiami Trail, Naples. We arrived at approximately 10.30AM and were waiting along with about twelve other people who were not patrons but individuals waiting for interviews. We could not see any servers or a manager to speak to and the individuals waiting to be interviewed were concerned that we had jumped the line as they continued to ask us if we had signed in. Eventually when someone did approach us my wife said "we are not here for your recruitment drive, we are here to have breakfast". He told us that there was at least a ten to fifteen minute wait despite us being able to see at least six - eight vacant tables. We then identified the tables to him to which he just shrugged his shoulders. My impression was that you had two few servers but when you have valued patrons (of over twenty years) who were treated like a complete inconvenience to this persons day as opposed to the reason for it you are treating your customers with a complete lack of respect. We therefore declined his offer to wait with the job seekers and took our business over the road to Perkins where we were appreciated and treated very politely and enjoyed a lovely breakfast. We realise that recruitment drives are necessary, however, surely 10.30 in the morning on a public holiday, inconveniencing patrons, is not commercially wise. We are all personally disgusted that our patronage has been so abused. We no longer feel like valued Ihop customers. I look forward to your response and actions.
Will
