Legends story to be researched by KCCI

**CycoCyclone** · 02-17-2010, 08:36 AM

A couple of my coworkers forwarded on the email version of the Legends' story to KCCI yesterday and it sounds like Channel 13 will be addressing the story in tonight's broadcast.

Guessing 10 PM

**aauummm** · 02-17-2010, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by CycoCyclone

A couple of my coworkers forwarded on the email version of the Legends' story to KCCI yesterday and it sounds like Channel 13 will be addressing the story in tonight's broadcast.

Guessing 10 PM

The story was on last night at 10 PM. The owner apologized. It should have all been over when the owner gave the customer the meal free. However the customer chose to be vindictive and escalate the incident. The customer wanted blood and the waitress fired.

**The_Architect** · 02-17-2010, 08:42 AM

Details please.

**Cyclonepride** · 02-17-2010, 08:42 AM

I haven't heard the story at all.

**cyman1189** · 02-17-2010, 08:43 AM

and may I inquire what the hell we are all talking about?

**CycoCyclone** · 02-17-2010, 08:43 AM

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/...own-funny.html (Legends Bar and Grill downtown...funny)

**CloneFan03** · 02-17-2010, 08:45 AM

From the Facebook Group that started it all

An Email from a Teacher at our school, PLEASE SUPPORT US ON THIS GUYS!!!!!

As many of you know, yesterday DMPS had a teacher in-service at the Convention Center downtown. A group of 8 teachers went to lunch at Legend’s on Court Avenue. One of the teachers in our group found a hair in her salad. We told our server, she rolled her eyes and said, “It is not my fault. I did not put it there.” We thought management would like to know. The manager told us that she didn’t have time to talk to us, but invited us to talk to the owner.

An angry man came out and introduced himself as the owner. He repeatedly stated the entire staff was stressed out because “all of these teachers keep showing up unannounced to eat”. He said if “anyone” lets him know of the Des Moines Public Schools in service next year he will be ready for us. We told him that would not be necessary for us, because we would not be coming back.

At that point he yelled, “Good! Get out! GET OUT! I don’t want any teachers here!” He walked back toward the kitchen. We turned to leave. We then heard him yelling “Buh-bye, Teachers! Buh-Bye! Don’t come back!” He then yelled, “Get out teachers! We don’t want you here! Go unionize!” “Hasta luego teachers! Hasta luego! GET OUT!”

*Mark Rodgers is listed as the owner of several area Legends Restaurants and Jimmy’s American Café. He is part owner of Fire Creek Inn. I plan to respect his “I don’t want any teachers here” proclamation. Additionally I will take every opportunity I have to help him keep his restaurants “teacher free”.

Please pass this on to other teachers, people who support teachers, and people who do not like to spend money to be publically berated by an out of control man.

**Cyclonestate78** · 02-17-2010, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by aauummm

The story was on last night at 10 PM. The owner apologized. It should have all been over when the owner gave the customer the meal free. However the customer chose to be vindictive and escalate the incident. The customer wanted blood and the waitress fired.

If the owner reacted as the email stated then he should be embarrassed. Quite frankly in the economy that we are in and restaurants and businesses fighting for customers dollars to be spent at their establishment it is insane for Legends to have such poor customer service. It starts with the waitress being an absolutely poor ambassador for the business and then to have the owner, the voice of reason, to act in the way that he did...... EPIC FAIL!!

I will never spend a dollar at a business that he owns.

**CarolinaCy** · 02-17-2010, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by aauummm

The story was on last night at 10 PM. The owner apologized. It should have all been over when the owner gave the customer the meal free. However the customer chose to be vindictive and escalate the incident. The customer wanted blood and the waitress fired.

The customer got a free meal? That was conveniently left out of the original story.

**tman24** · 02-17-2010, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by CarolinaCy

The customer got a free meal? That was conveniently left out of the original story.

I remember reading it somewhere. They got a free meal and the the owner said what else do you want.

**3TrueFans** · 02-17-2010, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by CarolinaCy

The customer got a free meal? That was conveniently left out of the original story.

They weren't charged for the salad or whatever if the story is correct. But that wouldn't excuse the waitress and manager acting like a-holes to me. It sounded like they just wanted acknowledgement or an apology.

**MNCyGuy** · 02-17-2010, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by 3TrueFans

They weren't charged for the salad or whatever if the story is correct. But that wouldn't excuse the waitress and manager acting like a-holes to me. It sounded like they just wanted acknowledgement or an apology.

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle here. If they didn't charge them for the salad, then I would guess there was more acknowledgement than what is being let on here. I don't think they wanted to get anyone fired, but I think they decided that whatever apology they got wasn't good enough and probably weren't real nice about pushing for what they thought they deserved.

**GeronimusClone** · 02-17-2010, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by CarolinaCy

The customer got a free meal? That was conveniently left out of the original story.

No it wasn't.
Regardless, free or not, that's not how you treat customers.

**clone52** · 02-17-2010, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by 3TrueFans

They weren't charged for the salad or whatever if the story is correct. But that wouldn't excuse the waitress and manager acting like a-holes to me. It sounded like they just wanted acknowledgement or an apology.

We're just hearing one side of the story. From that side, it sounds like the teachers were completely polite. Who knows if that was true.

**aauummm** · 02-17-2010, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by CarolinaCy

The customer got a free meal? That was conveniently left out of the original story.

Yes, a lot was left out of the original email story. According to the owner, Monday is usually a slow day for downtown restaurants with most having a skeleton crew. No one informed the area restaurants that the Convention Center is going to be full of hundreds if not thousands of DSM teachers having an in-service day and that they will all be eating downtown at noon. That was the backdrop for the complaint that the customer had.

Instead of accepting the free meal graciously, the customer chose to escalate the situation publicly at the restaurant until the badgered owner exploded. As she put it in her email, she was: "publically berated by an out of control man".

I personally have no dog in this fight. Never been in any of the owner's restaurants and I don't know the man. I'll go there now and take the wife out for a meal there. The place looked great on TV.