Here’s a perfect example of what NOT to do if you work in a customer service oriented field when approached by the media. A TV news team went to question the manager about the filthy conditions of a Denny’s restaurant in Georgia and instead of saying something akin to, “Yes. We are aware of the results of the recent inspection and have taken steps to ensure the cleanliness of our facility,” or making some similar placating statement, they were attacked by a pack of angry and violent thugs.
Restaurant Report Card visit ends in chaos
LITHONIA, Ga. (CBS46) — For more than a decade, CBS46 has been questioning local restaurant managers about critical health violations. It’s not uncommon to get the cold shoulder when speaking with management about a failing inspection. But even we weren’t prepared for what happened this week.
“You can get that out of my face,” a Denny’s employee told CBS46’s Adam Murphy and Dmitri Lotovski. “I’m going to call police.”
This week, Denny’s on Panola Road in Lithonia scored 52-points and a ‘U’ for unsatisfactory. The health inspector busted them for expired deli meat, flying insects and raw eggs on bacon and cheese. But these violations pale in comparison to this violation of civility.
“You don’t have to put the camera on nobody. You can get out of here with that. You all can go ahead,” a Denny’s employee said.
It’s not the treatment even a news crew would expect from a place that calls itself America’s diner.
And then at 1:39 in the video, the most feral of the employees goes on an expletive-filled rampage!
“My son right here. If you film me with that F****** camera I’m going to knock your a** out. And I F****** promise you that. My f******* son right here son. Don’t do that s*** because I’ll knock your ass out,” A Denny’s employee said. “I don’t give a f***. My son right here you b**** a*** n****.”
What her son has to do with anything, I don’t know. But the reporter, while evading the blows the “woman” is throwing at him, wisely points out, “Is this how you talk in front of your son?” And yes, with a great role model such as this, the child will probably end up dead or just another worthless prison inmate. Poor kid.
The raw video can be seen below.
Moments later, DeKalb County Police showed up at Denny’s, but not for their “Grand Slam Breakfast.”
“So, you all are good,” an officer told CBS46’s crew.
Officers confirmed our crew was well within our rights to question the restaurant and we were not the ones in the wrong.
But amazingly, although they could have been, not one of the crazed employees was arrested. Perhaps CBS46 feared that they would be labeled as racists if they pressed charges.
CBS46 received the following statement from Denny’s corporate office regarding the incident.
“We are disappointed by the inappropriate and unacceptable behavior by employees at our restaurant in Lithonia, Georgia earlier this week. As a family dining restaurant, Denny’s expects the highest ethical and personal behavior from our team members, and we do not tolerate this type of behavior. We have spoken to the franchisee at this location and he has taken immediate action to ensure the restaurant meets our high brand standards and has taken appropriate action with employees.”
“With regard to the health inspection grade, we take great pride in providing a high quality experience for our guests and that includes both the food we serve and the condition of our restaurants and we take local health inspections very seriously, including the posting of results. We have spoken with the franchisee and they are taking care of the issues identified and are implementing corrective procedures to ensure this does not reoccur.”
How any of these thugs were able to obtain employment in the first place is perplexing to me. Perhaps it was via some sort of prison work release program? They don’t know how to handle food safely and they’re violent. They all belong in jail. It doesn’t say if these individuals were fired, one can only hope so.
