I'm sending this note to Dave Thomas, President of Wendy's

Mr Thomas,

I am writing to you to follow up a phone call I placed to Wendy's coustomer service line.

At 8:11 this evening (Thursday July 9, 1998) I stopped at the Wendy's on Gammon Road here in Madison Wisconsin. I ordered combo number 1. A quarter pound burger and fries and a soda. I asked to upsize the combo and add cheese to the burger. I chose Mug Root Beer as my drink.

I pulled up to the first drive up window to pay. Nobody showed up for 5 minutes. (Fast food?) So finally someone comes and I pay. I drive to the second window to get my food. Another 4 minutes (after the 5 minute wait at the money window, I began timing) I pulled away from the window. Luckily I then drank some of the soda. It was cola. One of the reasons I go to Wendy's is they have Mug Root Beer. I don't like cola. So I know that I don't want to go back through the drive through so I go inside. I know my fries are now getting cold. I love Wendy's fries because they're thick. But when they get cold, they get very rubbery. Wendy's fries are the best, but only when eaten hot.

So I go into the restaurant. I see a person in a Wendy's uniform filling the salad bar. I quickly explain the soda mistake and ask if he can fix it. He makes a vauge motion for me to get in line and I explain that I'm in a hurry (the fries are cooling). He then takes my soda (the cola) and walks to the soda machine. He stands there doing nothing for a minute and then silently turns around and hands my soda (the cola) back to me. I was too amazed to even speak.

Realizing he was going to be no help, I got in line at the counter. There was one group of three people next to me who had already ordered and paid and were waiting for their food. There was one Wendy's person standing in front of them waiting for the pieces of the order to be done. I was obviously not part of that group becasue I already had my soda and I was obviously upset. The counter person (Eric) did not acknowledge me. There were 3 other people working behind the counter at that time. All three walked past me standing at the counter (one person walked by 3 times) and none of them even looked at me let alone see if I needed help. So when the other groups order was done, Eric looked at me (who had been the only other person standing there for the last 5 minutes) and said "Have you been helped?" He had no idea that a person (who obviously needed service. My appearance was extremely distressed at this point) was standing 3 feet from him all this time. I explained the situation and handed him my cola. He filled up a root beer and handed it to me. Not so much as a "Sorry about the mistake." Not even a "Here you are." Absolutley nothing.

At this point I noted the number of the customer service line. I then left the restuarant and drove home. I got home and I opened the bag. I grabbed the first couple of fries and found they were cold and rubbery. Then I pulled out the burger and found that it was barely half wrapped. The meat and onion was actually hanging out of the wrapper. I then called the customer service number and reported the incident.

Mr. Thomas, I live about a mile from the Wendy's in question. On my trip to Wendy's I pass a McDonalds, a Burger King, a Cousins sub shop, a Subway sub shop AND an Arby's. The reason I go to Wendy's is, I like the food. But I don't like it so much that I'm going to put myself through such poor service.

I would like to think this is an isolated incident, but as the whole group of employees was invloved, I have serious reservations about visiting this Wendy's again.

In your advertisements you come across as someone who cares very much about your restaurants. I thought you would like to know about this incident.

Sincerely, Jeff Crucius 260 Grand Canyon Dr. Madison WI 53705