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Seriously. They need to pack it in.

There are two locations in Toledo, on near downtown, one in the nicer west side.

The kid loves their spicy chicken tenders. And since he's a picky eater, when he finds something he likes, I do my best to get him that as often as possible to balance the healthier stuff I force him to eat at home the majority of the time. So, on Wednesdays, he has piano practice after school, taking us close to the dinner hour. As our commute home takes us near downtown, Wednesday becomes the day to pick up Popeye's on the way home.

I am going to base these conclusions on about 15 visits. Maybe 10. 10-15. One time, we were able to order at the drive through, and were gone with our order in less than 5 minutes. But FAR more typical is a 20-30 minute wait. Even after we order I would often ask him, "You sure you want to wait? We can go somewhere else." But no, he wants to wait, and no one else ever leaves the line, either. It's Popeye's, dog.

Anyway, sometimes they're nice, and right when you order you get ebonics, "We only 2 people today, gonna be slow." Ok, thanks for the heads up.

Speaking of ebonics, I mentioned this location is near downtown. Security lazy-susan at the drivethrough window, counter-to-ceiling plexiglass inside, and you communicate through a speaker. And that's fine. Thieves are scum, and we do what we must. But the staff us fabulous and urban, and I think they try hard, but it frequently takes them 30 minutes to fill an order.

OK, anyway.

Twice now, we've been on the other side of town, near the other location. SO we've hit it. First time wa the drive through, and it was wondrously only 10 minutes. And they got the order wrong.

The second time, we had time to kill before an appointment, so we went in.

Ok, here's the experience that made me decide that Popeye's needs to just give up, in the Toledo market.

We made a simple order, each of us chose a regular "number," no alterations.

We stood there and waited. After about 5 minutes, the girl says, "We waiting for your biscuits." Ok. I like biscuits. So we wait. My systems-analyst brain is going through what they screwed up, and what they should do to fix it. There's no reason you run out of biscuits when that's a common item you sell. It's a failure on multiple levels from cooks to management, affecting multiple things, not the least of which is public perception.

After another 4 minutes, next guy is waiting, "We waiting for the biscuits." He says he doesn't want to wait, and he has to go, and please give me my to-go bag. So they do.

I see no progress on biscuits, two workers are just standing around back there. "Hey, can we just go too? We can't stay long."

"Oh," she says, "You in the dining room right?"

"Yes."

"I just bring it."

"Ok, thanks."

She hands our trays over. "We had combos, we need drink cups."

She says nothing, just hands over the cups.

"And he wanted buffalo sauce."

Silence, just hands over a couple packs. And that's fine. She seems busy.

So we sit down at a table, the loose cigarette on the floor next to us, which would remain the entire visit. His order was wrong, he ordered spicy strips, he got reg. My order was wrong. I ordered spicy/all dark meat, I got regular, and got a wing and a breast. And no biscuit. We ate for about 15 minutes, she never brought any biscuits.

We sat there and counted all the things they screwed up on that visit, and I remembered 8 bullet points. It was a week ago, I don't remember them all. But in summary, Popeye's in Toledo needs to just give the fuck up.

Did you complain to Popeyes?

Corporate? No. I assume they don't care, they'll just try to send me an e-coupon for a free drink on my next visit. But maybe I'll forward this little essay to them, if I can find an email addy.

The manager a those locations? No. They already knows how much they suck, and either don't care, or can't get competent staffing so they're stuck (white suburban kids want to work at Chic Fil A, not behind security plexiglass in the hood). Oh yeah, that reminds me of the hobo coming window to window in the drive-through line, asking for money.

Yeah, corporate

Never, NEVER, NEVER eat food in areas like that. Just, never. A good measure is: If you don't want to live in the area, don't eat in the area. If you don't want to be in the area after dark, don't eat there. I'm not even talking about order accuracy or staff. You aren't eating what you think you are.

Let me correct one thing about Gordon's story. The one in the nicer area, which is next to Ottawa Hills and in a major shopping area, also has the revolving window thing. Why? I don't know. Their landscaping is complete trash and their lot is filthy. It's funny because Chick-Fil-A is in the same plaza and they don't have the revolving window, their lot is clean, and their landscaping is well maintained.

It's quite hilarious because this is a very highly trafficked site in a nice area, yet when you go to the Popeye's location, you feel nervous. It's like they brought the ghetto with them.

My wife and I have visited that location on occasion. Most of the customers are clearly not from the area, and none of the workers seem to be either. I can confirm Gordon's description of the service too. Super slow, barely any English being spoken, orders continuously messed up, etc.

Those fucking strips are delicious though. I'd visit the place a LOT more often if they cleaned up their act.

Cakedaddy wrote: Never, NEVER, NEVER eat food in areas like that. Just, never. A good measure is: If you don't want to live in the area, don't eat in the area. If you don't want to be in the area after dark, don't eat there. I'm not even talking about order accuracy or staff. You aren't eating what you think you are.

Probably good advice. I purposely try not to think of such things.

Leisher wrote: Let me correct one thing about Gordon's story. The one in the nicer area, which is next to Ottawa Hills and in a major shopping area, also has the revolving window thing.

Honestly don't remember. Hit the drive through there maybe twice.... just no memory of it. But I know that inside does NOT have the counter-to-ceiling Plexiglas, like the one downtown does. But still full of incompetent people.

We were in Charlotte for a child's gymnastics meet, and she was hungry and wanted McDonalds... were in the city, but she wanted to stop NOW, not wait til we hit the suburbs.

That's the first time I've been offered drugs in a parking lot in a long, long time.

Also, there was a police substation 1 block away, and 3 police cars nearby.

GORDON wrote: But I know that inside does NOT have the counter-to-ceiling Plexiglas, like the one downtown does. But still full of incompetent people.

True and true.

TheCatt wrote: That's the first time I've been offered drugs in a parking lot in a long, long time.

Were they reasonably priced?

Leisher wrote: Were they reasonably priced?

I didn't understand what he was asking until he was gone. He never stopped walking, just said something real quick, and I was focusing on something else.

Popeye's elsewhere seem to have the same competency problems.

The white guy at the end makes me laugh.

https://mirrorbot.ga/mirrors/bxtm3a/

Personally, I think we need to decry these people denying us chicken as nazis, and then we can assault them. Fucking chicken nazis.

Y'all need some Bojangles

I think we have a location or two, but the only thing I ever hear Popeye's compared to is Church's.

GORDON wrote: The white guy at the end makes me laugh.

That was so perfect, he seems like a plant.

We have two locations nearby, but we covered all this. Their strips are the best, period. But yeah, all Popeyes seem like they're in the ghetto even when they're not. It's a poorly run company.

TheCatt wrote: Y'all need some Bojangles

I miss it so much. When I go back to NC for a week I have to go eat at one and I look forward to the reunion more then some minor family relations.

Chick-fil-A I miss too, but it doesn’t have the historical significance to me that Bo’s does.

Bojangles isn't bad. I wouldn't call it the best though.

Chick-Fil-A is awesome. They don't have them in Cali?

Leisher wrote: Bojangles isn't bad. I wouldn't call it the best though.

Chick-Fil-A is awesome. They don't have them in Cali?

I haven't eaten at one in California. I figured they just didn't exist here, but a quick google map shows I'm wrong - there are some in Silicon Valley. For some reason there aren't any in SF or Oakland.

1. Last time I was in San Fran, they had a hard-on for NOT giving chain restaurants building permits.

2. You know how the hippies hate CFA, anyway. I still lovingly refer to it as "bigotry chicken," when I'm patronizing their establishment.

Troy wrote: minor family relations

I want to make a joke, but I'm also tired of being on watchlists.