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| Actual bagels made in Brooklyn |
A friend of mine flew out of Midway on Friday. Had she asked me, I would have strongly advised her to a) never buy food at an airport if you can possibly avoid it and b) never eat at a Dunkin' Donuts for any reason whatsoever and c) never forget, of the range of foodstuff never eaten at the Dunkin' Donuts you never patronize, to particularly abstain from ordering bagels. You risk rending the fabric of time.
Not to minimize her food service nightmare, which was sufficiently nuts that I asked if she would permit me to share her subsequent complaint to Dunkin's, if only to ladle the scorn upon Dunkin's that they deserve on their best day. In her defense, she was under the impression that a Great American Bagel was at Midway ("don’t mistake me for someone who thinks a Dunkin Donuts bagel is acceptable" is how she phrased it, in our considerable post -fiasco parsing) and was looking for that, when its non-presence made her stoop to order a Dunkin's bagel (heck, they can't even make a good DONUT, in my estimation). She asked that I shield her identity to escape the shame of patronizing Dunkin' Donuts — whose coffee, I am told, can be acceptable — and I agreed.
Not to minimize her food service nightmare, which was sufficiently nuts that I asked if she would permit me to share her subsequent complaint to Dunkin's, if only to ladle the scorn upon Dunkin's that they deserve on their best day. In her defense, she was under the impression that a Great American Bagel was at Midway ("don’t mistake me for someone who thinks a Dunkin Donuts bagel is acceptable" is how she phrased it, in our considerable post -fiasco parsing) and was looking for that, when its non-presence made her stoop to order a Dunkin's bagel (heck, they can't even make a good DONUT, in my estimation). She asked that I shield her identity to escape the shame of patronizing Dunkin' Donuts — whose coffee, I am told, can be acceptable — and I agreed.
Greetings, your Twitter account suggested I DM you with feedback re concessions.
First, please find a way to put a few tables along the terminals and especially at the ends. Many of the concessions have no seating areas themselves, so you buy food that really requires more than a lap at the end of terminal B and then find you have to walk all the way back to the start to sit down.
Two: If you can contact whoever manages the Midway Dunkin' Donuts to pass along my input, please do: since the central DD was so jammed I walked to the end of Terminal B and ordered two sesame bagels sliced and well toasted and a medium coffee. First I had to persuade the counter person to take my order, because even though she was doing nothing, she insisted I use the kiosk. But the kiosk would not let me choose a bagel flavor. Finally she sulkily agreed to take the order.
Some time later I got the coffee and asked where the creamers were. They seemed shocked that anyone would put cream in coffee but eventually brought me a paper cup with about two drops of milk in it. When I asked for more, like Oliver Twist, the worker turned to a manager and said, “Do I have to give it to her?”
Finally I had my coffee and bag of bagels and realized there was nowhere for my husband and I to eat. We ran back to the center to be able to sit and eat before our flight. Ripped open the bag and found that the DD people at the end of the terminal had put the bagels into the toaster without slicing them. I took the bagels to the nearby center Dunkin and asked the girl at the window to help me out on that. She stared at me, then continued handing out other orders as soon as I made space at the counter, thinking my problem would be attended to. After a while I realized no one was going to help me. The girl at there would not respond to me so I finally had to stand right at the window again until she asked me to move so she could hand out other orders. I repeated my problem. She claimed it wasn’t Dunkin bagels. I showed her the Dunkin bag. A manager came over and finally agreed to give me a refund and charge me for new bagels. But then he couldn’t make the register work.
Eventually he agreed to give me two new bagels, and when I asked for two sesame, he said Dunkin' Donuts doesn’t have sesame at the airport. I pointed out that I had just purchased two from Dunkin' at the airport. Then he got really nasty. Eventually we agreed on two plain bagels, sliced and well toasted. I don’t ask for and did not receive fresh cream cheese. And when I opened the bag, I found two plain bagels barely warm, not at all toasted. All this cost me, with tip, almost $17. I finally went to Tall Boy Tacos and got a breakfast burrito, costing me $18 more dollars. Quite an expensive breakfast. I will send you next a picture of the Dunkin with its sesame bagels—and a sign identifying them as such. Thank you.
First, please find a way to put a few tables along the terminals and especially at the ends. Many of the concessions have no seating areas themselves, so you buy food that really requires more than a lap at the end of terminal B and then find you have to walk all the way back to the start to sit down.
Two: If you can contact whoever manages the Midway Dunkin' Donuts to pass along my input, please do: since the central DD was so jammed I walked to the end of Terminal B and ordered two sesame bagels sliced and well toasted and a medium coffee. First I had to persuade the counter person to take my order, because even though she was doing nothing, she insisted I use the kiosk. But the kiosk would not let me choose a bagel flavor. Finally she sulkily agreed to take the order.
Some time later I got the coffee and asked where the creamers were. They seemed shocked that anyone would put cream in coffee but eventually brought me a paper cup with about two drops of milk in it. When I asked for more, like Oliver Twist, the worker turned to a manager and said, “Do I have to give it to her?”
Finally I had my coffee and bag of bagels and realized there was nowhere for my husband and I to eat. We ran back to the center to be able to sit and eat before our flight. Ripped open the bag and found that the DD people at the end of the terminal had put the bagels into the toaster without slicing them. I took the bagels to the nearby center Dunkin and asked the girl at the window to help me out on that. She stared at me, then continued handing out other orders as soon as I made space at the counter, thinking my problem would be attended to. After a while I realized no one was going to help me. The girl at there would not respond to me so I finally had to stand right at the window again until she asked me to move so she could hand out other orders. I repeated my problem. She claimed it wasn’t Dunkin bagels. I showed her the Dunkin bag. A manager came over and finally agreed to give me a refund and charge me for new bagels. But then he couldn’t make the register work.
Eventually he agreed to give me two new bagels, and when I asked for two sesame, he said Dunkin' Donuts doesn’t have sesame at the airport. I pointed out that I had just purchased two from Dunkin' at the airport. Then he got really nasty. Eventually we agreed on two plain bagels, sliced and well toasted. I don’t ask for and did not receive fresh cream cheese. And when I opened the bag, I found two plain bagels barely warm, not at all toasted. All this cost me, with tip, almost $17. I finally went to Tall Boy Tacos and got a breakfast burrito, costing me $18 more dollars. Quite an expensive breakfast. I will send you next a picture of the Dunkin with its sesame bagels—and a sign identifying them as such. Thank you.
Tell your friend to write to the DD on fb and companies will usually listen. Write in the pm if necessary or possible. That is disgraceful service. Wondering why she tipped.
ReplyDeleteI only buy my bagels at new York bagel & Bialy on Touhy in Lincolnwood or on Dempster in Skokie.
ReplyDeleteThe absolute best anywhere around!
This story sounds more like a horrible management problem at that location. I don't get a lot of food from Dunkin, although the little donut holes aren't bad. But I am a big fan of their coffee, love it. I've never jumped on the Starbucks bandwagon; coffee's way too strong. Anyway, they may do it differently at the airport, but I've always ordered a large coffee with 3 creams, and it's fine. Never asked for the cream separate.
ReplyDeleteA lot of places force a tip on you thanks to digital only payments.
ReplyDeleteFirst they get away with not accepting cash - legal tender/ coin of the realm - then they get away with including a "gratuity" charge, an illegal, but ignored practice in most states.
I'd like to say that this surprises me, but it doesn't. Dunkin, in general, has declined greatly, as has their customer service. Their pricing and taxing practices are also extremely inconsistent and there are a few that I won't patronize at all anymore. I thought I was just being old and cranky - apparently not.
ReplyDeleteSuch a good story, it is almost worth $17
ReplyDelete"All this cost me, with tip, almost $17"
ReplyDeleteI puzzled at the tip. After a Kafkaesque experience a tip was forthcoming?
The airport Dunkin Donuts really is poor yet people will wait in really long lines (same with Starbucks). I've always wondered why these two places aren't able to open a lot more of these establishments at the airports to allow for this
ReplyDeleteBut as a long time customer of Dunkin Donuts, I have found their stafffs to be unfailingly kind and helpful. Their iced tea and hot coffee are GREAT!. Their bagel minis are a great way to let you have both a bagel with ease of eating it and very little mess. Starbucks would never dream of putting cream cheese ON the bagel, either. My parents loved their croissant sandwiches.
So don't let one unruly location represent the entire chain. I understand you also don't like the food there in general, but perhaps stay with the tea and coffee and give the staff a break (except the one at Midway)
A fan of both DD and you, Neil!
Karen K
Honestly, I've never eaten the food there. It could be ambrosia. And back in the day — I mean 40 years ago, plus, when I commuted to Wheaton, breakfast was a bran muffin, with a chocolate chip muffin for dessert, and I remember thinking those were heavenly. And probably 1200 calories for the pair, now that I think of it.
DeleteI met my first great love at the Dunkin Donut on Dempster in Skokie in 1969
ReplyDelete