Let me preface this with I have no valid excuse. I wasn't in a hurry, I had adequate sleep. Just one of those days, I guess.

My bank is 45 miles away. I need to go to the bank. So I get on some job boards and apply for a couple fast food shops. A Philly Cheesesteak, and a taco joint. Both nicely bonused.
(An amusing aside: I offered to do the taco joint a couple days ago for $20, and got a resounding no. Today it's on the board at $32, so I immediately self-assigned, LOL. Thank you, scheduler, for not accepting my offer!)

So, I arrive at the taco joint. Order a Philly Cheesesteak.

And things just got worse from there.

After we laughed a little, I ordered correctly and got my food. Drove off, parked, reached for my receipt to snap a photo -- and, snap, I don't have a receipt! Drive back, get a receipt.

Drove to the Philly Cheesesteak shop. "Would you like to donate $1 to Children's Hospital of Denver?" "Yes, I would, if I can do it on a separate receipt." "Sure, I can do that." Reach window. She hands me receipt. Ooops. Donation on the receipt. This MSC is vehement that no other items or transactions can be on the receipt. I ask her to give me a correct receipt. She didn't know how. Three minutes later, she hasn't figured it out. And I don't have my food. It is my fault; I'm looking at my watch, and realize I have FUBARred this shop. My food is ready, but I don't yet have it. And it's my fault.

Finally get correct receipt and food. But the delay in getting service is 100% my fault. So, I pull into the drive in again, and restart the timings. Get to the window, and the girl is so terribly flustered, I just smiled and said "Wow, this smells so good, I just had to come back and get one for me, too." I get my receipt and drink, and pull out.

Two blocks later, stopped at a light, I see an employee wildly waving, running down the street toward me, holding a bag up high -- I had driven off without the second bag of food!

Did I mention it was 100 degrees outside? Poor guy was drenched in sweat, ready to have a heart attack. I offered him a ride back to the restaurant, but fortunately, he said no, it was against company rules.



What's your funny story for today?

I'm a firm believer that some days it's just not worth getting out of bed. Thanks for reminding me of that, ceasesmith. lol

Went on a shop for the first time to an outdoor furniture shop to see about a swing set and see if they will offer to come out and measure. Oh, and it is a targeted shop: they told me no problem they wear name tags. Well, I get there and no employee has a name tag on. I did mention that I had been told to talk to John (not the target but go with it anyway.) So I talk to this guy who is the swing set expert. He takes me outside to show me some sets and I see the price on one and it is $16,000 and another $500 to install. I guess I not only flinched when I saw that I kind of stuttered. SO not only did I not get the target they guessed that I'm not going to spend upwards of the price for a decent used car on a swing set.

Not sure if this qualifies but about 10 months ago I did a Five Guys shop and as I was waiting at the counter, a couple of crew members in the kitchen were animatedly discussing a stern talking-to they got from a supervisor ... about a negative mystery shop report. It wasn't my report but I was there doing a mystery shop and let me tell you, it's kind of eerie hearing workers talking about what you're actually there doing. I kept wondering if I was showing the white feather of guilt.

This location offered an even better one less than a week ago. As I was waiting on the order, the cashier came over to give me my milkshake (it was a shake-required shop) and asked, "When doctors tell you something, they're right, right?" I said I guess so. He then said, "I went to a doctor because I was afraid I had an STD. He did tests and told me I didn't have one. But I'm still traumatized, I'm still worried, I can't get it out of my mind. What should I do?"

Well this is AWKWARD. I stammered out something about getting a second opinion. He said something to the effect that he had gone to 3 primary care doctors and one psychiatrist, and the psychiatrist told him "it was all in my mind" but he was still worried. This went on for about 4 minutes (order took more than 7 minutes to complete). He was a nice guy and even asked me at one point if he was making me uncomfortable, which he was, but I just blurted something like "Not the kind of conversation I expect at Five Guys but OK."

Hoo-boy! Did I put it in the report? You bet I did. I really hope they use that to steer him to help instead of taking some sort of by-the-corporate-book disciplinary action against him. Dang.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2020 08:45AM by KokoBWare.

Wow. That's awkward and uncomfortable for sure.

cease, first mistake you made was ordering a Philly cheese steak when nit in Philadelphia.

I will never do this shop again. I had to go to a bank and pretend that someone opened an account in my name. I was sweating like a pig. Anyway, I made the complaint and the rep started asking me a bunch of questions. I felt like I was in one of those interrogation rooms on 48 hours. The rep was supposed to automatically refer the complaint to another department, but she did not do that right away. I denied, denied, denied, that I ever opened the account. Then, the rep produces a copy of a check that was used to open the account. "Does this look familiar?" Sheesh... You darn skippy it does. Someone apparently stole a check from me and used it to open the account. Yes, that signature looks just like mine! I wanted to run out! I don't know how I "got" out of it, but as it turned out, I had gone to the WRONG branch anyway! I did all of that for nothing.

oh wow! I saw those shops on the board and I wondered how it would play out. I feel like "this account was opened without my consent" is a HUGE issue and would automatically go over to the fraud department. I don't know how I would get out of it, so props to you for thinking quick on your feet!

@1forum1 wrote:

I will never do this shop again. I had to go to a bank and pretend that someone opened an account in my name. I was sweating like a pig. Anyway, I made the complaint and the rep started asking me a bunch of questions. I felt like I was in one of those interrogation rooms on 48 hours. The rep was supposed to automatically refer the complaint to another department, but she did not do that right away. I denied, denied, denied, that I ever opened the account. Then, the rep produces a copy of a check that was used to open the account. "Does this look familiar?" Sheesh... You darn skippy it does. Someone apparently stole a check from me and used it to open the account. Yes, that signature looks just like mine! I wanted to run out! I don't know how I "got" out of it, but as it turned out, I had gone to the WRONG branch anyway! I did all of that for nothing.

Truth!!!!!!!

There is a chain QSR that focuses on Philadelphia cheesesteaks. The cheesesteak on their banner had a picture of one that had bell peppers and cheez whiz. Cheez whiz! No self respecting Philadelphian would ever, ever do that to our beloved sandwich!

On top of that, they had writing on the banner that said they were "Voted No. 1." I wrote them and asked "By who?!" (Yes, I know the grammar is wrong. It's a Philly thang).

Amoroso roll, salt, pepper and ketchup. Nothing else. NOTHING!

@LIJake wrote:

cease, first mistake you made was ordering a Philly cheese steak when nit in Philadelphia.

I have luckily never shopped the wrong location nor ordered the wrong item but I have had some interesting moments on shops. These are a few that come to mind.
1) Doing a post office shop 35 minutes before closed and while in line can hear the employees saying there overdue and have not had there shop yet and how today is the last day. Well your lucky its me as there was only 35 minutes left. You should have had that conversation when you opened. All went fine and the shop passed with flying colors.
2) Did a Mobil gas station literally one two sided pump small c-store like required maybe 4 pics at most. I had to get the overall regardless if denied or not. This was a place where the owner or employee pumped the gas for you. It was a old style turn numbers pump not digital. Anyway complete mystery portion then employee approves me to do audit like 3 pictures. Get the first one of main ID and owner storms out saying he don't want me doing audit. Get off his property or he kill me. Well asshat would have passed as all I needed was the pump pick and the overall. But obviously left. Had to go across street and take overall anyway for denial. Gas station now unbranded no longer Mobil or any other brand.
3) Doing route of chase bank shops. I get to my last one and banker greets me offers me a seat and says he be right back. I just arrived. Two minutes later he comes back with the folder and required docs I need. He hands it to me here is what you need. I played it off went through the spiel had him waste a few minutes to go over it with me and was out quickly. I am guessing they may have called ahead from another branch. Think I did 10 to 12 that day when average time in branch was 10 minutes. This was when they actually staffed with multiple bankers and there was little to no wait.

I have been fortunate enough to have Philly cheesesteak IN Philly.

An experience.

@ceasesmith wrote:

I have been fortunate enough to have Philly cheesesteak IN Philly.

An experience.

Me too Cease! We did the touristy thing once and visited Pat's and Geno's Steaks just to say we did, get the pics, etc. Our son took us to a local (non-famous) place that was even better. I'm pretty sure they used a cheesewhiz type cheese on these cheesesteaks in Philly also...IIRC

Well, I had a good one yesterday. It was my first video shop. It was a drive-thru at a fast-food place. Paid pretty decent well better than decent. I set everything up to where I could not see myself in the reflection of the screen. Go through the drive-thru order what is needed then drive up and pay and get food then pull over somewhere close and show a picture of the grub. Then drive further down the road and watch the video that I had just made. Hmm, now that is odd it is 5 minutes of me talking and a video of the passenger seat. Oh man, I had the tablet set to selfie mode. All that of pratice I had done earlier in the week was for nothing and it was the last shop of the day. So I get everything set up right this time and go back through the drive-thru. I had to use the old Mickey D excuse. Didn't I see you just go through? Yes, I had, but the wife called and said that she had changed her mind and would like something from there also. You know it is never in time to get it done in one smooth go it is always having to go back again.

Yep; I usually say I'm picking up lunch for my boss.



Congrats on your first video shop!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2020 12:00PM by ceasesmith.

I'm not from Philadelphia but have been there many times. There is a dispute/preference if Cheese Whiz or provolone is the preferred or authentic cheese for Philly cheese steaks.It seems both are acceptable but the Cheese Whiz melts better and is probably the preferred topping. So, if you want a nice gooey hero ask for "Wiz, with" and you get Cheese Whiz and onions, my favorite. While Pat's and Gino's are the tourist hot spots and make great cheese steaks, there are probably better spots frequented by locals. But, IMO, you are hard pressed to find a bad Philly cheese steak in Philadelphia, just like pizza in Brooklyn.

My son went to school in Philly, so we had four years worth of visits. Of course, being a poor college kid, we were constantly taking him out for eats -- many times of the cheesesteak variety...lol! I do not recall the name of the local place that we went to most often, but only went to Pat or Geno's once or twice...

American cheese is used on a real cheesesteak. Provolone is used on a hoagie. Cheez Whiz is used at Pat's and Geno's. There is no dispute outside of what the tourist spots make up. Locals go to the Mom and Pop stores in their neighborhoods.

@LIJake wrote:

I'm not from Philadelphia but have been there many times. There is a dispute/preference if Cheese Whiz or provolone is the preferred or authentic cheese for Philly cheese steaks.It seems both are acceptable but the Cheese Whiz melts better and is probably the preferred topping. So, if you want a nice gooey hero ask for "Wiz, with" and you get Cheese Whiz and onions, my favorite. While Pat's and Gino's are the tourist hot spots and make great cheese steaks, there are probably better spots frequented by locals. But, IMO, you are hard pressed to find a bad Philly cheese steak in Philadelphia, just like pizza in Brooklyn.

Uh-oh, we have a cheese controversy.

Next thing you know, someone will dispute the best pizza is made in Brooklyn and claim it is Chicago or Detroit. I don't live in Brooklyn either but have been there many times. Where I live we have "Brooklyn style" pizza but I have yet to find any pizza on L.I. that compares to Brooklyn. They say it is the water.

This time it was the Dang Yankees that hi-jack the conversation. I think Cheez-Wiz on anything is gross That is sort of like making a hoagie from bread in a can.

@2stepps wrote:

This time it was the Dang Yankees that hi-jack the conversation.

Yeah, I guess I did. My apologies.

Gruyere melts like a dream. Why is that a no-no for a fancy melted cheese sandwich?

Gruyere is fine for a fancy melted cheese sandwich but a Philly cheese steak is a basic down-to-earth two fisted slosh down with a a beer (Yuengling if in Philadelphia) hoagie.

No dispute from me. I grew up in Brooklyn and yes, they do have the best pizza. I have lived in many different places but have never had anything better than Brooklyn pizza, except for the time I was at my aunts house and she went and picked up Anchovy pizza. We never ate that at our house, but as brooklyn pizza lovers know, aside from slathering on the tasty sauce there is also a ton of cheese so the anchovies were all covered up. I thought it was cheese pizza and took a big bite, That little pointy end had an entire anchovy under the cheese. I did not eat pizza again for two years after that. My Italian American neighborhood did not have Anchovy pizza...just cheese or peperoni or Sicilian.

@LIJake wrote:

Next thing you know, someone will dispute the best pizza is made in Brooklyn and claim it is Chicago or Detroit. I don't live in Brooklyn either but have been there many times. Where I live we have "Brooklyn style" pizza but I have yet to find any pizza on L.I. that compares to Brooklyn. They say it is the water.

So... Cheez-Wiz wins!

And to get back to the topic, I have had one or more versions of 'Philly Cheesesteak'. These were on my dime and not shops. But to assure the OP that they are not alone, I would be the most likely to blurt out something blasphemous like, 'So is that Gruyere or what?'

@LIJake wrote:

Gruyere is fine for a fancy melted cheese sandwich but a Philly cheese steak is a basic down-to-earth two fisted slosh down with a a beer (Yuengling if in Philadelphia) hoagie.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2020 04:48AM by Shop-et-al.

No, Cheez Whiz is not a winner. In any circle.

Gruyere would drive the price of a cheesesteak up. Like LIJake said, a cheesesteak is a common, every day sandwich.

LIJake, I take cheesesteaks so seriously. As a Philadelphia native, I know what they are and I've made them from scratch. It irks me to see knock offs touted as authentic.

The reason why you cannot find an authentic cheesesteak outside of Philadelphia is because of the bread. Correction: there is (or was) a place in LA called Philly's Best that serves authentic cheesesteaks and other Philly favorites. The owners are from Philly and got sick of the knock offs.

@LIJake wrote:

Uh-oh, we have a cheese controversy.

I agree, nothing ruins a cheese steak more than a soft hero. I know, in Philly (& NJ) they are called hoagies and in Westchester they are called wedges. I think the quality of the beef also matters.

Now if I can only figure out why Brooklyn makes the best pizza.

Forgive my ignorance. I live on the west coast and have never had a Philly Cheesesteak. What is on an authentic sandwich? And, as far as that wiz stuff goes, I would never put it on anything. It's gross. I ordered nachos at the bingo hall once and that wiz stuff was on them. I scraped it off as best as I could before I ate them. It was gross. Thank you.

Oh hey forgot to mention that In the Southeast and some of the mid-south they have this chain called Waffle House that is trying to pass off something called a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich made on Texas Toast. And for those of you not in the know Texas Toast is regular bread that has been cut into thicker pieces.