Extra Syrup

I came from an event that began late at night and ended too early in the morning. It was 3:00am and heading home alone won't be safe. I stopped by a 24-hour fastfood restaurant to have some breakfast. Pancake, it's always been my favorite and made my order.

On my table, it was served hot with butter and syrup at the side accompanied by coffee and pineapple juice. Two thin and fluffy pancakes, I took my first bite. I could sense an awful taste, the second bite. I'm wondering if it's the pancake or the syrup, the third bite. For a pancake, it's a taste offensive for my taste bud. It's sour!!!

As grimace traced on my face, I read something printed on their plate just below their proud name. "A taste that will keep you coming back"

Yeah right...

I called for a crew. "Excuse me, can you please check this one? It taste awfully sour."

The crew brought the pancake back to the kitchen and went back on me not able to deliver a precise explanation.

"Just go ahead, replace it." Me, being too tired for the day.

I've always been their customer exclusively for pancake. I won't come in to their store unless I'm craving for one. The second serving was great, to my surprise, for the first time in the history, pancakes were thick and wide and I could splurge with syrup. Is that what you call a peace offering? And from the crew who made the second serving, I had learned that a vinegar was accidentally diluted with the mixture.

As I made my slices, I guess the syrup wasn't enough so I called someone for assistance
"Is your Manager here?" I asked.

"Yes Mam" a polite response from the crew.

"Good, get me an extra syrup and your Manager please" My favor and demand.

"Manager Mam?" the crew asked who I guess a bit deaf and gave my clear "Yes".

Staff around were somehow frozen and every one's looking at me as the Manager approached. With how I see them it was like they could sense an impending trouble.

"Are you the Manager?" For me, he neither look like a security guard...nor a Manager.

"Yes Mam. Anything I can do for you?" the Manager asked.

"Oh yes, can you make sure that all your condiments are in proper place?" I responded.

The Manager gave me a blank face.

"And keep it away from your pancake mixtures". I continued.

As I am distracted by his wide forehead, I narrated what happened to give him a full idea.

"Well, I'm not totally upset (If I do you'll see how it is to be slapped by a pancake). We make mistakes (thinking of a cook working in a 24-hour store and haven't got enough sleep) but as the Manager (which I doubt) you should know what's happening inside the kitchen. I just don't want it to happen again, not just to me but to all of your customers".

There was a burning shame in him and I'm trying to lessen the tension by keeping a smile. Through his eyes I'm pretty sure he's wondering how was I able to manage a composure after the frivolous service. No, I'm not trying to be nice, Im just too tired to throw the table out of the store.

He apologized sincerely and thanked me for my concern.

Vinegar in my pancake? I let it slide...anyways it's an ingredient frequently found in my mother's recipes. I don't really have an intention to make a scene, I just don't want to leave the place knowing I haven't speak up my mind. As a customer, it's my right to give negative feedback but I guess being frank doesn't necessarily be loud and raging.

In situations where you have to speak up to raise your point don't hesitate to do so 'coz you might leave the room with "could have beens" and "might have beens". As a customer, you have a say on how they render service and your negative feedback is a vital piece for them to do better with their business. Go complain!

In my case, I can't ask the spoon and fork to stand up for me and uphold with my point or have the pancake fold itself into two, form like a mouth and do the talking. Well, that's cool! But the the thing is we're not in a puppet show.

I reached home with a peaceful belly and I'm thinking what if it's not a vinegar? What if it's a cockroach or something? Well, they should apologize but it's going to be beside a lawyer

Hmm...again...I'm craving for a pancake...