A Sad Sign(ed) Of The Times

(We’ve been frequenting a certain branch of a national chain for our fast food fix because they were the only burger place in the entire area that still had a value menu with things for under a dollar. However, they were recently purchased as a ‘franchise,’ and in under a month the entire inside is renovated – after having been renovated less than a year before – and the cost of all the food goes up dramatically. I ask to speak to the manager to complain.)

Me: *long spiel* “—it just doesn’t seem fair that every single time somewhere becomes a ‘franchise’, they instantly stop participating in every single national promotion, all the prices go through the roof, and inevitably the service goes down because they fire half the staff.”

Manager: “Actually, sir, if you could hold on for one moment?”

(He goes to one of the registers, prints out a strip of receipt paper, and writes “#47” on it before handing it to me with the pen.)

Manager: “Could you please sign this for me and list that you’re complaining about the prices, and how much they’ve gone up?”

Me: “…number forty-seven?”

Manager: “The new owner called a meeting of the shift managers yesterday and outright told us that he “doesn’t believe” all the complaints we’ve gotten lately. So we decided to start getting them in writing and signed. You’re the forty-seventh signature we’ve gotten in just over twenty-four hours.”

(I have no idea whether or not this would help but I definitely signed my name!)