Sampling Error

(There is an organic food store in my hometown that gives out samples. Pretty cool idea, but they leave big bowls out for anyone to stick their hands it, a violation of our state’s health code. I used to manage sample demonstrators, so I know the codes quite well.)

Me: “Excuse me, sorry, can I talk to a manager?”

Employee: “Why?”

Me: “I have to sort of complain about the samples.”

Employee: “What is wrong with them?”

Me: “This is going to sound strange, but it’s how they are served. It’s against New Mexico law to serve them like that, especially, leaving the cooked meats out below proper temperature. It’s a health risk.”

Employee: “Well, the health people have not said anything about it.”

Me: “Have they come in here and seen it?”

Employee: “I don’t know.”

Me: “I would call them and make sure they give you the stamp of approval, otherwise, they can shut the store down for health reasons and that information is public.”

Employee: “What? You want to shut us down?”

Me: “No. I am saying that you should call the health department and get your demos cleared with them, otherwise they can shut you down. I used to manage sample demonstrations for years, so I am very familiar with how picky they are. One of the other stores in the chain I worked for got shut down because two demos had been left out and no one was throwing them away after they were touched by people. You have to do small cups instead of communal bowls.”

Employee: “Look, it’s really none of your business, miss.”

Me: “I am just trying to help. Because if they shut you down, that is a huge profit loss for the store and a huge red flag for people who shop here.”

Employee: “Right… maybe you should just leave, then.”

Me: “What?”

Employee: “If you don’t like the demos, don’t taste them. If you don’t like the store, don’t shop here.”

Me: “Uhm, I have nothing against demos or the products being shown. I have a problem with potentially getting a lot of people sick. Obviously I like it here, since I have a rewards card and I don’t want to see the store shut down for health code violations….”

Employee: “Yeah, whatever.”

Me: “Uhm, now can I see your manager?”

Employee: “Seriously? Fine.” *walks away*

(I wait ten minutes before asking another employee to find the manager for me. Turns out that this one is the manager.)

Me: “Oh! Good. I had asked for you a bit ago.”

Manager: “You did? I am sorry, no one told me. How can I help you?”

Me: “Well, this is a sort of weird complaint, but I have a problem with your samples. Having unmanned carts with communal bowls and cooled cooked meats—”

Manager: “Those stations are supposed to be manned.”

Me: “They aren’t.”

(The manager called the kid over who was supposed to be running them and, of course, it was the rude one from before, who did not look happy to see me. The next time I went in, the samples were great!)