Facebook members eat up diner dispute
Published Monday February 16th, 2009
Frank's | Owner says customers weren't treated rudely
A report of rude service and an allegation of disrespect for a disabled person has hundreds of people on Facebook up in arms and calling for a boycott of a well-known northside diner.
Anna Harris-MacPherson created a new Facebook group entitled "Support the decision to NOT EAT at Frank's Finer Diner" over the weekend after she felt she and a disabled dinner companion were treated poorly at the hands of Frank's Finer Diner owner and manager Marx Miles.
Harris-MacPherson and a wheelchair-bound friend went to the restaurant at Two Nations Crossing for supper and to see an Elvis impersonator's performance Saturday evening, she wrote in a message on the Facebook group.
She was disappointed when Miles seated them at a small table in a section of the diner reserved for staff meals, she wrote.
Miles told The Daily Gleaner on Sunday night it was busy and the table was made up especially to accommodate Harris-MacPherson and her friend, Chris Burlingame.
"It wasn't a good table, I admit," he said Sunday, but plenty of other customers lined up at the same time didn't get a table at all.
Burlingame couldn't be reached for comment Sunday night.
Harris-MacPherson said she feels Miles treated them rudely.
She said she became so upset with the way Miles spoke to her, she broke down in tears in the diner.
She and Burlingame decided to leave without eating or seeing the show.
"I just wanted to tell my story, and if I touch any ears, and sway anyone's decision on eating at his diner, then I feel I have made a stand," Harris-MacPherson wrote on Facebook.
"It is sad, because honestly, I liked the food there.''
Miles said he's seen the Facebook group.
"I don't feel there's been a fair assessment of the facts," he said. "They were there and were offered a table."
Miles said the pair was treated with respect.
"They were treated fairly. I'm being treated unfairly now," he said.
Harris-MacPherson said Sunday the issue isn't one of wheelchair accessibility but rather customer service.
She said she took her beef to Facebook because she's on the Internet all the time and felt the need to detail her experience.
"From my point of view, I just wanted everyone to know how I was treated," she said.
Despite what members of her Facebook group have posted, Harris-MacPherson said, she's always liked the food at Frank's and has never had a problem there during previous visits.
She admits it was a busy night and has no doubt Miles had had a long, hard day, she said, but it doesn't excuse rudeness.
Harris-MacPherson said she hasn't heard from Miles since she created the Facebook group, but would welcome a call if a sincere apology were offered.
"I would appreciate it," she said.
Miles said he's never seen any kind of complaint take on a life online like this one has in his 25 years of running Frank's Finer Diner. As of press time Sunday night, Harris-MacPherson's Facebook group was approaching 1,000 members and still growing.
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I would not want this store owner on any other store owner for that matter to treat ANY customer the way he did me.
As far as I can see, 90% of those that are complaining about me in here, continue to get the facts wrong, and pick on things that don't make sense. "she wanted a better seat, she wanted free food, she wanted she wanted she wanted.."
For anyone who actuly wants to know, she wanted to see Elvis preform, in peace, with her friend, and not be attacked for no reason.
It WAS without cause, there WAS NO complaints, I did not ask to be moved, I did not ask to be in the middle of the diner, I WAS spoken to very rude. Thats the facts.
And I can say that, I was there :)
As to respect and judging by the thumbs up situation, you are well beyond ever earning that in Fredericton now. Welcome to public life!
I am not sure what posts you are reading.
However from my seat, the apology was asked for at the diner the night in question, and not offered.
It seems the diner manager, actuly apologized, AFTER it hit the media, when perhaps he realized this time he wasn't going to get away with it.
As I mentioned in my first post, I have seen him react first hand, and I know how he has spoken to customers.
It was not until the next day that he decided he had better apologize to this couple.
Thats bad buisness to have waited so long.
I can not see how he took a higher road here.
In reponse to the mention of me having a beef with Mr Miles, I do not, he has never harmed me, and I like the food, and I will go back.
However, I have heard him mistreat others, and I feel you should let Ms Anna have her stand, as she was right to stand up to him.
And I agree, Anna wasn't wrong to voice her concerns and demand an apology if she felt she deserved one, however I think the went about it the wrong way.
No pun intended!!lolol"
So, Sue Anderson (and others), if the posters here don't agree with the story, they aren't entitled to their opinion? AND, people who feel they should defend Mr. Miles shouldn't, but it's OK for Ms. Harris-MacPherson to run him into the ground? WOW, that's a bit one sided.
I think what made the story newsworthy to the Gleaner and other media was not so much Anna's story, because you're right, these abuses by bullies in customer service happen every day. What made the story newsworthy was the overwhelming number of postings that were made on Facebook. I'm sure not even Anna anticipated that in her wildest dreams.
Times have changed. There are now hundreds of websites where customers may post their reviews of restaurants online. There are even websites like ratemyemployer.com and RateMDs.com which can all be used anonymously. And because of the anonymity, there is a huge opportunity for abuse. Anna, however, courageously and honestly used her name on her Facebook story.
If Miles loses business over this, it's of his own doing, not Anna's.