Customer Service Costs Money!

     All I wanted was a cut up chicken for supper. I had to work today, and I'm tired. Too much trouble to thaw out the whole chickens I have in the freezer. Let's just go to Whole Food and buy a fresh one? They're on sale, only 99 cents a pound.

     When I got to the butcher chop at Whole Food, there was a cooler bin full of the sale price chickens, and some that were already cut up, for $1.49 lb.  I assume the added cost was for the convenience of being pre-cut, but thought I had nothing to lose by asking the clerk if it would cost more to cut my chicken up.  I handed it to him, and he asked how I wanted it cut, then gave it to the meat cutter and he asked me more questions. I wanted six pieces, with the wing attached to the breast.

     The next thing I know, I get a bundle of chicken, I look at the price per pound, and it's $1.49! So, I tell the both of them, "I specifically asked if this would cost more if you cut it. I asked for a reason- I can't afford it if it's $1.49 a pound, I only have so much cash on me. You'll have to take it back. Sorry you had to cut it up for nothing."  "Oh, that's no problem." he said, as he took it back.

     What ever happened to customer service? This was their opportunity to give me the price break because they didn't answer my question, and I made an assumption based on their non-response.  They don't charge more to cut it up when it's not on sale.  Why charge more if it's on sale? 

      They don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothing. Come to think of it, there have many times recently when the meat counter clerk at this store put a higher price on the meat, and I was lucky to catch the mistake. There must be a lot of people who pay no attention to the price per pound, and pay the wrong amount and never know the difference. Maybe those people can afford it. I can't, and even if I was rich, this carelessness or intentional rip-off tactics aren't acceptable. True, you shouldn't HAVE TO watch these people like hawks. But you do. And when you show them the mistake, they don't even apologize.

    So, even though I was tired, I picked out a better chicken, brought it home, cut it myself, and saved 3-4 dollars.  It's cooking now, and it smells great! Moral of story? Do it yourself, even if it's a pain in the neck.

     Speaking of necks, I decided to go to even more trouble to cook the innards for Cindy. There were extra livers and hearts in there! And don't ask me how, but my whole chicken appeared to be missing a wing!!! I don't know how it could've happened, but I noticed it while I was cutting the legs. I don't think you can lose a wing-tip while cutting up the chicken, it has to go somewhere. But I only found one! I may never figure that one out, unless my chicken was related to the one-armed man on "The Fugitive"!  I'll be more careful next time!

     My Dad plans on complaining to the manager soon. He didn't go in the store, he waited in the car with the dog. 

    Have a great remainder of the weekend!