Eric and I carpool together to work. I got into the car after work tonight and said to Ol' Pookers, "Cheeseburger!!!"

Eric said "ok". (It was not a hard sell.)

I reminded Eric that in the glove compartment of our car we had two gift certificates to Burgermeister that had been languishing there for nearly a year. I had "won" these gift certificates at a charity auction orchestrated by one of my co-workers. The gift certificates had been in the glove compartment for a year because I am rarely in the mood for meat.

Eric said "ok". (You will find, in this story, that Eric says that word a lot.)

We parked in front of Burgermeister, which is only a few blocks from where I work, and we went inside. We placed our orders at the counter and I presented our gift certificates. The employee said, "Our address is not on these so they're not valid here."

Eric said "ok" and dug around in his wallet.

I, however, objected. I pointed out to the employee that there was only space, for advertising purposes, to put a few addresses on the gift certificate. I stated that Burgermeister was a chain and that, in all probability, the gift certificates were valid at all Burgermeisters. I informed her that I had purchased these gift certificates, for twice their face value, at a charity fund raiser held in BERKELEY, for a BERKELEY charity. I highlighted the fact that with our burgers, sides and drinks we would probably be spending more money that evening than the amount on the gift certificates. I argued that, in all probability, the charity auction coordinator, who works with me JUST A FEW BLOCKS UP THE STREET, had gone, one year ago, into THIS VERY BURGERMEISTER to secure these donations for her auction. It was unlikely that a Berkeley employee, who is also a Berkeley resident, went all the way to Alameda or to San Francisco to get these gift certificates donated, even though Alameda and San Francisco addresses happened to be printed on these gift certificates. I suggested that if the employee just take a few minutes to look up the clearly printed serial numbers on the gift certificates, it was highly likely that she would find that both certificates had been issued by the manager of the very exact Burgermeister in which we were now standing.

These arguments and this logical course of action did not impress the employee. She stated again that the certificates were not valid at this locale.

Eric said "ok" and held out a fistful of cash. (Poor man. He really, really, really wanted a cheeseburger and he also wanted to capitalize on the fact that, for once, I wanted one too.)

Poor, poor, poor, poor, poor Eric. I cancelled our dinner order on the spot and left Burgermeister in a huff.

Eric got left-over vegetarian pasta for dinner and now I have to make it up to him somehow... most probably by doing the thing I most loathe and abhor... cooking meat!!!

Oh my. http://www.burgermeistersf.com/locations.php
Looks like you have coupons good only at the Cooperate owned stores and the Berkeley outfit is owned by a franchisee. And I have a feeling that isn't the first time that counter person has had to say not good here.

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Ball Park Brand Frozen Fully Cooked Flame Broiled Beef Patty.

Da Best I've Ever Had.

Four Minutes and it be sliding Down The Gullet.

No Huffin' and Puffin' Involved.

Looks like you have coupons good only at the Cooperate owned stores and the Berkeley outfit is owned by a franchisee. And I have a feeling that isn't the first time that counter person has had to say not good here.

Dat's What I figured, but Why Mention It. Facts to a DEM/Lib. R_ee_se Whithering_Spoon Much? ROTFLMAO.

Bound For IT IT.

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

Dat's What I figured, but Why Mention It. Facts to a DEM/Lib. R_ee_se Whithering_Spoon Much? ROTFLMAO.

LOL! Troll much?

LOL! Troll much?

Obviously this is a trick question I take it?

Cheers.

I feel for you Angela & Eric, fast food joints are mostly franchises, I've had better luck at places like Pizza Hut or Little Caesars or Domino's Pizza w/coupons, but then I don't go to burger joints really.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

If the gift certificates were really obtained from corporate, then I completely get why they cannot be used at a franchise.

If, however, the gift certificates were issued by the Berkeley franchise, and those owners are selling and donating stacks of these coupons that cannot be used at their particular location, then I think that is a shady business practice.

The only person who will have the actual answer to this particular question is my co-worker, and I will have to wait another week or two to ask her where she got the gift certificates. Right now she is on marathon charity bike ride supporting research for bone marrow cancers. (My co-worker is a really, really, really nice person.)

As much as I love Meat, I would love to share Ang and Eric's version of Brussel Sprouts.

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Pluto will always be a planet to me.

Seti Ambassador
Not to late to order an Anni Shirt

If the gift certificates were really obtained from corporate, then I completely get why they cannot be used at a franchise.

If, however, the gift certificates were issued by the Berkeley franchise, and those owners are selling and donating stacks of these coupons that cannot be used at their particular location, then I think that is a shady business practice.

The only person who will have the actual answer to this particular question is my co-worker, and I will have to wait another week or two to ask her where she got the gift certificates. Right now she is on marathon charity bike ride supporting research for bone marrow cancers. (My co-worker is a really, really, really nice person.)

Might have asked to speak to the duty Manager. Counter staff don't usually have much discretion about things like that.

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

Panino al prosciutto and Pinot Grigio is best.
Tullio

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Eric said "ok" and held out a fistful of cash. ...

Poor, poor, poor, poor, poor Eric. I cancelled our dinner order on the spot and left Burgermeister in a huff.

I have no doubt that Eric returned with that fistful of cash and had your cheeseburger as well.

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flaming balloons

poor dopy female behind the counter.

Not wishing to detract from Angela's thread.....

You really do need one of these

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Panino al prosciutto and Pinot Grigio is best.
Tullio

Any space at your lunch table?

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A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read. (Mark Twain)

Not wishing to detract from Angela's thread.....

You really do need one of these

At least they qualified that tie with male chauvinist pig, people who just hurl the word "chauvinist" as an insult frequently don't know what it actually means.

However I think an accusation of male chauvinism here is a little harsh, he didn't say she was dopey because she was female.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

However I think an accusation of male chauvinism here is a little harsh, he didn't say she was dopey because she was female.

So "dopey female" means what in your book?

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However I think an accusation of male chauvinism here is a little harsh, he didn't say she was dopey because she was female.

So "dopey female" means what in your book?

A woman who happens to be dopey, that's all, no deeper meaning to be inferred from the pairing of two distinct words.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

Angela,

I have a similar situation with Round Table Pizza here in San Ramon. I get coupons, (because I registered on-line with Round Table Pizza), e-Mailed to me. The coupons are from Corporate, in Concord; yet, each coupon states clearly the address and phone number of the San Ramon location. Each coupon also has a code on it... Every time I try to order on-line with San Ramon, and enter the coupon code, it FAILS... I call SR, and the Manager insists that the coupons are corporate, and that they are a Franchise... Yet; I get them to take the coupon, because it clearly has the SR address and phone number on it. I just print it out and give it to the delivery driver...

So much hassle, for a small discount for a "loyal" customer... Makes me wonder...

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TimeLord04
Have TARDIS, will travel...
Come along K-9!
Join Calm Chaos

I would like to commend Angela for standing up for her principles, good for her. Although I suspect that her carefully thought out and rational objection, would have gone totally over the head of the poor dopy female behind the counter. I would also commend Eric for supporting Angela, some husbands would have just paid and bought the stuff anyway.

now I have to make it up to him somehow

Anyone for fishing?

then I think that is a shady business practice.

You are quite correct, Franchising is a shady buisiness practice and should be stamped out in my opinion. Companies make a name for themselves then can't be bothered with the day to day management of it, so they take their money and run. Then make even more money by farming out the company into lots of little bits called Franchises. You want to make a complaint against a market name they refuse, and say talk to the Franchisee. The Franchisee says talk to head Office. The public are the losers. All McDonalds in the UK are Franchises

Zero contracts

Whether Angela wishes to take it any further is up to her, but if that happened to me in the UK, I would complain to my local Trading Standards Dept.

There are people here who work in franchises that are on strike for better pay. Down here there are no Burgermeister restaurants, though there are some Burger Kings and such, the nearest is Jack in the Box or Peggy Sues 50's Diner, I'dve been to the Diner twice, Jacks once...

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Panino al prosciutto and Pinot Grigio is best.
Tullio

Any space at your lunch table?

I used it as breakfast in Tolmezzo on a skiing bus trip to Sappada, Alpi Carniche, Italy.Happy days!
Tullio

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Got a story, similar in some respects to other posters here, different in others.
I used to live 1/2 block from a Mac D's.
I lived there for 5 years.
I darkened the door at Mac D's twice.
Once was because I had no food in the house, and no money for lunch.
But I did have ... you guessed it ... a coupon for a Free Big Mac.
Walked down to the end of the block, presented my coupon to the girl at the counter to which she said "Would you like something with that?" to which I replied "No thank you".
I took my lunch home to eat in peace without someone else's screaming kids.
Well ... there were kids screaming at the community pool ... but at least they were on the other side of the building instead of in the same room with me.
MMMmmmmm.... Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.

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