# Fucking Homophobic Customers at Wendy's
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [December 14, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919 "2003-12-14T08:01:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 7
### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/121 "2003-12-15T21:03:00Z")
Gotcha \*\*TDN[b/]. Makes sense.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/122 "2003-12-15T21:29:06Z")
I should probably clarify two things, just for the sake of it:
1. The boss’s office door was closed, and the lights were out. And this was after dusk, so the office was dark. Naturally I assumed that he had gone home. Imagine my surprise when I turned on the lights. Imagine their surprise!
2. When I said I got a hummer in the office, I meant a former office, not my current one. Also, I meant a HumVee. Yep, that’s what I meant. We were in the habit of sneaking large recreational vehicles into the office on weekends. Macho Fords, rugged Toyotas, and wet sloppy HumVees.
Glad I could clear that up.
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### Author:  [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/123 "2003-12-16T07:45:58Z")
She called today, and refused to speak to Big Boss about the matter (which is the proper channel, btw, since he’s Cory’s Super). When he told her Cory was not there (she was, but Hosebeast has no right to talk to her at this point), she said; “I’m taking this corporate” and slammed the phone down.
Cory left the staff with instructions not to give out her personal number to anyone calling work and claiming to be her grandmother, mother, or aunt. She felt it might be necessary.
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### Author:  [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/124 "2003-12-16T07:58:31Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tdn \*
> **True and true, but a business runs 90% on customer perception. And a good deal of people are squeemish about their food. Wendy’s employees and owners can complain all they want about how “it’s all in their heads”, but it’s ultimately Wendy’s that will suffer because of lost business.**
Actually, it’s funny you would mention that, since the woman in question bought one large chili (costing $2.29 CDN), and proceeded to sit in the restaurant for 3 hours. I’m thinking that Wendy’s spent more money on the lightbulbs to illuminate the space that woman was taking up, than they made off of her 3-hour chili.
As for losing loyal customers, when I worked in a jeans store and “lost” customers over our return policy, we usually just laughed at them as the door hit their ass on the way out, saying; “We don’t **want** to have to serve customers like you anyway. Go to our competitors and inflict your attitude problem on them!”
Re: wasting time. Is taking a bathroom break “stealing” time from your employer? Because that’s about how much time we spent, the time it takes to take a crap. Cory used up her craptime on me.
We also suspect, in retrospect, that since the woman could not possibly have seen what we were actually doing for most of the time she was staring at us (unless she has X-ray vision), that she assumed we were making out, when Cory was actually just making me a tea. I was leaning on the counter the whole time, so she probably assumed we were kissing for three or four times longer than we were.
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/125 "2003-12-16T12:32:24Z")
I think greeting the person you love with a kiss is appropriate in almost any circumstance. There is a difference between a kiss of greeting and a lustful sucking of lips. Most likely, what you did was the former, and the old lady was a prude.
But do keep in mind that times have changed. Not just for homosexuals but for everyone. Older people were raised on the importance of decorum. The example given before of Mrs. Accountant is a good one. Most of us wouldn’t think twice about it. But a lot of people from the old school would think that the first breach of decorum was Mrs. Accountant barging in to start with. She shouldn’t have interrupted the meeting.
The old lady probably cut you even less slack because you sort of double-breached from her perspective. She’s not used to public shows of affection, period, much less from same-sex partners. But I wager that she would have eagle-eyed Mrs. Accountant as well, followed her with a stare until she was out the door, and been in a snit for the rest of the day.
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/126 "2003-12-16T12:41:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by kung fu lola \*
> \*\*Cory used up her craptime on me. \*\*
Must be true love. 😛
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### Author:  [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/127 "2003-12-16T12:59:44Z")
a) What the fuck is PDA?
b) And (depending on the answer to a)), how do I get some?
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/128 "2003-12-16T13:06:37Z")
a) _Public display of affection_
b) $20
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/129 "2003-12-16T13:07:05Z")
PDA = Public Display of Affection.
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### Author:  [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/130 "2003-12-16T13:12:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by kung fu lola_
> She called today, and refused to speak to Big Boss about the matter (which is the proper channel, btw, since he’s Cory’s Super). When he told her Cory was not there (she was, but Hosebeast has no right to talk to her at this point), she said; “I’m taking this corporate” and slammed the phone down.
Well, unless you guys were actually having sex on top of food that was being offered for sale, I’d have to say this is entirely over the top!
Another take on the situation just occurred to me, though. I have an acquaintance who **looks** for stuff to be pissed about in places of business, just so she can call corporate and get coupons for a bunch of free product out of it. Somehow, I can’t get it through her head that this is like stealing. But I’m wondering if a similar kind of thing might be going on with this lady. But she had to give Cory a really hard time about it at the time, or it wouldn’t fly with corporate, and she wouldn’t get as much out of it.
I’m not saying that this is what’s going on, but it’s possible.
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/131 "2003-12-16T13:17:33Z")
What a shitty waste of time to get a free 79 cent burger.
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### Author:  [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/132 "2003-12-16T13:24:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by World Eater \*
> \*\*a) _Public display of affection_
> b) $20 \*\*
Hey! I can love myself for free!
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/133 "2003-12-16T14:13:17Z")
I think I saw some lesbian orgy porn once called “Managing Wendies”.
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/134 "2003-12-16T14:17:07Z")
Sounds like a term for the act itself.
'Scuse me, I have to go manage Wendys"
On second thought, it sounds more like the act of taking a deuce.
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### Author:  [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/135 "2003-12-16T14:22:11Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by The Great Unwashed \*
> \*\*Hey! I can love myself for free! \*\*
Yeah, but should you do it in public? Besides, “special sauce” on burgers always sounded icky to me. 😉
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### Author:  [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/136 "2003-12-16T14:24:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by kung fu lola \*
> \*\*
> Because that’s about how much time we spent, the time it takes to take a crap.
>
> \*\*
I don’t know about y’all, but I could have an entire sexual encounter (including the full 3 minutes of foreplay) in the amount of time it takes _me_ to take a crap.
But then again, at my age, the crap’s a lot more enjoyable too.
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### Author:  [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/137 "2003-12-16T14:29:08Z")
You know what, I just remembered the set-up of the Wendy’s **Amber** works at, and I totally get it. Let me guess, she could see **lola** leaning over the counter and nothing else.
I’ll drop by next time I’m around!
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### Author:  [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/138 "2003-12-16T14:53:30Z")
First off, lemme state for the record that I think the woman is going waaaay over the top. Even if she were offended by the kissing, for whatever reason, I think she’s pushing it too far. At best, this is worth a tirade to her husband/bingo buddy/cat: “In MY day, we didn’t …”
Now, having said that:
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by kung fu lola \*
> … the woman in question bought one large chili (costing $2.29 CDN), and proceeded to sit in the restaurant for 3 hours. I’m thinking that Wendy’s spent more money on the lightbulbs to illuminate the space that woman was taking up, than they made off of her 3-hour chili.
I see this line of reasoning many times when the issue of customer service comes up, and it never fails to amaze me. I can guarantee you the woman is going to cost Wendy’s a lot more than the money spent on lighting the restaurant. She’s going to take up the store manager’s time, the district manager’s time, and probably some VP’s time at corporate. That’s a best-case scenario. Worst-case, she’s going to lobby her friends and acquaintances not to patronize that Wendy’s in particular, or possibly all Wendy’s restaurants. The saying “A happy customer tells one person about their experience; an unhappy customer tells 20 people” has a fairly solid basis in fact. Individual people, when upset enough, have caused major shifts in advertising strategies for large companies.
In your view, **Upside\_Down\_Amber** ’s position is just a crap job. I can guarantee you Wendy’s doesn’t see it that way, and this type of situation is exactly the reason why. Anytime you interact with the public as a part of your job, you’ve got to represent the company well.
Turn it around – for the profit made on a $2.29 bowl of chili, your actions will cost Wendy’s untold dollars in employee time alone. By engaging in public behavior completely unrelated to the job while on the clock, it’s entirely possible **Upside\_Down\_Amber** will lose her job. Is that a huge deal to either of you? Maybe not. But I can guarantee you it will _become_ a big deal in the future if you don’t acknowledge that the behavior might not have been appropriate.
> [@](#):
>
> Re: wasting time. Is taking a bathroom break “stealing” time from your employer? Because that’s about how much time we spent, the time it takes to take a crap. Cory used up her craptime on me.
This is an obvious strawman. Employers are actually required by law to provide adequate down time from the job for personal needs. Smooching your sweetie over the counter doesn’t qualify as a “personal need,” regardless of your devotion level.
> [@](#):
>
> I was leaning on the counter the whole time, so she probably assumed we were kissing for three or four times longer than we were.
Unfortunately, due to your actions you’ve reduced this to a “she said/she said” situation. Since you admit you two were kissing, you have no more credibility than the woman does when it comes to the length of time so engaged. (Not here, on this board; I mean with the corporate folks.)
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### Author:  [@SubliminaLiar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SubliminaLiar)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/139 "2003-12-16T15:29:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by kung fu lola…_
> **…“Update on the Psycho hosebeast”…**
_ **Hosebeast?!** _ Izzat some kinda…\* heterophobic \*comment or somethin’? 😛
> [@](#):
>
> **…“I’m thinking that Wendy’s spent more money on the lightbulbs to illuminate the space that woman was taking up, than they made off of her 3-hour chili”…**
I’m thinking that Wendy’s doesn’t shut off the lights when there’s no customers inside… it sounds (to me) like you’re trying to make the **customer** out as the problem, when what sparked this entire silly ordeal was you and your SO socializing on company time, and in view of customers. (You had to be in a place for the woman to see you at some point; she SAW ya, right?)
FWIW, based on your description of ‘the incident’ I agree that the customer over-reacted. I see nothing to indicate homophobia, though. To me this isn’t a gender-issue, or even a PDA issue… it’s pretty much a non-issue. Get over yerselves 🆒
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-homophobic-customers-at-wendys/218919/140 "2003-12-16T16:24:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SubliminaLiar \*
> \*\*I’m thinking that Wendy’s doesn’t shut off the lights when there’s no customers inside… \*\*
Actually, the lights go off automatically when the door closes. They also have a gigantic box of baking soda open in the back to absorb odor.
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