I continue to boycott Esso / Exxon and McDonalds at all times.
Also, all corporations when I can – so, for example, no ‘chain’ fast-food joints at all and, say, Amazon.com because I prefer to help the local shop keepers in business … that kind of thing.
I guess I evolved that philosophy over time – just really don’t like contributing to corporations success any more if I can help it.
The other thing is I’ve learned is to incorporate more recycling (by expanding my understanding of it). Now, for example, I try to buy as many books as possible from charity shops, little pieces of art or … whatever crops up, really.
I’ve been boycotting Cracker Barrel for about five years now, for the reasons stated above. Red Lobster and Olive Garden are owned by the same company (not the one that owns Cracker Barrel, incidentally) and I’m continuing to boycott them for the same reason. American Airlines gets not one penny of my money, but (and this is really bad) I can’t remember why. I had a really good reason when I decided to boycott, though. (Maybe someone here can remind me?) I wanted to boycott Nestle - I really really did - but they’ve got their fingers in so many pies that I know I’ve broken that one at least half a dozen times.
A friend asked me about the negligible effects of personal boycott. He said I really can’t make a difference, but my philosophy on that is I really don’t care if I make a difference to THEM. I care that they won’t be using any of my money to further their dastardly practices.
A local restaurant that we use to love dining at, until they ( the owner and his sister) treated our very good friend like crap. We went back once in three years because we were jonesing for some good mexican food and the service was worse than ever before. ( we waited over an hour for our food and we were the only people in there.)
A Lube place opened up right across the street from the established Lube Place . so I am boycotting the new guys for saturating the market, when we clearly did not need that here in our spit of a town.
I haven’t been to a Walmart in over a year. ( I cave in every year around school time.)
I’m not sure what a Lube Place sells, but you’re cracking me up.
My personal boycotts extend only to Harvey Norman (Australian furniture/electrical goods chain) for their deliberating annoying television ads; and anything involving Mel Gibson, the homophobic religious hose bag.
Fortunately, the US made models of NewBalance shoes fit me nicely.
Wal Mart can lick my lawnmower. They pay their people so badly, they even give them phone numbers for welfare and local charities. You get low prices, but you pay it back in taxes, for the welfare.
Old Navy clothes are almost Maoist in their dullness.
I said I’d watch a reality show if one seemed entertaining. I still haven’t watched one.
I am boycotting astrology columns. They’re probably saying rude things about people of my sign; I don’t care.
I refuse to buy an Afghan, even if it’s made in this country.
All my “boycotting” is because the service/product is too annoying, or the benefit no longer justifies the expense. None of it’s really political.
Major League Baseball: Haven’t been to (or even watched) a game since 1986.
Airlines – All of 'em: Haven’t bought a ticket in over 12 years. Overbooked the plane? Sorry, but I don’t give a crap about your business model, I bought a g----mn ticket and I expect a seat. Period. And spare me the excuses about my luggage, I expect my bag when I get off the plane. We rent a plane if the Pullin family needs to fly somewhere; Otherwise we drive. (Obviously, we don’t cross oceans very much :))
Movie theaters: going on my fourth year without darkening one’s door. Price is way too high for what turns out to be a cellphone/chatting experience, occasionally interrupted by a movie. I didn’t buy the ticket to listen to cellphones, nor did I buy it too see 18 minutes of commercials preceding a movie. (Don’t even get me started on snack prices).
McDonalds, Arby’s, and KFC: I’ve worked there, and no more need be said. In KFC’s case, I don’t even know if the chicken will give me an allergic reaction because the recipe is secret. Not to mention, the food at all of them is disgusting, although Arby’s reached edible status after a while.
Cracker Barrel: They are openly homophobic and I refuse to eat there. Not easy, considering my grandmother wants to eat there every time she comes to visit. I’ve convinced them lately to try the new sushi place, so that might have panned out.
Criswell Chevrolet in Maryland has treated me horribly every time I’ve gone there. I took my dad’s Corvette in for service once and they tried to tell me that the cotter pin that was missing from one shock absorber was going to cost me $120. When I said I wasn’t going to pay that much for a glorified paper clip they laughed and called me a silly little girl. Funny how my dad got on the phone, they gave it to him free of charge.
Then there was the time they quoted me $300 for repair work and when I got the bill it was twice as much because they “forgot” to add the labor.
Of course, I stupidly gave them one last chance back in 2000. I went looking for a new truck, and they told me to “come back with my parents”. I was 28 at the time and doing quite well on my own. I left and bought a fully loaded GMC Sierra from another dealer. They lost out on almost $40,000 as well as any future purchases from me but sadly it hasn’t hurt their business.
I’m still boycotting 7-11 because they were the first chain to buckle under to Christian pressure groups and stop selling Playboy a quarter century ago.
For me it’s Wal-Mart. I think they’re evil. The Waltons are among the richest people in America, and yet they see fit to fire hard-working employees just to hire the same people back 2 weeks later at $2/hr less? EVIL.
It started as a New Year’s resolution this year, and so far, I havn’t spent a penny there.
I am boycotting PIZZA HUT because there is another pizza place right next door to me. The last two delivery drivers from PIZZA HUT asked “Why did you call us when you have a place right next door?” I thought the first guy might be a fluke so I did try again. After the second guy, I called and told the manager that I wouldn’t be bothering them in the future.
Clear Channel radio stations - This has been a little tough. There are only 3 radio stations here that are even remotely alternative, and 1 is a Clear Channel station. So 1/3 of my choices gone. I can’t stand their generic, cross the country programming style
Best Buy music department - ever since they started convincing recording companies to let them have exclusive rights to sell some material (Rolling Stones stuff released this last Christmas), they have lost all of my music business.
Wendy’s–Used to go there like once or twice a week. I love their dollar menu and always liked the food. Then one night, when I was very tired, very hungry, and very grumpy we went through the drive-thru and ordered a salad, a chicken sandwich, two fries, and two frosties. We pull up, they say “Oh, we don’t have everything done, pull around and we’ll bring it out to you.” Annoyed, I do as they say and they never bring the food out. Fifteen minutes later i send my husband in to get the food, he comes out after another 15 minutes (by now I’ve almost reached apocolyptic rage) and then, the fucking order is wrong!
It was too much. And I have a long memory.
Wal-Mart–I hate everything about it. Everything. I’ll go if my mom sends me a gift card, otherwise I won’t go. My husband will drop by occasionally on his way home from work, but I won’t.
