I’m not usually one to complain about customer service.  I’ve worked with the general public in retail positions since I was 15 and I understand people have bad days and its not the easiest thing in the world to deal with the general idiocracy that is the majority of the population these days.  When I visit an establishment such as a restaurant, or a retail store, 90% of the time I can forgive mistakes and slip ups just because I’ve been in that position and I understand that not everyone is perfect.  I’m definitely not perfect and I’ve made mistakes on the job.  I’ve had bad days and my service has definitely suffered from it.

What I can’t take are establishments that consistently serve the public horribly and make customers expect terrible customer service from people like me who generally give a shit on a day to day basis.  I’m not sure what it is but I’ve always cared about how people view me and how I am serving them.  No matter the level of lunacy that people serve to me, I always try to serve them with as much respect and level headedness as possible.  I’m not sure if that’s in my character or if it’s just common sense that is lost on certain people, but it seems that at certain places this concept is completely lost.

I would like to introduce you to the Taco Bell located on State St. in Ann Arbor, MI.  This Taco Bell location is currently offering some of the worst customer service in the history of customer service.  I may only be passionate enough to write about this because I’ve been drinking heavily and they just failed me for the 3948739473947th time, but goddamnit I’m angry and it’s time to bust some heads Epic Portions style.

There have been many occasions that this Taco Bell has embarrassed the fast food industry.  You may be thinking about what a ridiculous statement that is, but seriously.  This place is like the class where they send kids who can’t quite cut it in the slow class.  It’s the trailer behind the school where they keep the kids who aren’t allowed to participate in standardized testing in fear that their scores alone may lead to the complete cuting of state funding for the entire school.  Their interview process must involve a game of Pictionary followed by a game of rock paper scissors, with the loser gaining full time employment and full health benefits.

If you have 30-40 minutes to kill, pull right in and place an order.  Guarantee you’ll be waiting for 50.  If you’re sick of waiting, too bad.  There are curbs on either side of you.  You’re not going anywhere.  Just in case that wait didn’t infuriate you enough, your order will be wrong and you’ll have to pull back around and wait again.  It would be convenient to simply enter the dining room, but it’s currently being renovated.  Time to either eat that fiesta salsa you didn’t want slathered all over your Grilled Stufft Burrito or scrape off the tomatoes and deal with that disgusting tomato residue.  But wait, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.  I have personally been witness to this Taco Bell being out of tortillas, beef, chicken, rice and beans.  Keep in mind that all of these ingredients have been absent on separate occasions.  What are you supposed to order at Taco Bell when they are out of hard and soft tortillas?  Pintos and Cheese?  That’s an appetizer.

I often wonder who serves as manager of this Taco Bell and why he hasn’t had crosses burning in his front lawn.  I say this not because I’m a card carrying member of the KKK(i’m not), but because he deserves to have something burning on his front lawn and that was the most dramatic thing I could think of.  Who hires these people?   Who orders the supplies?   It’s not just me who has dreamt up a hatred for this specific location, it’s general knowledge that this is the worst Taco Bell on the planet.  It’s almost comedic how bad it is.

I welcome the residents of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to share your State St. Taco Bell stories as comments to this post.   I have heard many, and I welcome a complete bitch session about the customer service that makes this place the Holocaust of fast food establishments.

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