A Letter To The Editor: "My Response To Your Article Of The Soldier And Golden Corral

For those of you who are questioning the integrity of the person who originally made this post, let me assure you that all things were done properly. 

My name is Cami Whaley, and the post is mine. It was made on my Facebook and by the powers of social media has traveled to where it has. And I would like to shed a little more light on my side of this story. 

Here are the facts. In the beginning of December, I was made aware that our soldier was coming home and wanted to surprise his wife,(my sister) and their little boy. He and I had picked Golden Corral as the venue because we wanted a family friendly place that both sides of the family could enjoy with a variety of foods available. 

 I contacted Golden Corral mid December and spoke with a female manager (which I was later told was actually a District manager) who ensured me that this was no problem. (For all purposes, at this time I will withhold said managers names.) She was given a specific date of January 28th. This happens to also be my sister's and her husband's anniversary. So this date was given firmly with no mention of changing it to a Wednesday or Thursday. She told me to contact her throughout and leading up to the date in case of time change or party size number. 

I specifically asked for a room with a TV or projector as we had something in the works, and would have several small children in attendance also to which I would bring a cartoon if needed. I was given the green light and told that everything would be in order. 

She was again contacted at the beginning of January to a change in our dinner time. I was told that, that was acceptable and to call back a week before. I did so. No mention was made of any possible interference with my reservation. 

I then contacted her two days prior making sure we were still on the same page as we were going to have our soldier surprise my sister and her son within the restaurant. She informed me that this was entirely possible, and that I just needed to come sign a basic contract of rules and such. I expressed to her that I would be in that night to do so where as she then told me that she would not be in and to just request the next manager and do so accordingly. This is what I did. 

In arriving with a friend of mine, I spoke to another manager. This gentleman was extremely helpful, and very pleasant. (Apparently this may also be his downfall, as I have since been told that this issue is trying to be laid solely upon his shoulders. I feel this is extremely unfair as he was following what he was told to do by his higher management).

I made it very clear to him as well just what our plans were in decorating and so forth. HE took it upon himself to tell me that since our dinner was to begin at 7, that he would make sure extra food was prepared, that the one room would be closed down so that we could decorate a half hour, to an hour before... and that we would be given the larger of the two rooms considering our party was larger. He also went on to say that Kids night has been slow lately and that the smaller room with the TV would be for that use that way it would be beneficial for all. HE also said that considering we were coming within the last hour of the dinner service, and that technically we reserved it for a two hour time block, that there would be no problems in accommodation. He was also asked of the use of the projection screen and it was again confirmed to not be an issue. I agreed and then he continued to give me a pricing sheet, and had me sign before I took my leave. 

On the day of the planned party I received a phone call at approximately 1-1:30 pm to let me know that the requested space/contract could not be honored. It was here this third manager tried to tell me that unless I wanted to change the date to a Wednesday or Thursday to have the room, I was at a loss. When I told him I wouldn't reschedule the party (mind you family members were already traveling downstate to get here), his words " well it is what it is, we are trying to fix this for you." I expressed my dissatisfaction of this and was asked to hold while the gentleman (a different manager by the way) spoke to the owner. He come back to the phone and told me that even after talking to his owner there was no way this could happen. I was told the best to be done was to put my party in a different section of the restaurant around a fireplace and they would try to get us as close together as they could, with the use of a divider. 

At this point, we had been preparing a power point presentation and the countless money I was referring to was that of the decorations, travel arrangements (as his family was coming from 3 hours away), and yes even my gas to come to said establishment to make sure things were in order. I expressed clearly to this third manager that I was unhappy that we could no longer be accommodated in what I was promised. He became very brazen and harsh spoken to me on the phone, citing his own experiences with war and basically told me that my requests and being upset over this matter were unfounded because they "were trying to fix it.". And no my intention to my post was not meant to imply that our soldier is more important than any kids coming to your establishment. Mr. Anonymous manager who has recently posted on behalf of Golden Corral, I was told word for word by one of your management staff that they were more important than he after he berated me over the telephone. 

After being talked to the way I was, and still not having our accommodations being met, I then proceeded to tell your manager that I was given until 6pm to cancel should it be necessary. I expressed this to him and told him that yes, because of the "heinous nature" of said staff and the way this was downward spiraling that I may call back to cancel. 

I then called Flaming Grill who was more than happy to help us with our party, and at over half the cost! And I must say with by far better service and interaction. I called back to Golden Corral to cancel within minutes, (absolutely within the appropriate time frame I was given.) At this point not one of your managers would get on the phone, including the one who spoke so harshly to me, your potential customer. Instead, your management put a waitress on the phone with me because it was the manager's belief that I just spoke to minutes before, that this waitress was a friend of mine, hoping she would smooth this debacle over. In all actuality, she was not a friend of mine but a friend of the soldier's mother. 

So through all of this, your management wasn't even clear of who they had been speaking to. At that point I did cancel my request to hold said party in the establishment, and it was relocated to the Flaming Grill. And yes it was cancelled because of the way it was handled - on your part, not mine. I was then given information that as of eight o clock that morning, that your management had been aware of the this potential problem, and could have contacted me then. However the management at your establishment waited until the afternoon to do so. 

So yes the ball was dropped Sir or Madam, but I will not allow this establishment to make it out to be that it was that of my fault. This establishment had several opportunities to express and questions or concerns, that did in fact arise in this instance. And whether or not the validity of this next statement is true, I have also been told by members of your management that Golden Corral in Salisbury is in the process of being phased out over the course of the next 3 years. 

And with business ethics/practices like the ones expressed and clearly acted upon by this location, one can only ascertain that it is much more than fiscal reasons as to why.