4/11/2010
Around 7:15pm I walk into the Boston Market in West Philadelphia on Chestnut Street at 38th. There are about 12-15 other patrons in the restaurant, all African-American. There are 4 employees, also African-American, and one manager- a pudgy female with an angry scowl about her countenance. I look at the menu and browse the family meals. Meal for 3...full chicken, 3 large sides, 3 corn breads...perfect. To the left of this menu, a sign promoting $1.99 Full Rotisserie Chickens w/ purchase of a family meal. There are a few people behind me on line. I approach the counter.
Me: I'd like a meal for 3, mashed potatoes, corn, mac and cheese, and an extra chicken for 1.99
Manager (stepping in from a separate conversation): Sorry, we're out of promotional chickens tonight
Me: Well do you have regular chickens?
Manager: Yes
Me: What's the difference between a regular chicken and a promotional chicken?
Manager: About $8.29
Me: No, No...what is different about the chicken?
Manager: Oh, nothing.
Me: So why can I not have it for $1.99?
Manager: Because we stopped the promotion!
Me: So why is the sign still up?
Manager: Well we were running it most of the day, we just stopped it recently.
Me: What do you mean you just stopped it? You just randomly decide when you're going to charge people more for chickens?
Manager: This is a PROMOTION kid...do you not understand what a promotion is? It's only while supplies last!
Me: Okay, look- That sign says Full chicken for $1.99 with purchase of a family meal, you have a chicken, I want it.
Manager: No you don't understand, we stopped the promotion we only have regular chickens left. Don't you see the sign? It says "while supplies last" (she points to the sign's fine print which does read "while supplies last")
Me: Yes, I understand, but you have supplies, and I would like to purchase them.
Manager: I don't think you understand what promotion means.
--At this point I must take the time to note that I'm currently a student at the Wharton School of Business studying Marketing. That being said, it required an unprecedented and herculean effort on the part of my internal restraint system to grind out the next sentence in a somewhat polite manner. Yet, with frustrations mounting as the unfathomable degree of ineptitude possessed by this particular Boston Market manager began to manifest itself, I shouldered on with sights set on a Full Rotisserie chicken for $1.99--
Me: Trust me, I understand the concept of a promotion.
----At this point everyone has stopped eating/ordering and are all staring at me. It's a bit of a ghetto environment. I'm dressed like a fool and can't tell if I'm viewed as an asshole white boy being obnoxious, or a fellow cash-strapped west-philadelphian trying to feed his family and not wanting to be swindled out of $8.29 extra for a chicken when the sign clearly says $1.99-----
Manager: Well I don't think you understand what I sale is, this is while supplies last.
Me: Look, I am very familiar with both promotions and sales- that sign says $1.99 chickens while supplies last, you have supplies, they have lasted (I wanted to then say...I don't think YOU understand the concept of a promotion).
Manager: Look at all these people behind you online for food, I only have 5 chickens left, what am I supposed to do.
Me: Listen, you have 5 chickens. That is called your SUPPLY. I am going to purchase a family meal for 3 and an additional chicken for $1.99 because the sign says "WHILE SUPPLIES LAST"
Manager: But I already closed the promotion.
Me: Okay fine, what time do you end the promotion each day so I can come back tomorrow in time to get it?
Manager: Well..uh..it's actually based on how many chickens are left.
Me: Fine then, how many chickens do you need to have left to end the promotion early?
Manager: Well..um..aright just ring it up for $1.99
