East Side Mario's Warning

[Sally888]

The Sudbury Star
33 Mackenzie Street,
Sudbury, Ontario
P3C 4Y1

January 16th, 2009

Att.: Letter to the Editor

Re: Restaurant Closure

Dear Editor:

Diane & I were disappointed in not having the opportunity to contribute to Carol Mulligan’s article concerning our restaurant published on page 3 in The Sudbury Star,
January 14th, 2009.
We would like the opportunity to address the citizens of Greater Sudbury, our friends, our patrons (and former patrons), our staff and our colleagues across the nation who also own and operate an East Side Mario’s franchise.
We are all too aware of the email being circulated on the laptops and computers in thousands of homes and businesses across Sudbury, in fact now across the country. Here are the facts:
Our hot water tank stopped supplying hot water on the morning of December 30th, 2008 at approximately 11:15am. My son & I attempted to relight the pilot light for a half hour, without success. I immediately contacted CR HVAC Services as well as Reliance to have them investigate the problem. I contacted our Head office, Prime Restaurants shortly after noon to advise that I must close the doors until this situation was resolved. I asked if there was a need to evacuate the restaurant and the answer was “no”. I posted a
“temporarily closed” sign on the front doors at 12:20pm. The hot water tank was removed, replaced with a new one, fired up and supplying hot water at 5:00pm. We
re-washed the dishes and opened the doors at 6:00pm. I contacted Prime Restaurants once again to inform them of the re-opening.
The restaurant cleaning is carried out on a daily basis by an outside source “Matt Hickey Contracting”, as it was that morning. He guarantees that there were no feces, nor urine on the toilet seats of the women’s washroom. Our check report indicate there were 72 guests in the restaurant prior to the lunch time closing, and an additional 171 guests from 6:00pm ‘til close. Not one female guest complained of any sanitary issues in the women’s washroom.
There was no growth beneath the Convection oven in the kitchen (confirmed by the Health Unit). There is however a drainage pipe there which the email author may have mistaken for “growth”.
We cannot deny an employee coughing on the plates, however we have scheduled a Safe Food Handling course with the local Health Unit for our employees.
And finally, Ms Ashley Gallivan, Public Health Inspector, visited our establishment the early morning of December 31, 2008 and upon her investigation confirmed that we had done everything right in order to protect the health of our guests, and commended us on such quick, pro active actions. Prime Restaurants concurred.
As a result of these circumstances, the five day restaurant closure provided us with the opportunity to address many general maintenance issues, minor repairs and attempt to revive staff morale. We are grateful to Prime Restaurants and their team for their great assistance.
This malicious & false email has caused what seems to be irrevocable damage to our reputation, our business, our family and sadly, the 50+ employees working there. Our sales have obviously declined, guest count is down and prospective purchasers for our restaurant have retracted their “offer to purchase”. Interesting to note, the email author applied for a job at this establishment on July 15th, 2008, and was unsuccessful in securing employment with us. We have forwarded a copy of his cover letter, including address and telephone number and his resume to our head office.
Diane & I have strived to create a fun, family eating destination for the folks of Sudbury.
Two years ago, we invested a half million dollars to improve the look and comfort for our guests and many, many regular patrons we’ve come to meet and adore over the past 19 years. While we are currently considering our options with regards to this blatant defamation, we will continue to offer, along with our kids, a welcoming atmosphere with great Italian cooking, hoping to regain the confidence of our neighbourhood friends.
We would like to thank our kids whose perseverance and determination greatly assisted us in remaining guest focused throughout this ordeal. And to our staff whose patience and understanding is remarquably examplarary and supportive, to Prime Restaurants for their help in “Raising the bar”, to Reliance for their quick response with our hot water crisis and finally to our patrons for your supportive phone calls and emails, your return visits at our restaurant. To our colleagues across the country in our East Side Mario’s franchise community, I truly hope your brand hasn’t been affected such as mine by this malicious email, and wish you the best.

Regards,

Mark Deschenes, Owner/Operator
East Side Mario’s, 900 Lasalle Blvd.,
Sudbury, Ontario P3A 5W8
705-524-2200

[Sally888]

http://www.thesudburystar.com/Articl...spx?e=1388954&

Article in the star.

What I don't understand is who in there right mind would walk arond in a kitchen with ''feces, urine and toilet paper' on the floor. If I worked there and actually saw that I sure as heck wouldnt be working my shift and the health unit would of been phoned instantly. I can't believe all the employees would work in those condition and not a one reported it.

I once worked in a kitchen at a restaurant and they wanted me to serve rotten chicken (it had green fuzz) I wouldnt cook it so the chef did. Do you know what I did? Hung up my apron quit and went home and phoned the health unit.

I seriously cant see all these people walking around in poop.
Sorry.

[matrix82]

Wow, so the poop thing isn't true? It seems a little outrageous..but kitchen nightmares has made things like this a possibility

[Justine]

So the original poster made up this story?

[parisprincess]

"They continued to serve customers for 3 days while the cooks were walking around in sewer water."

Yeah I found this really hard to believe as well... What cook would work in those conditions and still serve food? for 3 days? Seriously? Come on now.

This is what I mean by not spreading the word about something like this when you are not even sure of it. (Especially when it sounds so extreme and bogus.) It's really damaging to the person's restaurant and reputation.

[Sally888]

I'm not going to accuse the op on this nor should anyone( Sc rules!) but please do read the story in the paper for the original story and the owners response which Bonniecode posted the link for (I in the next post pasted it)

[parisprincess]

I wasn't accusing anyone?

[gameprogirl]

Here is a copy from the rep at East Side Mario's head office!!!!!! I did not lie

Hello Kristen and Chris,

Thank you for taking the time to let us know some of the issues happening in the Thunder bay restaurant.

I have been in contact with the management team in the restaurant and I am investigating the issues you have mentioned. The restaurant did inform me and forwarded me the resignation letter from Chris.

I just wanted to thank you for taking the time, even though you do not work there anymore and rest assured I will investigate further into the issues you have listed. I apologize for the tardiness of my reply. I did receive a voice mail from Kristen but the return phone number was not clear, I received your email address from our Guest concern representative, so I thought I would drop you a quick note to let you know that we are working on the issues at hand.

Thanks again for bringing these issues to our notice.

Uno non puo pensore bene e domire bene, se non ha mangiato bene! Mangia Mangia e East Side Mario's

Brent Sim

Area Manager

East Side Mario's, Northern Ontario

[email protected]

705 627 9079

[Sally888]

I did not say you lied I posted the article Bonnie code refered to in her post, please reread the thread.

[roseofblack25]

no one is accusing we are just saying it seems hard to believe people would work for three days in those conditions I would have told them to go shove their job and would have left and called health board on them for the unsafe conditions cause breathing that in isnt safe either...

[nanuk]

My friend is a plumber and gives us up-to-date report on restruants in Halifax lol

[parisprincess]

no one is accusing we are just saying it seems hard to believe people would work for three days in those conditions I would have told them to go shove their job and would have left and called health board on them for the unsafe conditions cause breathing that in isnt safe either...

Exactly.. I just can't see a cook going in for an 8 hour shift, cooking food, all while their feet are soaked in urine and feces... CONTINUE their shift, and then return the next day to do it again? And then again?

Who in their right mind would do that?

Sorry, not calling you a liar, but yes... I find that so hard to believe.

[caitfoster]

It is kinda tough to believe, except if all they had working there were illegal immigrants. Those people are afraid to russle any feathers in case they lose their only job or are deported. But saying that, there are nasty things that do go on in resturants. I was always very proud of my track record of managing mine for years. I do remember talking with a health food inspector who told me of a resturant they needed to close becuase it was selling crab, but after it turned the corner they would dip it in a javex solution to make it fresh again. They got found out pretty fast though.

[Justine]

It is kinda tough to believe, except if all they had working there were illegal immigrants. Those people are afraid to russle any feathers in case they lose their only job or are deported. But saying that, there are nasty things that do go on in resturants. I was always very proud of my track record of managing mine for years. I do remember talking with a health food inspector who told me of a resturant they needed to close becuase it was selling crab, but after it turned the corner they would dip it in a javex solution to make it fresh again. They got found out pretty fast though.

I hope they are italian immigrants? bing-bada-bing-bada-boom!

[TrixyRox]

I hope they are italian immigrants? bing-bada-bing-bada-boom!

LOL!!! Great