Do you think Arbys Restaurant in Chattanooga was in the wrong?

Question

I witnessed someting very upsetting at the Shallowford Road Arbys in Chattanooga and want to know your opinion on this. Heres my story.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/912797/arbys_restaurant_in_chattanooga_refuses.html?cat=9

Answer 1

If they need money, one of them can get a job.  Restaurants can't just hire someone at the drop of a hat.  They need to be trained to do the work...Why train someone that just wants to work of a sandwich or two?  Plus, with Arby's being a franchise, they have to have a SLEW of paperwork just to have someone step behind their counter.  There are laws in place regarding that.  It's NOT Arby's fault. It would be different if the restaurant was family owned.

Answer 2

In my younger days I worked for a few restaurants in and around the Chattanooga area, as well as in Nashville. It normally is the policy of any of these places that these people no matter how needy are at best considered undesirable. What they were doing is in fact illegal in Tennessee under the states pandering laws.

However as a manager at a place I worked in Nashville I regularly gave left over food to the homeless on my own (without the owners knowledge) I think that we should make provisions for such need.

As far as services go in the Chattanooga area they are bleak, we have a huge brand new food bank but the thing is it is really hard to get a voucher to get the food.

In order to get the voucher you must be at the offices of a church organization near miller park at 5:30 in the morning and wait... only 60 or so vouchers are given a day. half at 9am and the other half at 1pm. So you must be there before the bus runs, and possibly wait 7 to 8 hours. There are other churches I am told that offer the service but If you call 211 Chattanooga,s urban help line you are only directed to the one place. I called all over and got only this answer.

There are over 7000 homeless in our city and many go hungry, just for a day try living thier life... go eat a bowl of grits with them at the missions kitchen and see them... get up at 4 in the morning and try to get a food voucher... While having hard times my wife and I have..... It changed us.

We need more food in this city for the homeless and underpriveledged  and it needs to be more available.

PLEASE DONATE AT

(www.chattfoodbank.org)

Answer 3

No Arbys was not in the wrong.   There could have been all kinds of problems associated with the manager allowing the guy to work... First of all a health certificate is required if he worked in side.. and then if he worked outside he could have been injured..or claimed he was  injured and sued Arbys... with  the "Ill have to steal  something ", I sure think he would sue them if he had a chance... Also you dont know his circumstances... he probably wasnt working for a reason... drugs or alcohol... a choice he made on his own... Another thing is that every community has places for people to get food... churches too... I have had several bad experiences trying to help people like the ones you described that I felt sorry for at the time... Ill tell you this...most of them you can not trust... I volunteered to work the  church food bank  for our church to help needy people who came to our town.... It was disgusting at their dishonesty.... The main thing most of them wanted was money for drugs or alcohol...You could give them something they said they wanted for their kids... clothing etc..and they wouldnt give it to them they would take it to the second hand store and sell it for the money...I dont feel sorry for the adults much any more since working with them... the only ones I feel for are their children.. they are trapped..and helpless.

Answer 4

I definitely think they were wrong and would never do business there again.

I am sure it was difficult to ask for that help and how refreshing that they weren't just asking for a handout.  I hope they found someone more gracious that night.

Answer 5

No, they were just following the laws regarding food service. They can't give away free food or have people work for food.  Yes, they throw food away after it has set out for too long, but can you imagine the law suits.  Maybe these people were out to get them?

Plus, if you were there witnessing this and you cared so much about these people, why didn't you offer to buy their food for them?  Or if you really were so upset, why didn't you walk out of the restaurant and not give them your business?

You are the "good" citizen who watches this all unfold and then does nothing about it except patronize a business.  Shame on you for not stepping up and doing something about it at the time.