S/O I'm Never Shopping There - What Businesses Will Forever Have Your Patronage?

[ladyknight1]

Chik-fil-A

Today, I went through the drive through and ordered a chicken nugget meal with an unsweetened iced tea. When I got to the window, after paying, I told the cashier that I never order sandwiches in the drive-through because pickles always end up on the sandwich (even when requested without them), and I don't want them and don't have time to wait for my order to be fixed. I get my food, leave and once I arrive at my office, I find that instead of nuggets, I received a sandwich with extra pickles. I call the restaurant to explain the problem, and they delivered the nuggets to my office, three miles away.

I'm sorry... you got my mental sandwich. All day I was totally jonesing for a Chik-Fil-A samdwich with extra pickles.

Now I know who to blame!  The young lady who I spoke to and who delivered the nuggets could not believe the number of pickles on the sandwich.

[ladyknight1]

I also love Publix. People around here complain that the prices are higher than some other stores, but I stick to store brands and sales and do pretty well.

I once forgot my wallet completely. They let me take my groceries home and come back to pay the next day. That is service!

[Softly Spoken]

I also love Publix. People around here complain that the prices are higher than some other stores, but I stick to store brands and sales and do pretty well.

I once forgot my wallet completely. They let me take my groceries home and come back to pay the next day. That is service!

Okay you reminded me of my neighborhood grocery store (a Safeway FWIW, but I think it's the individual location more than the chain) that I kind of take for granted. The veteran employees are awesome, the younger/newer people are hit and miss. But there are 2 instances the stick in my mind:
1) I was all checked out. I swipe my credit card whose balance I thought I had paid off but apparently not early enough in the day (*razzin fraggin time zones!*) so it hadn't gone through yet . This I learned after a frantic call to CC company after card gets declined. I don't have enough cash. This is the first time anything like this has happened to me, and the first time ever that my CC has been rejected. Cue panic attack and me trying not to cry. I HAVE the money, I just can't give it to the nice grocery store employee. Desperately, I ask him if they can hold my groceries while I go the ~3 blocks home to grab my checkbook? He says sure, they'll put the cart in back since I have dairy and frozen items. I go home, get check, they give me back my groceries, all is right with the world again - and I learn to check my CC balance more often and pay it off much earlier in the day!
2) We have the new plastic-bags-are-evil rule in our city now, so everyone has to bring in their canvas totes unless they want to be charged 5 cents each for a paper bag with no handles (the one real gripe I have about the store - no handles on a grocery bag? seriously? ). So on the day before last Thanksgiving, I bring 3 bags but I buy a lot of stuff and its heavy stuff and it doesn't all fit in the bags. The bagging lady (an awesome long time employee who knows me by sight if not by name), sees my panicked expression. She says "You just live nearby right?" I say "Yeah but I have to walk and it's so heavy I'm worried how to even make it a few blocks." She tells me to just take the cart and I can bring it back tomorrow. Not only do I bring it back but I pick up a few more items - as I'm walking out I see her and make a joke about how her letting me take the cart home paid off, showing her how this time around my purchases all fit in my bags and can be carried.

Other gold stars for this particular store include their finding and holding my dad's wallet when he dropped it there and being very friendly about it when he called and when he sheepishly went to retrieve it, and this one girl who knows me, my dad and my brothers and always catches up with us when we go through her check stand - she remembers how I like my bags packed, so I will actually wait in a longer line just to go through her check out!

I don't want to jinx anything but I have to admit I don't know what I would do if they weren't around.

[faithlessone]

I have to put in a nomination for my local Lush.

I'm not sure whether it's just my local one, but I have never had even a lukewarm experience there. The shop assistants are, without exception, helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable.

For example, my BFF loves bath stuff, but she has very sensitive skin, and will break out in hives if exposed to certain ingredients. I got a list from her, gave it to a shop assistant at Lush, and he was able to pick out several products (multiple bath bombs, shower gel and soap) that wouldn't irritate her skin. (And they didn't! )

I've also found that they are both very good at making recommendations, and very good at leaving you alone when you just want to browse and smell things for a while. (Both very important!)

They also have an online store, but I've never used it, so I can't speak for that.

[siamesecat2965]

I will have to nominate any Vera Bradley store I';ve been in, regular or outlet. The staff is ALWAYS friendly, cheerful, and willing to either let you browse, or help you find what you want.

I bought a bag back in Dec, online, but decided I don't really care for the pattern, so I've never used it.  According to their website, I have 90 days to return/exchange. I also used my $20 birthday coupon, and I will be at that mall this weekend (Closest store is about 30 miles away so i don't get there taht often).  I called and asked if a. i could exchange my online purchase in the store and b. would my b-day discount still apply if i bought something else. I know i don't get it back if i just return it, and they couldnt have been nicer.

So I will go back, and see what I can find that i relaly do like.

[CuriousParty]

Hanna Andersson. This company is just the. best.

They do kids' clothes, as well as a limited line of adult clothing.  The prices are high, I'm not gonna lie, but 1) they have great sales and 2) they last for.ev.er.  My almost 6-year old has 3-year old dresses she still wears as tunics, and they still look great!

My most recent experience that has me singing their praises - I stopped at an outlet during a vacation trip and picked up some things.  I washed the baby's romper and the iron on type appliqué started to peel off in chunks.  The receipt says returns/refunds/exchanges with unwashed/unworn and with tags/receipt only, but I called anyway to see what could be done.  After a VERY brief hold (less than a minute) I explained the situation to the rep.  It's a year-old pattern, and only the outlet had any more, but it's a 7-hour drive away.  On hearing that the rep took a few minutes, then came back on line to tell me she had found one in the right size, would drop ship it to me right away, and I don't even have to return this one (because the price I paid is so low).  They have to be losing money on this but they are keeping a very loyal customer, and gaining however many more I can find.

I love that company, I really do.

[AtraBecca]

I love the Bay. They have the best plus sized clothes EVER. 

[Mad Goat Woman]

I have to say there's a farm equipment store that has really impressed me. I ordered two things, a day apart, and both of them arrived within a day or two of being ordered. I'm thoroughly impressed, and I'll totally be shopping at The Farm Store Online again when I next need something.

[magician5]

Quill.com for office supplies and stationery - often items are here next day. And the prices are right.

[mmswm]

I decided to dig up this thread to give Kudos to the American Airlines Arena in Miami.  My mom purchased tickets to Disney on Ice several months ago.  When she bought them, she didn't even think about my youngest son needing a wheelchair.  I assumed she had.  So, halfway down there, we realized that because the seats she bought were all the way down at the bottom (the extra chairs they put up right next to the ice), we might have a problem.  So, we get to the main garage and park.  There's a couple of elevators that get you directly into the arena, so there are ticket checkers at those doors.  We get in line at one and the ticket checker sees DS and lets us know we would need a different elevator.  The doors haven't opened yet, but they escort us to the proper elevator, where we are put on the one that goes down (instead of up), escorted through the VIP corridors, and through doors that the teams would normally use to get to the court when games are being played.  Once we were seated, the ushers made sure we had everything we needed.  I was perfectly capable of hauling myself up and down the stairs, but since both DS and my mother have mobility problems (mom isn't using a walker or cane anymore, but her ankle isn't fully recovered yet and her knee is going to be replaced as soon as her ankle is better), the ushers let all of use the court side bathrooms and ran up the stairs for mom when she needed her soda refilled.  When the show was over, they again made sure we had everything we needed and helped us navigate the crowds and led us through the (very confusing) hallways back to the elevators we needed to get back to our car.  The whole time they were smiling and eager to be of any assistance to us, and all of the other patrons.  These are the same ushers that work the games, and you know the Miami Heat games have been crazy lately, so they had every right to be tired and grumpy, but they were not. 

[GratefulMaria]

Hanna Andersson. This company is just the. best.

They do kids' clothes, as well as a limited line of adult clothing.  The prices are high, I'm not gonna lie, but 1) they have great sales and 2) they last for.ev.er.  My almost 6-year old has 3-year old dresses she still wears as tunics, and they still look great!

My most recent experience that has me singing their praises - I stopped at an outlet during a vacation trip and picked up some things.  I washed the baby's romper and the iron on type appliqué started to peel off in chunks.  The receipt says returns/refunds/exchanges with unwashed/unworn and with tags/receipt only, but I called anyway to see what could be done.  After a VERY brief hold (less than a minute) I explained the situation to the rep.  It's a year-old pattern, and only the outlet had any more, but it's a 7-hour drive away.  On hearing that the rep took a few minutes, then came back on line to tell me she had found one in the right size, would drop ship it to me right away, and I don't even have to return this one (because the price I paid is so low).  They have to be losing money on this but they are keeping a very loyal customer, and gaining however many more I can find.

I love that company, I really do.

I love HA!  My sons are three years apart, and DS2 wore DS1's hand-me-downs.  When one of the knees in a pair of double-knee sweats blew out I called them about it.  The rep looked up my order history and reluctantly told me that I'd ordered them over two years ago . . . I was shocked, had thought it was only a few months.  (In my defense, I'd been sleeping maybe two hours at a time for years by then.)  I apologized profusely, and when he asked if the issue was addressed for me, I told him that while I was a bit disappointed not to mention embarrassed, I was in no way dissatisfied and that we were fine.  He paused, asked me to hold, then came back on to tell me he'd have some matching swatches sent to me for patches.  Well, my mother stitched them on, and we got two more years out of the things!  There was no way he had to think of doing that, since it was clear that it was an error on my part rather than a quality issue, and I'd already let him know I was happy with things as they stood.

[GratefulMaria]

I also love Vermont Smoke and Cure.  My sons have life-threatening food allergies, and when I called this company about ingredient questions for one of their items, they went to double-check a "natural flavor" ingredient for me, and continued to do so every time I placed an order.  The last time I called about this, they didn't do that -- because, they told me, they'd reformulated the recipe and everything was now listed.  I told DH that we were buying cases of these things even if they boys never ate another one.

[CharlieBraun]

State Farm Insurance.

My parents' car was totalled (with them in it) last Thanksgiving when we were at the beach house; they were driving to spend the holiday with us when someone rushing to the likker store crashed into them.

State Farm?  It was like they had been waiting just for my parents to call and need help.  Within an hour, they had:

the accident report downloaded from Florida Highway Patrol and the claim underway;
a car reservation made for them, with the rental place sending a person to pick up my parents and bring them to their car;
a judgement of "car totalled, here's the local dealership to go pick up your 100% paid new one in your choice of color" within 48 hours.

Most of all, they treated my parents as honored guests, with respect.

I changed my insurance to State Farm the day after Thanksgiving.

[Auntie Mame]

Mud Bay pet supply.  Not only are the staff at every single super friendly and helpful.  They are also very knowledgeable about the products and care deeply about animals.

My cat has to be on a special organic grain free wet food diet because of her health problems.  Mud Bay will 1) give me free samples of small cans so i can determine what she will and will not eat 2) Take time to help me pick out what food would be best for her and what she would most likely eat 3) knows about very single product in their store and can answer all your questions.

What really sold me was when I tried to put her back on kibble (that failed epically all over the floor, and the sheets, and the laundry.  Poor thing).  They took the open bag of kibble back and gave me store credit for more wet food.  Hoe awesome is that?

Seriously, if you are anywhere near a MudBay, give them your money, they treat their loyal customers like royalty.

[Outdoor Girl]

2 or 3 years ago, I bought a product called 'The Wellness Belt'.  It is a weighted belt that you wear around your hips that is supposed to help with back pain and to promote weight loss.  I thought it was a gimmick but it had a 90 day money back guarantee so I figured it was worth trying.  The factory is local to me and there is a little retail outlet there so that's where I went.  Otherwise, you have to get it on-line or from a few select distributers.

I didn't get the miraculous results that other people proclaimed but it has helped my back considerably so I kept it.  Shortly after my 90 days, I had a small problem with the buckle.  I took it in and they fixed it, no problem.  I wear it almost all day, every day, and now, after a couple of years, it was starting to fall apart.

I took it in to the factory last night to get a new one.  I took it off and the clerk said, 'Oh, you definitely need a repair!'  So she started the paperwork on that when another lady came out and talked to me.  I ended up getting a new belt for the cost of a repair!