Wharton, others at Wendy's flee fire
Smoke 'alarms' didn't signal employees to act

By Chris Conley
Contact
October 17, 2005

When Mayor A C Wharton complained Sunday afternoon that the smoke inside the Wendy's restaurant on Union and Avalon had become obnoxious, employees were polite -- they just wouldn't do anything about it.

A smoldering grill fire, the smoke's source, eventually flared up and engulfed the kitchen. The restaurant is closed for now.



There with his wife Ruby and 10 cub scouts and boy scouts, Wharton complained about the smoke when he placed his order, and later asked management to vent the place.

After 45 minutes, three complaints to employees, and two calls to the corporate offices in Georgia, employees announced the kitchen grill was on fire and told the many customers to leave.

The air inside the restaurant had turned gray.

"I was trying to be polite, but I was getting frustrated," Wharton said Sunday afternoon in a still-scratchy voice. "People were coughing ... it could have been tragic if people had panicked."

Manager Ann Walker said at first she thought the meat grill was just unusually smoky, and cut it off. But instead of subsiding, the smoke increased. Then she realized the grease was on fire.

Firefighters had no trouble dousing the flame once they were notified, Battalion Chief Dale Lock said. They cut a hole in the roof to vent the building, but the damage was extensive once the fire was out.

An automatic alarm to summon the fire department didn't work, Lock said.

Wharton said he and his wife had taken the scouts on a tour of the mayor's office and the Shelby County administration building, and then to Wendy's for a treat.

Wharton said everyone -- the restaurant employees and the call-takers at corporate -- were as polite as could be.

"I just couldn't get them to do anything," he said.

You're right. This is because there would be no customers to complain.

Sure there would. The old people get together would be happening at Danvers on Sunday afternoon.

Those scouts are worthless. Can't even take charge and put out a grease fire. So much for being prepared.

I guess I messed them up. I ordered the Biggle Double-Quad Meal.

"I was trying to be polite, but I was getting frustrated," Wharton said Sunday afternoon in a still-scratchy voice. "People were coughing ... it could have been tragic if people had panicked."

Wharton said everyone -- the restaurant employees and the call-takers at corporate -- were as polite as could be. "I just couldn't get them to do anything," he said.

Thank God everyone's being so polite.

This is because there would be no customers to complain.

Liar.


Those scouts are worthless.

Totally agreed. You'd think one of them would have a merit badge in fire safety...

He should've said something really mayoral like, "We need help, man! that frickin' grill is so smoky. We need frickin' buses bad, man!"

Or he could get all Ray Nagin: "I told ya'll to get out of the fuckin' Wendy's!!!!!"

I'll tell you what WOULD happen at Danver's...

CUSTOMER#1-Hey, there's no condiment's on my burger.

DANVER'S EMPLOYEE#1-Sir, you can find all the fixin's you need right behind you.

CUSTOMER#1-oh. You're right! wow, and look how crisp and clean everything here is!

DANVER'S EMPLOYEE#1(wiping sneeze guard w. anti-bacterial Glass Plus)that's right sir. Danver's takes pride in it's commitment to the gratification of YOUR PERSONAL TASTES. We set you up, you swing for the fences. That's just how we do.

Customer#1-Thank you, Danver's...it's good to know that in a post-9-11-pre-Bird-FluKatrina-all-the-time environment one can still find a service that cares so much about the individuals' needs.

CUSTOMER#2-'somebody needs to move they azz'

Perfection, Matthew, utter perfection.

I'm speech/wordless.

i'm hungry.

I'm speeh/wordless.

That's a first I'm sure.

Dang.

Earles, you suck!

All I know is "I told ya'll to get out of the fuckin' Wendy's!!!" is going to be my new catch all phrase for a long time.