My mother and my grandmother went to megamovies a couple weeks ago. My mother bought a ticket and watched a movie, while my 81 year old disabled grandmother stayed outside the theater, bought some food, and waited for my mother in the food court area. My grandmother does not speak english and enjoys sitting and watching the people go by. After the movie, my mother came out, and my grandmother told her she had to use the bathroom. The closest one was the one in the movie theatre—the other one was at the other end of the mall. Seeing as my grandmother is elderly and has trouble walking because of severe arthritis in her ankles, my mother felt it was best for my grandmother to use the movie theatre facilities.
As she was walking in, the girl who collected tickets very rudely told my mother that she could not take my grandmother to the bathroom because she did not buy a ticket. My mom informed her that she, herself, bought a ticket and it was in her purse, but that my grandmother had to use the bathroom right away.instead of being sympathetic at all, she kept being rude about it. My mother walked my grandmother to the bathroom anyway and came back out and asked to speak to a manager because she felt that this girl was very rude to both her and my grandmother.
The manager, john, came over... Who couldnt have been more than 21 or 22 and spoke to my mom. My mother explained to him that she bought a ticket to an earlier movie, and that my elderly grandmother really had to use the bathroom and probably couldnt make it to the other bathroom and that the girl was very rude to them and it wasnt nice at all. John, very rudely, told my mother that their policy was you can not use the bathroom if you did not buy a ticket to the movie. My mother understood the policy and showed the manager the ticket. She told them that while she knew the policy was in place, that they could have been a little more sympathetic and allowed my grandmother to use the bathroom seeing her condition. It was not like they were teenagers, looking to sneak into movies—they were a 59 year old woman and her 81 year old mother.
John, once again, rudely told my mother that it was the policy and walked away from her.
My mother was livid¬ understanding how they could treat an elderly woman with such blantant disrespect and apathy. They could have said "this is our policy... We will allow it this time... But normally we do not". And it would have been appreciated and they would have been grateful. Not every policy is set in stone... If an elderly person can not walk well, and they have to use the bathroom... It should be made an exception just to be nice.
Later in the week, my mother went back and asked to speak to another manager, who was higher up—the general manager of the movie theatre. This gentleman was older—probably in his late sixties or early seventies, so my mom thought that perhaps she could get some sympathy and at least an apology for his employees being so rude.
She, in fact, recieved the opposite. He was just as rude as his counterparts, only insisting that that is their policy and there are no exceptions. My mother told him how rude his employees were and explained the situation again, citing, again, that she did in fact buy a ticket. He did not care at all and like the manager, walked away from her.
This is outrageous behavior! My mother used to go every sunday to this theatre and we grew up going to the movies at the mall... But no more! We would rather travel further and pay more to get better customer service. My poor grandmother who has trouble walking without assistance or her cane was told she would have to walk to the other bathroom further away when there was one just a few feet from her. Even if my mother did not buy a ticket, which she had, some sympathy could have been harboured from the staff. Once again, i can understand the policy for young kids who are probably looking to sneak into the movies, but for an elderly disabled woman... Come on... There is no excuse for their attitude.
I would never ever go back to this theatre, and i would advise anyone else to stay away. If they could be that obnoxious as to turn away an elderly woman from a bathroom, i cant imagine their dealings with other people.
My mother is a local business owner... A restaurant/pizzeria—and i have seen numerous times where she has made exceptions to the rules to be nice. If a child comes in having to use the bathroom, or even an adult—she has never turned someone away just because they did not make a purchase. Not everything in this world is about money. Sometimes its just about compassion, understanding, and sympathy.
My grandmother may not have bought a $10 ticket—so in their eyes, she wasnt wworth looking at as a human being, but she is a wonderful, kind hearted woman who just wanted to use a bathroom. Unbelievable... And you can bet they lost more than just a customer... They lost several, and i would ask you to do the same.
0 comments