Have you ever gotten sick from food (either something you bought at a grocery store, or something at a restaurant)? Did you call and tell them about it, or just let it go? If you did call, what happened?

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Answers

I've never gotton sick from food. But once I found weavels in a packet of lentils (i'm vegetarian, and practically live of lentil soup), and called the company about it. They checked it out, and then sent me a replacement package- 6 packets of lentils and a load of herbs and recipes for soups and things. That wasn't bad.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

I got sick from Thai food from Sawatdee. Ohhhh, that sucked. Probably food poisoning from the not-completely-cooked chicken....I bitched and moaned, but it was a restaurant out of town, and I didn't feel the effects until the next day.

Other than that, there was the day I finally figured out I was lactose-intolerant. Mine wasn't from birth...it was developed after basically avoiding all things dairy (I hate milk. Hate it, hate it, hate it). After about a year of avoidance, I started getting into those Go-gurt yogurt things, and I got SO sick all of a sudden....when it continued, I weeded out things in my diet until I found the culprit -- those damned push-up yogurt things! Lactose does nasty things to me now. I bet if I took two weeks and just spent them in the bathroom consuming dairy, I could build up a tolerance again. It might be worth it...I love yogurt, and soy yogurt just ain't the same.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

My dad and I once got massive food poisoning (puking all night) from Roy Rogers (I miss good ole' Roy. Screw McDonald's.) and my dad called, like, the Board of Health or some shit like that. They launched a frickin investigation and surprise inspected the Roy Rogers. I don't know if there had been other complaints or something, but wow. Also, remember that outbreak of E.Coli in CO a few years ago? I definitely got that. I was vacationing in CO with the fam at the time, and spent most of the time curled up in a ball in bed or dying in the bathroom. I have few fond memories of Colorado.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

This doesn't quite answer your question, but I opened a package of pop tarts once and inside was 1 1/2 pop tarts. No sign of the second half anywhere. I called the number on the side of the box and they were _so_ nice and apologetic...not like it was that big of a deal or anything! They sent me an apology letter and a certificate for two free boxes. I was really excited. I loves me some pop tarts.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Sweet... I'm going to try and get myself some free poptarts. I love those things.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Once my dad opened up a new can of tuna fish (it was either chicken of the sea or bumblebee, I can't remember), and right on top was a layer of finely ground glass. If my dad hadn't opened the can by the window where the light was shining on it, we would've eaten that, and glass in the digestive system is not good. He saved the glass and was going to complain, but he ended up forgetting about it. He should've complained. We coulda got some free tuna, dammit.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I just had some really bad sushi the other day.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

When I was fifteen and still ate meat, I got food poisoning from a Hardee's bacon cheeseburger. During my family vacation. While my parents and sister went to the beach, I stayed in the hotel room and barfed my guts out all day long.

I should have written a letter to Hardee's, I suppose, but I didn't think of such things while the cows and pigs of the world were getting their revenge on me. At least I never ate at Hardee's again after that incident.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

My dad and I got food poisining from a sushi place when I was home from spring break. Of course I got sick the day I had to go back, THAT made for a fun car ride. Oh, speaking of free food...call Taco Bell and say that those bitched put all the sour cream on one side of your burrito and it oozed out all over your work pants. My fiancee had that happened and called to bitch, he got a free burrito AND they offered to buy him new pants!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

When we found a missing bag of CCs in one of those party two-bag sized bag things, I called up and they too were extremely nice and didn't delay sending some free CCs my way. How can these companies be so nice and trusting about such things? I felt bad for accepting the complimentary chips, as though I really needed them

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I used to eat Ramen Noodles all the time (no comment). Once, about a year ago, I made a package, sat down to eat it, not really paying attention...

With my mouth already full, I look down into the bowl and see all these little white larva lice things swimming all through the noodles. I just about puked right then and couldn't wash my mouth out enough. But I'd already swallowed some.

Needless to say, I no longer eat Ramen Noodles...it was a long time before I could even touch spaghetti...

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Back in the 70's the Oregon Health Department had a great way of keeping restaurants clean and healthy. After every inspection they would post one of three stickers in the front window. "A" meant no violations were found, "B" meant some violations were found but nothing serious (for example, serving soup that wasn't hot enough), and "C" meant they found serious violations and the establishment had to fix these problems within X days or they would be shut down. This system was amazingly effective in keeping restaurants healthy. Businesses that got a "B" grade busted their butts to correct the problems to an "A" sticker in their window otherwise they would lose business. Customers eating in a "B" establishment would be extra wary about any practices that didn't look healthy. A "C" sticker was enough to scare almost anyone away which was good because those places had better things to do than serve food. Back then food poisoning from restaurant food was very uncommon here. E. coli? What was that?

This effective system was scrapped in the deregulation 80's. Now in Oregon you have no idea what the hell the last inspection found. Parents take their kids to joints that would have had a "B" or "C" in their windows twenty years ago. When they all get sick they rarely suspect the restaurant. After all, those places get inspected all the time, don't they? They wouldn't let them stay in business if they had violations, right?????

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I called the number on a Pop-Tarts box because (at least back then) they didn't have expiration dates so I wanted to know if this box was OK. They said I had a good point and sent me a few boxes of Pop-Tarts (age unknown). I liked those old General Mills radio advertisements they play when you're on hold.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Joanna, oh my GOD. *vomits everywhere* I eat Ramen ALL THE TIME.. Well, used to anyway. I don't think I can even look at a package of Ramen again.

Oh yeah, once in a restaurant, I ordered a BLT, and after I'd taken several bites, I looked at my sandwich, and noticed all these teeny green bugs CRAWLING all over the lettuce. The restaurant refunded the money for it, and gave me a bunch of coupons for their establishment (it wasn't a chain, it was a mom & pop type place, so I could only redeem it *there*), as if I was ever gonna be back. Ugh. It's a miracle I didn't upchuck right there.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

my physics teacher does that all the time: get free food by complaining. he wrote to the jujube people because there were no black ones, claiming that they were discriminating; he wrote to the m&m people because he got a deformed one, and said it was cancerous; he wrote the lightbulb people, saying that his lightbulbs didn't last as long as they should have, etc. he's gotten SO MUCH stuff out of it, and it's so funny. honestly, give it a shot.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I had a similar experience with KD about a year ago. Myself and a couple friends got together one night and decided to make Kraft Dinner for dinner. About an hour later, each and every one of us felt sick to our stomachs, but we couldn't figure out why. The milk was okay, the KD was the only thing we had eaten since lunch, so there was no other explanation.

I think there some's sort of odd conspiracy going on here with Kraft Dinner.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Only once. I had gone to a mexican restaurant and had nachos. That night I threw up twice.. I just let it go. I mean, what? Do I want more of what make me sick?

Why do people think that replacing what made you puke or made you sick is supposed to fix everything?

Heh.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I had an American Girl Doll.. Her glasses got all bent up so I wrote a letter and they sent me new ones. Not exactly edible (mmm...metal) but anything free is fun :)Ames-I may not be a fan of Mr L. but he knows how to work the system!

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Oooh..I've done this once or twice.

First, I was at ChiChi's once with a friend. Our service sucked, the food was below par and completely lukewarm when it arrived. We filled out a comment card and a week later, a gift certificate for two arrived in my box with profuse apologies and would we please try them again? Hell yeah, for free. :)

Once, I got a bag of Starburst Jellybeans. Now, let me explain. Starburst jellybeans are my absolute favorite candy in the entire world. I don't like chocolate much. I can skip most sugary things..but NOT THESE. It's like..nirvana and eternal orgasm in a bag. Anyways, the beans somehow got all gunky and moist on the inside of the bag. They sent me coupons for free bags and to save money off purchases. It rocked.

I'm all about calling companies on bad stuff. They want to fix it for you. :)

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Exactly... companies will kiss your ass, especially if you tell them that you eat that particular product all the time. The guy I talked to was nice anyway, but the minute I said, "Oh, I eat this stuff at least three times a week and have for most of my life," he launched into full ass-kissing mode.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

I got food poisoning from chicken and rice at my college dining hall last year. It was the absolute worst I've ever felt in my entire life, especially the part where the same substance was coming out of two places simultaneously. (Rice doesn't digest well, either.) I would have called and bitched, but I don't have a phone in my bathroom, and after I felt well enough to crawl back into my bedroom, I never wanted to think about chicken and rice ever again.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

The cafeteria at my school gives you the shits anytime you eat there. Nasty. (I'm out of thedorms forever!!!woohoo)

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Once, while eating Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, I came across something very big and hard. The flavor of the ice cream was vanilla, so it was rather strange that there was anything of a hard substance in the damn stuff. I tried biting into it (don't ask, thanks) and I couldn't. It was rock-hard. I spit it out and it was a brown, silver type object about the size of a nickel and the width was about a quarter of an inch. I couldn't figure out what it was but it was gross.

My mom suggested that I wash it off, put it in a plastic baggy and send it off to Ben and Jerry's in Vermont. So I did. About a week later, I recieved four coupons for free Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Since I love the stuff, I quickly forgave Ben. But Jerry is still on my hit list. >:)

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Never gotten sick that I can remember but I have started a new thing where if I get incredibly bad service at fast food places, I write them an e-mail and bitch. So far, I've gotten several free pizzas from Pizza Hut (from a single horrific experience) and Subway and Burger King Coupons. Its quickly becoming a hobby.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

how about .. not eating at chain restaurants, fast food places, and eating pre-packaged food?

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

Naw.

Holy crap, Joanna. I eat ramen just about every day. Do you remember what brand it was? That made me puke. I don't think I can ever eat the stuff again now!

As for me, I've gotten food poisoning from KFC. I puked my guts out. I think the chicken was undercooked or something, because it was quite pink. I was young at the time, so I didn't know any better.

And, believe it or not, Kraft Dinner has made me puke too. I still eat it, but when I ate it once, I just about threw up. Bad times.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

Runts.

A few weeks ago I had a package of the wonderful vending machine delicacies and it did not hesitate to layeth the smacketh down, per se. Grr...those are some nasty little suckers.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001