TL;DR: My friend and I go to eat, only to be accused of theft and have the police search us and find nothing. DON'T EAT AT APPLEBEE'S, AND IF YOU DO, DON'T USE THE RESTROOM!!!!!
My friend, Amanda Stafford, and I went to Applebee's Grill & Bar in Grand Island, NE this evening at about 8 pm. When we got there, Amanda told me her drink order and went to the restroom. I ordered our drinks, and when Amanda returned, we ordered our food. We ate and chatted. As we were finishing our entrees, I decided to order some chocolate cake for dessert, and we both began to try get the attention of the servers working. No one would pay us any attention, but we were patient, continuing to attempt to get the attention of anyone employed in the restaurant to either order dessert or bring us our check. It was obvious that people saw us, but they continued talking amongst themselves.
After about 20 minutes, I noticed our server at the entrance to the restaurant, accompanied by what appeared to be friends or coworkers in pajamas, and the manager.
I said, "oh, look! Maybe there was a reason we were being ignored!! I wonder if someone walked their tab or got fired and has to be escorted out or something!!"
Then the two Grand Island Police Officers came to our table and asked us if we knew why they were there to talk to us...
We didn't, and we told them so.
Then the officers asked amanda if she had been to the restroom, and she stated that she had.
We still had no idea what was going on, and at that point the officers told us that a server had left her apron in the restroom and that she and "some other people" had noticed that Amanda was the only customer who went in the restroom. When the server returned for her apron, she reported that the money it contained was missing.
They then asked to see Amanda's wallet, because they wanted to make sure that she didn't have the same number of bills in each denomination that the server had reported missing.
When we asked repeatedly if what was happening was legal, the officers did not answer, but continued to request to search Amanda's purse and later my personal car.
When they were unable to find anything, BECAUSE WE DID NOT TAKE ANYTHING, they returned inside and advised me NOT TO TRY TO LEAVE WITHOUT PAYING!!!!!!!!!!
I had been trying to pay and leave at that point for almost an hour!!!!!!!!!! I loudly requested the manager, more than once, and she finally brought our check to our table, giving us the honor of paying $36.80 for an hour of being detained with major embarrassment and unnecessary harassment.
Not once did she offer any kind of apology, except to state that she was not the person who called the police. She may not have made the call, but she was certainly front and center making accusations.
This situation was poorly handled by the restaurant staff and the police officers who responded.
NEEDLESS TO SAY WE WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO APPLEBEE'S. read more