Wendy's... Extraordinary Service or Else

Today, my friend and the proprietor of "The Real Dookie," "Spike," and another friend, "Syria" went to Wendy's for lunch.

We all three order our meals, have a seat and eat them. When we are mostly done, an employee of Wendy's comes over and asks if we are done with our trays. Normally this would be considered an added bonus, but the truth is, relinquishing your tray at Wendy's, whether you want to or not is a requirement. I'll explain:

On a previous Wendy's excursion, Spike and I were enjoying a meal when the same employee came up and asked for Spike's tray. Because we weren't completely finished and because having someone wait on you in a fast food restaurant is sort of creepy, Spike said "no thank you, we'll take care of them." End of story, right? Wrong.

Within 2 minutes, the same employee was back asking for Spike's tray. He repeated that he would take care of it in a very polite but understandably creeped out manner. At this point Spike and I begin to think somethings up. I start looking for hidden cameras.

Not 3 minutes after the last encounter, Spike is confronted by the employee again. This time Spike has no choice but to give up the tray. The employee was already on the edge and if Spike had denied her this time I'm pretty sure she would have tried to cut him with a plastic knife...

So, back to today. All three of us, Spike, Syria and myself were confronted by the exact same employee. Unwilling to face the employee in approximately 2 minutes over our trays, we all three allow her to take them on the first try. The employee then asks Spike if he wants a refill, to which he responds "Yes." The employee then asks Spike what he was drinking to which he replies "Diet Coke."

At this point, the employee says to Spike "I've got a free Mr. Pibbs right here, how about that?" I'd like to pause at this point to note 1. Spike's refill of Diet Coke is also free and 2. In no way is a Mr. Pibb an equal trade for a Diet Coke (value judgments aside, I think it's fair to say that the two are certainly not equal) and 3. It's "Mr. Pibb" not "Mr. Pibbs." Spike, however, considering his last run in with this employee just says "ok" and, Mr. Pibbs in hand we all walk out of Wendy's.

Next time we go to Wendy's, I swear that I will bus my own tray or face the employee in the greatest plastic knife fight the world has ever seen.