Harvey's — Restaurant in Hamilton

Came into the Harvey’s to get some lunch as I was fasting for a procedure at the hospital. My husband and I ordered the lunch combos including drinks. My taste was off from the test so asked for regular water in a cup.

I was having a reaction and getting rashes from the medication given, and I needed to take some meds to help with the reaction.

They told me that they don’t give water and that I’d have to pay a .30 for the cup. I asked them don’t they have a little courtesy cup most places will give you a little courtesy cup of water. Gurdiksha stepped in to help the cashier and said she needed to ask if they could give me a cup of water because it wasn’t policy and she didn’t want to get in trouble for giving it.

At which point a gentleman walked out from the back…he heard my conversation, and came to speak with me. He introduced himself as Norm Bourassa, the franchise owner- it was on his tag.

I am the franchise owner — I made the decision he said quite proudly. I explained my situation to him, and asked him if I could just have a small cup to take some medication— Dixie cup or something that I could just take a little bit of water? He then gave me a lesson in economics - both patronizing and inappropriate- for a university graduate with a minor in business and economics.

The staff told me the cost of the cup was $.30, he asked me for $.99. And wanted to ring it in. Not only was he charging for the cup, but he was trying to make a profit off of it. A profit off tap water for me to take meds.

He then gave me background about how the high school kids who come in, order food, don’t pay for a combo and ask for a cup, and then go to pop machine and fill with pop. —They ruined it for everyone he said.

What does that have to do with me? I am an adult who is unwell and needs meds and because of the meds I’m on it affects my taste and I can’t tolerate the bottled water they sell. His response was if he had to do it for me he had to do it for everyone.

The whole situation started to really grate on my nerves. Here I was unwell needing support and the owner who has ultimate discretion and is refusing to assist. Who does that to someone who’s unwell? — a one size fits all rule doesn’t work in this situation or possibly even other situations. What if it was a senior or elderly person coming in with heat stroke? Would he still refuse them a cup of water? What if they collapse? What if I don’t take the meds and have anaphylactic shock? There is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. He seems to just know the letter of the law —that he makes up. And that’s why this is particularly ridiculous.

He also told me he’s a franchise owner and he has the right to make this type of decision. Does he have the right really? By charging a profit, he just added something to the menu of a franchise operation, which I don’t think he has the right to do. Furthermore, why wouldn’t he have have specific criteria. I guess it’s just easier to say no to everyone than to have to actually deal with the people who come and purchase things from his restaurant.

Ultimately me not feeling well and the stress from the discussion made me want to just return all of my $41 of food, not get more for home —ask for a refund.

It appears your staff is also afraid of you — they’re afraid to do anything to help anyone that comes to the restaurant in distress.

On a final note, free refills are the policy of the Harveys/ Swiss Chalet, the franchise seems to understand that keeping a customer happy is more important than making $.30 or $.99 off a drink.

Look at the bigger picture, I suppose there’s a lesson in economics for you. You just lost a $100 sale, including three more meals I was going to buy when leaving, for my kids at home as I wasn’t well enough to cook— all over a $.30 cup. Add to that negative word of mouth for how you treated me to all my friends and family.

BTW I did go to another franchise that was happy to give me a glass of water immediately, without a purchase, not knowing i was buying food for my...

(New Review) My review sparked a diolog via email with the owner of the estabishment. I was rather shocked with his transparency and the impact that COVID had on volume within his business. I probed further around metrics related to the drive through and he confimed that there are no metrics capturing data on the time left waiting after you leave the window. Having said that it was clear that due to the arrangment of the drive through and how quickly things could be congested due to the parking lot arrangment - he was thoughfuly trying to ballance speed of service during this difficult time and the complexities of the layout. All this today that I wasn't expecting a positive diolog with the owner and I was plesently supporised. He was open to the feedback and the diolog and it was appriacated. I do feel that they are trying there best and I suggested a insert telling customers the context and challang go into the bag so people like me don't make the wrong assumptions. I appricate Harveys and the effor they are putting into serving customers when business is booming and demand is high during covid.

(OLD review) Drive through gamification.

Good is fine but it feels like 100% of the time, even the simplest of orders is placed, you get "Please pull up".

I believe they can show better results to HQ if they play this game. Today I said. No sorry I'll stay here (one order of poutine) and it comes fast, and I left.

Open to what's going on and if my hypothesis is wrong.

update: received a response telling me to do more work; go fill out a form. Downgrading it from 2 stars to 1 as the work is being...

Completely terrible experience. Ordered take away ribs were ice cold, not even slightly warm. Couldn't get through on the phone to the restaurant. After multiple tries after multiple days finally got through. Left a message for the manager Norm to call us back, which he didn't. Managed to get through again after a few days, was able to speak with the manager. I asked him if you had received my message, he was aware that I had called. He told us that for him to be able to do anything we would have had to have brought the food back not very night for him to do anything. Used the excuse that people were always trying to rip the restaurant off by complaining about their food orders so that they could get stuff. He didn't even apologise.

I submitted a resolution request online because I received a reply in response to this review, I was provided with a link and after I filled out out I was told via email that I would hear back within two business days. It has been ten, and I haven't heard a word. It would appear that the customer service from head office isn't any better than the restaurant manager.

I ended up having to call the head office myself, I am now waiting to hear from the regional manager. I am curious to see what happens.

The regional manager called me straight away, he apologised and rectified the situation.

The worst part is the manager Norm could have fixed the situation, and chose not to. Best bit of information, Norm isn't just the manager, he's the owner of the location because it's...