Wal-Mart Garden Centre Pricing: How Much for this Bag of Fertilizer?

How much for Qty 1 Bag of Fertilizer?

This past weekend I decided to do some work around including weeding and fertilizing the lawn. 

On a visit to Wal-Mart in Richmond Hill I visited the garden section to investigate what they had for some mulch and fertilizer. 

I picked up one bag of "Schultz Supreme Green Turf Fertilizer" clearly labelled "2 for $18.00". I reviewed the label to see how many bags I would require for what little grass I have.  One bag seemed to suffice.

I ventured onward with my shopping to grab some groceries and other household necessities and proceeded to the check out. 

Before leaving the store my wife and I, as we always do, reviewed our receipt.  We stopped at the itemized listing for the fertlizer.  Hmmm... $11.70 can't be right.

We ventured over to the Customer Service Desk at the front of the store to inquire.  With no one in line we were quickly greeted.  The attendent, who ironically enough had "cashier" on her name tag, scanned the bag and explained that because I only had one bag it was at the regular price. 

I replied that the price clearly said "2 for $18" and no where did it say $11.70 if a customer bought one.  I said this is a case of misleading advertising and wasn't right.  I furthered my point by noting an average customer would think if I purchase quantity one it would be $9.00 unless
otherwise noted.

She replied it was the scanned price is what the price was.  I replied to this last claim by pointing out that not all the time was scanned price correct as sometimes the tag on the shelf is cheaper than what is scanned.  This of course is why the Government of Canada created the Scanning Code of Practice which Wal-Mart volunteered to adhere to and the Richmond Hill store clearly posted the required label on it's front door.  I also pointed out the shelf label in in this case was not clearly marked and the average consumer would believe if one bag was purchased it would cost $9.00. 

She replied the correct price is what was scanned in this case. 

I asked to speak to the Customer Service Manager. 

The Cashier paged the Customer Service Manager three times despite my wife and I witnessing one clearly marked "Customer Service Manager" on her name tag three cashes over replenishing the plastic bags. 

Another Customer Service Manager visited us at the front counter and I explained the issue. I also noted the Cashier at the Customer Service Counter in her actions may be unfortunatly leading this store to not live up to the Scanning Code of Practice which Wal-Mart had dutifully agreed to adhere to. 

She gave the same answer as the Cashier at the Customer Service Counter.

I said I begged to differ and invited her to visit Garden Centre as I believed this was a Scanning Code of Practice issue.  Together we retraced my steps to the Garden Centre and she carried the decently weighted bag with us.

While walking there I inquired if someone from the Garden Centre could join us to review the issue.  We happenned to find a gentleman with a handheld scanner.  He explained, while we reviewed the fertlizer and the posted price that one bag was at regular price and the sale only happenned if you bought quantity two.  I explained my position that this tag was unclear. 

A middle aged Wal-Mart customer ventured by to stop and inquire about something else.  I asked him politly how much he thought one bag of fertilizer would be.  His reply: $9.00.  

The Garden Centre employee said it was $11.70 and agreed upon it with the Customer Service Manager. 

I asked to speak with Store Manager on this issue.  The Customer Service Manager and I left, not before she tried to put back my duly overpriced purchase of fertilizer.  I said to her I have duly purchased that bag of fertilizer and have the receipt to prove it, please bring it along so the Store Manager can review this issue. 

The Store Manager retraced our steps back to the Garden Centre with the Garden Centre employee to review.  He took a three second look a the pricepoint and said the Garden Centre employee that this item was not correctly priced as set out by Wal-Mart policy as there should be indication of what the price was if one of the products was purchased.   The Store Manager said he would return in five minutes to show the Garden Centre employee how to properly print the pricing.  

The Store Manager returned with me to the Customer Service Counter carrying the bag of fertilizer.  I stopped and waited with the Cashier I had visited earlier.  The Store Manager instructed her to return the product, then input it under the $9.00 and then discount it under the Scanning Code of Practice. 

While the cashier was processing the transactions, the Store Manager said that I was very concientious in pointing out a confusing pricing issue.  He said that I would be receiving the fertlizer under the Scanning Code of Practice (i.e. free in this case) and the pricing would be clearly marked.  He thanked me for visiting his store and hoped, despite this situation, I would return again. 

I replied that I thanked him for his kindness.  I left with my wife to a beautiful Saturday afternoon of sunshine and gardening.

Two Stars for Lone Star

Last night I thought I would return to a restaurant I had not been to in a while, Lone Star Texas Grill (9301 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill). 

We had been here a couple of times, leaving not really excited about it, including my last review from 2010.

We entered at about 6:30 PM to be greeted by 3 hostesses.  One showed us immediately to our table.  Again, like in 2010 asking us if we had been to Lone Star before.  Of course we said we did, I let my wife do most of the small talk while we followed the hostess to our table considering, as a gentleman, I live by the old adage "Ladies first!"

We were seated and left to consult our menues in the three quarters full restaurant.  The menues seemed a little sparse considering they were pushing the fajitas and steaks while the sandwiches were buried on the back page at the bottom.  There were only 7 sandwhices offered with 3 of the choices a variation on the burger.  As well the "Po' Boy sandwhich that I had previously and other sandwiches had dissappeared resulting in fewer choices still.  Our waitress soon stopped by to share the specials and take our drink orders.    She quickley returned with our drinks and we were ready to order. 

The Order: 1 “Bubba’s” Smoked Brisket (Texas-style smoked brisket tossed in our Original Texas BBQ sauce and piled on a rustic bun) with fries and Pepsi and 1 The Ranch Burger (A juicy ½ lb. Mesquite-grilled burger topped with lettuce, tomato and onion) with Richmond Hill's finest water somewhat directly piped in. 

Lone Star Texas Grill in Richmond Hill

Our server brought by the usual Lone Star Texas Grill chips and salsa while we waited for our order.  She also refilled my Pepsi glass two times (the last as the food was arriving).   She was quick on the drink server and a just over fifteen minute wait for the food was understandable and still less than twenty minutes when I start wondering what the heck was going on. 

The Smoked Brisket sandwich was small in appearance with a bun that looked well handled while being cut in half.  I had expected a hero (sub) size sandwich but instead received a hamburger sized sandwich.  The brisket was decent but nothing to write home about.  The fries accompanying the substandard sized sandwhich seemed freshly cooked by temperature and quite tastey compared to other pub style fries I've had in the past.

The beef burger was o.k. put a little pricey at more than $11+ with no drink included.  The burger was juicey and tangy as you would expect from a Ranch style  infused burger.  The fries were exactly the same temperature and style as the Smoked Brisket Sandwich. 

The only reall hiccup service wise was near the end of the of the evening when our server stopped by.  We were just finishing up eating when our server stopped by to inquire if we would like refills on our drinks.  We indicated we were fine and were just finishing up.  To my amazement she took our glasses with ice and liquid still in them and dissapeared towards the kitchen.  Really? It wouldn't of hurt to let us finish up?  I was unsure if were being rushed by this tactic or whether it was a simple mistake.  Rushed? There were still quite a few tables available at this point in her area and we had not been at the restaurant longer than 45 minutes.  She did return after we finished eating to offer us coffee or tea and/or dessert, we politely declined and left. 

Overall Lone Star Texas Grill is staffed by high school servers with little experience.  Sure they do have corporate training as they greet their customers in a friendly manner with the same techniques used over and over again (i.e. Have you ever been to Lone Star Before? asked when being led to the table).  The food is decent taste quality but the portion size seems to have been cut and the prices thus don't really match what you get.

Eighty 8: The Diner of Thornhill

On Saturday, I attended the Toronto Blue Jay Game at Rogers Centre. Following a 7-0 win by the hometown team over the Seattle Mariners, my friends and I headed northward for dinner at Eighty 8 Family Restaurant (2300 John Street, Markham).  

We were welcomed in close to closing time (9:00 P.M.) by a smiling lady who appeared to be a member of this family owned and run establishment.  She sat us down immediatly, yet not rushing us as she handed us the menues. 

We reviewed the menues and came up with our orders.     I ordered anything a simpler family diner would be able to do without issue....

The Order: A hamburger with fries with a glass of ice water. 

Our food came fairly quickly with our server inquiring if we had everything we could possibly want. 

With the toppings on the side of the plate, I topped my burger adding the garnishes provided.  I took a risk and had a bight. Just an average burger taste. Tastes like any other burger at any diner, nothing special here, but nothing wrong either.  The burger tastes like it is right from a box, not specially hand packed or anything. 

The fries were the traditional fries you find at any diner or restaurant around.  Pretty plain but good with a little ketchup. 

Overall, I found the diner to have a great family service with basic diner fare. Nothing special but nothing terrible either.

Not Great but Not Terrible at Mr. Greek

My wife and I joined the rest of my family for a night out at Mr. Greek (9218 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill).  We arrived shortly after 5:00 P.M. this past Sunday to a bustling place. 

We were seated immediately as others at our table had already arrived and our waitress stopped by to offer drinks and take our food order.

The Order: 1 Original Pork Souvelaki Dinner with potatoes and fries with a pepsi.

Our drinks arrived shortly after ordering and our food arrived within reasonable fifteen minutes time.  This is impressive considering there were seven people at our table.  Not one meal was improrerly prepared either. 

As I dug into my meal though, there was one issue.  The fries were not fresh and tasted luc warm at best.  The greek style potatoes were perfect temperature though along with the Pork Souvelaki.   Overall my meal wasn't anything to write home about.  Sure the food was decent Mediterranean fare, but nothing special.

For Mediterranean food I would rather go to Jonathan's Restaurant in Aurora where the Souvlaki dinner seems better prepared at the right price with the same service I experienced at Mr. Greek.  But nonetheless, Mr. Greek is a decent place to visit for satisfactory food with excellent service.

Catch me at Cora's

Today my wife and I visited Cora's (10909 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill) for some breakfast food for lunch. 

We arrived at about 12:30 P.M. to find the place fairly full yet enough staff was serving.  We waited a minute for someone to visit us to see how many there were (2 of us please!), double check to ensure our table was clean, grab menues and seat us.   

Our cheerful waitress stopped by to see how we were that day and see if we would like to enjoy some drinks while we perused the menues.  We ordered are drinks and likety spit we had them back as we continued to decide what we wished to partake in.  So many good choices on the menu and not enough stomach space to fit it all.  Why couldn't Cora's be on the cruise boat I was on, I would be there everyday for breakfast and lunch sampling their menu.  

We eventually decided on our order and our waitress returned to copy it down.

The Order: 1 Strawberries Waffles (Strawberries heaped on waffles with whipped cream and custard) with a coffee and 1 Western Omelette with home fries, pineapple, melon and toast with a glass of water. 

Cora's service is outstanding with cheery staff that are not intrusive but do ensure you have everything to enjoy your meal.  And the most noticeable thing is the wait staff, cooking staff and others do it with a real smile.

Our food showed quickly and attractively presented!

Strawberries Waffles

The strawberries on the waffles were freshly cut and buried the waffles deeply below. I had to dig the out the waffles from underneath the whipped cream.  The waffles themselves were well done as far as I could tell.  It was tough though with all those strawberries, custard and whipped cream to isolate the waffle taste by itself. 

My wife said the Omelette was ok, but her home fries were awesome.  Fresh potato wedges that were decently cooked and served.  Everything appeared to be freshly made on her plate. 

Our waitress returned once to refill my coffee and my wife's water.  She was fairly attentive during our meal. 

We left feeling very full of fresh food ready to continue on with our Saturday shopping errands.  Overall this place is great for freshly made breakfast food with an emphasis on old favourite breakfast items made with fresh ingredients and a flair of fresh fruit.

Heaven at Harvey's

Our Harvey's local restaurant recently was demolished to make room for the Zancor Xpression's Condo Sales Centre and building site.  

However, a couple of months later a new Harvey's (8865 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill) opened up.   We decided a Friday evening dinner would the best time to try it. 

My wife and I had walked past this location a couple of times since it had opened to visit the Shoppers Drug Mart store, LCBO and others in the area.  We knew it was not as large as the previous location at Yonge & Weldrick Road, so there was a distinct possibility we would have to do take out and bring it home.  

We entered the store to be third in line.  But the servers ahead of us seem to be moving quickly and orderly through having their order taken, burgers garnished and their orders double checked for completeness by the friendly staff.

The size of the location itself is an issue with a long length but short width.  The interior designer of this location did not leave a lot of room for the workers serving area and kitchen.  The grill itself is less than two steps from front counter where the burgers are topped.  In a couple of instances I noticed coworkers squeezing past each other to retrieve items for the customers they are serving.  It looks like Harvey's made the best of a modern empty storefront in a regular strip plaza.  The result looks a little awkward not just for the working area, but for the customers as well. 

The customer seating area is inadquate at best.  Sure there are some modern fast food tables but the quantity of tables, especially on a busy night, leaves much to be desired.  It was lucky we arrived early on a Friday night as we were able to snag a table without any issue.

But first, we needed to Order....

The Order: A Original Hamburger combo with Onion Rings and 7 Up and A Original Hamburger Combo with Fries and Dr. Pepper.

As noted above, the staff there were quick and efficient.  They had to be with five staff and one manager working.  Two were working the grill and french fries prep, two garnishing the burgers, one taking orders and the manager keeping everything moving by filling in when needed.  In less than five minutes our order was taken and were seated. 

The only annoying part was the ketchup service area.  There was no dispenser to squirt the requisite ketchup required to fill two paper cups that is perfect for a medium fries at any fast food restaurant. 

(Side note: Why is it that way, why does any medium fries at a McDonald's, Harvey's or Wendy's require two ketchup cups to ensure adequate ketchup is on hand to fully enjoy a set of fries? Who thought of that?)

Instead, the regular ketchup packets are substituted by the Harvey's staff at time of pick-up of food.  Perhaps this is to reduce the overhead and mess of the regular ketchup supply stations that other fast food locations endure.  But usually this issue is mainly over the numer of napkins used per customer, yet at this location, napkins were fully accessible.  Seems a little weird that a brand new Harvey's location would skimp on set up of condiment and napkin stations.  

The burgers themselves were just like any other Harvey's hamurger you would experience with too many different types of toppings that drip out, yet deliciousness in every bite.  The fries were also fairly typical.

The onion rings though, were only satisfactory.  The onion rings are thinner in nature and do not possess the thickness of those found at All Star Wings & Ribs.  All Star's Onion rings are more breadier and tastier than those at Harvey's.  But nonetheless, Harvey's onion rings are satisfactory, but just not great. 

Overall, this Harvey's provides quick and efficient service with the hamburgers Canadians have long enjoyed from this Southern Ontario institution of burgerness.   The layout of the restaurant though may be a concern if you happen to hit a busy time, no worries though, this location also does take-out!

Honey's Beestro a Hive of Inactivity

I've been eyeing visiting Honey's Beestro (8763 Bayview Avenue, Richmond Hill) on a walking hike since last summer.  It looked like from the road a decent neighbourhood pub to visit for some food and enjoy food on the patio while watching the traffic on Bayview Avenue pass by. 

Add to this a recent coupon received in the mail for a buy one entree get one free, and it only sweetened the deal.  

On Saturday my wife and I took the VIVA Purple (running on a detour eastbound to a temporary stop at High Tech Road & Bayview Avenue) and we were practically dropped off at the front door.  Add to this some shopping at Loblaws, Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart and the trip was even more better. 

We arrived shortly after high noon.  Perfect as the time on the door and on their website said they opened at 11 A.M. on Saturdays.  But the flashing neon  "OPEN" sign was dark and the place seemed desserted.  I entered figuring it was a quiet Saturday for them and the door was unlocked.  However, there was not a sole in the place.  No lights were on, my wife noticed around the pool table looked like it was under construction.  It looked like an empty bar at the end of a busy night after all the employees had left and forgot to lock the door.

I checked on Urbanspoon.com the status of the rest of the chain (the day before I had added the Richmond Hill location in anticipation of a review)  to find one of the other restaurant's closed earlier in February 2012 and the company's twitter feed not updated for almost a year.   Seems the whole chain may have dissapeared.  Weird, their website is still up and running looking very inviting to possible clientele.