BC Ferries is finding itself in a bit of a public relations pickle.
William Fraser and his family like to visit Vancouver Island and the 12-year-old loves to get a traditional White Spot burger on board.
“Legendary burger, no tomatoes, no cheese, extra pickle and fries with honey mustard for the fries,” William said.
The family was on the Queen of Cowichan on April 6. William ordered his usual, but the kitchen mixed up his order.
“So I opened the burger and I’m just like, ‘OK, well this has happened before. This is kind of annoying,'” William said.
“Like literally the last time I went on the ferry, this happened to me. And so I go back, I asked for some pickles.”
He said the staff apologized and gave him some apology pickles on a plate that he could take back to his table.
“As I’m walking past the cashier, the pay, I didn’t think I had to pay, because it’s just pickles. And they forgot to put pickles on my burger,” William said.
“So I go there, and the person’s like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, you need to pay for those. And I’m so confused, because the last time this happened, I didn’t have to pay for the pickles. You shouldn’t have to pay for the pickles if they forgot the pickles on your burger.
“She said nobody gets free pickles on BC Ferries.”
Dad Greg Fraser said he came up to help his son and ended up paying $2.19 for the pickles.
“Mistakes happen,” Fraser said. “Not a problem. And I expected, you know, the outcome would be we’d get the pickle that he was looking for. He didn’t even make a big deal about the tomatoes. He just picked it off the burger. But really, you know, making sure that that first bite tastes the way it needs to.”
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He said there was no discussion or debate and the cashier was really rigid in her stance.
“She literally just kind of stared at me and repeated the fact that nobody gets free pickles,” he added.
“You have to pay for these pickles. And I said, well, we don’t even need the full plate of it. Can we just take a pickle? No, it’s $2.19. And again, it would seem to be common sense, but nobody wants to argue over a pickle.”
Fraser ended up posting about the incident on social media, which exploded with thousands of views and hundreds of comments.
“I think it’s more of a commentary on a greater focus to customer service that they need to do so that they can do better next time,” he said.
Fraser said he did send BC Ferries an email first, explaining the situation, but immediately received an auto response asking him to write a letter and mail it to their Victoria office.
But now he said his inbox has been blowing up with people messaging him from across North America.
“Most people seem to just want to share their experience as a commiseration or feeling like, ‘Hey, I know what you’re going through,'” Fraser said.
“It’s been really surprising. And you know, almost a validation that as a passenger on BC Ferries, people want to be heard about what their experience is and be recognized that it didn’t go well and, you know, maybe they’ll do better next time.”
Fraser said BC Ferries has now reached out about the situation.
Jeff Groot, executive director of communications at BC Ferries, told Global News that it is unfortunate that the family had the situation they did.
“I think BC Ferries has a good place in the culture of British Columbia and White Spot is another one of those companies,” he said.
“We obviously place great value on being able to offer White Spot products on board and the pickles are a core part of the burger experience. And so I’m not surprised that it elicited a reaction that people had some feelings about it.”
Groot said they have reached out to the family to make it right.
“Whenever we have these kinds of questions come up about process and policy, we do follow-ups and make sure that the teams are all aware of standard process and policy and how they should be communicating there,” he said. “And so that’s not unusual for us to follow up in this case. And that’s what we’ve done.”
Groot said there are also many ways to contact BC Ferries, not just by physical mail, and that includes a callback or calling customer service directly.
Fraser said that while this story may seem frivolous, it clearly struck a nerve with people.
“This isn’t about the pickle,” he said.
“You know, it’s about a consistent experience that they’re delivering or rather failing to deliver.”
Build a bridge throw that union on thier buts
Nickel and diming customers never goes well for restaurants. 24 years managing them taught me that a few more fries, pancakes that are a little too big, extra gravy all cost minimal amounts to owners but if you charge for the little things, the breakdown is this:
1/3 don’t care
1/3 care but will still go back
1/3 care and will never go back
Never give your customer a reason to go somewhere else and if you make a mistake, go above and beyond when reasonable. I was in Brown’s last year and I asked for chipotle mayo. They brough me 1oz. When I got the bill the charge was $3.49. I’ve never been back.
I always order my BC Burger without pickles anyways
Anything to get in the news.Go away
I’m just waiting for someone to organize a ” Pickle Convoy ” now ….
Cashier was probably a frustrated Progressive Liberal without a pickle of her own
Dont worry about it,Comrades.
PM Mark Carney will hop on his jet and fly to India to sign an MOU for cheaper pickles.
The in-flight catering should only cost us another $30 k but we will get cheaper pickles for future generations !
To clarify Mr. Dover … nobody said anything about kids… last time I checked kids had limited political views…YOU twisted that into the hilarious ( but true ) comment ! Have a great day and enjoy your pickles !
Raging liberal lesbo bullying a kid. What’s new?!
People , people , come on. The real problem on B.C. ferries isn’t too many pickles…it’s too many conservatives!!!!!!!!!!!
Tjw cashier would be left holding a plate of pickles which would go in the garbage.
Who buys a burger and is then expected to pay more for the toppings you should have recieved?
That’s why she’s a cashier.
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This is what happens when you vote Liberal! Had enough yet, Canada?
White Spot, leave BC Ferries, they are giving you a bad name with their attitude cashiers.
Union wages, but can’t smile, be polite, and kind.
Decide if this is how you want your White Spot name to be represented
Are you kidding me with this story?!
If this is the best Global can do and call it “news” then we are in a sorry state in this country! A total waste of air time!
Why is this news? Who cares?
All employees on BC ferries are UNIONIZED.
Expecting them to behave like normal human beings is folly.
Nexr: A dispenser where for a loonie you get an extra packet of sugar for your coffee.. “We don’t give free packets of sugar on BC Ferries”….
Wow! This happened to us too!!!
Why hasn’t anyone set up a go fund me yet?!
Everyone should ask for extra pickles now and see what happens
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Last week I bought a burger and a drink on the Spirit of Vancouver Island. At payment I asked why it was so expensive and the guy said its cheaper if you get fries. I said charge me the price for the combo with the magical price lowering fries. He wouldn’t. So I guess the trick is to ask for fries even if you don’t want them and give them away, leave them after paying, or throw them away.
Sounds like the same cashier I had a few months back. I’ve been taking BC Ferries since before White Spot was there. Family is in Victoria and at least a few times a year I take the ferry. If I eat, which I often do, I get the chicken strips and fries or salad.
For EVER I have turned their honey mustard sauce or whatever back over to them and grabbed 2 sauces from the rack there. Usually BBQ and Plum.
Two times ago I get to the front and the woman is INSISTENT that I had to pay for the 2nd sauce. I told her no, it’s always been 2 little ones instead of the one big one. She doubled down, so did I saying that I was already paying $20 for three and a half chicken strips, I won’t be paying extra for the sauce. Finally, she said to just take it and she wouldn’t charge me.
Next time, I just put the second one in my pocket. I’m not usually that type of person but give me a break. Fares had just gone up, too and I’ve given them enough money, I am not paying .79 for another sauce.
I get to the till and the girl this time was like ‘you can have two sauces with that’ when she saw the one on my tray.
Whatever, pocket sauce from here until eternity now.
Lousy customer service experience might not be a prime news but sure deserves to be brought to public attention.
People need to know which services to stay away from. It’s also pretty obvious this was not an isolated one-off incident.
I’m with the Frasers on this. The kitchen screwed the simple order, and the cashier was rude and severely lacking in customer service training.
The order was clear, no tomato, put pickle on the burger. Hardly a rocket science here. People can be allergic to tomatoes, and if the kid happened to have a reaction, the White Spot could have lost a whole lot more than two measly slices of pickle.
Long story short, you got the order wrong so make it right with some complimentary pickles!
…this is sad in so many ways… it’s not about the $2.19, it’s about how everything we do now has been turned into a line item of a ledger sheet… right down to a few slices of pickle. Not too many years ago this would have never happened….now it’s commonplace and it’s a testament as to how society has changed, and it hasn’t been for the better.
They do not have pickles in there burgers in India.
Where’s Pierre ? Why isn’t he on this breaking news ?
Well that’s a pickle. Contact customer service. Get AI assistance which will have no idea about what to do. Wait 30 minutes or longer for a real person. Who will spend another 15 minutes or more. Finally, agreeing to refund your $2.19. Meanwhile, you have just waisted an hour or more, trying to get a refund. What has a customer’s time worth? Absolutely nothing… Take Wendy’s approach. Who pays your wage? The customer… whether your employees or the owner doesn’t realize this. There is no business if there are no customers.
Much ado about NOTHING! Really. Electronic brain-rot.
White Spot has always charged for extra pickles. Especially a plate of them. They should have taken the burger back and had the kitchen fix it. They would have their tomato back and the customer gets their extra pickle
” Can we just take a pickle? No, it’s $2.19.”
A million dollars of bad publicity over $2.19 of pickles. How petty of White Spot!!
The measure of any organization is often found not in what it does right, but in how well and how quickly it handles matters when things have gone wrong.
Actually the cost of pickles has really gone up. I could understand if they raised prices accordingly or posted that pickles cost more. Bad publicity? People aren’t going to ride a ferry because pickles cost more? I doubt it will be a factor.
Doesn’t surprise me at all white spot already charges the highest prices in British Columbia for burgers, so why would they want to give you a free pickle??….just typical!! Cashier should be given customer service training!!
It doesn’t look like a very appetizing burger to begin with.
seem,s like bc ferry,s is falling apart; they may want to fire sum people with out dely
Wow. Shocked they only sent one reporter to cover this
Pickle Notsees alive and well in B.C.
Show me your papers if you require condiments.
So you’ve got a full side plate of pickles when you only wanted two pickles and you’re complaining about having to pay for it? Sounds like you’ve been pulling this scam for a while.
Next please.
$2.19, for a pickle that is presented on the menu. The person on cash really held their ground against a paying customer. Wonder if that $2.19 was worth the bad publicity for a pickle slice costing less than a penny.
$2.19 for a pickle.Thats a bargain considering that same pickle likely cost Canadian Taxpayers $2000 when served on the Carney’s Jet.
I can not believe this is a headline.
And people wonder why mainstream media is dying.
I think BC Ferries has bigger problems than a few pickles.
This made the news??
I’m with the kid, the pickle stays in the picture.
Book White Spot and BC Ferries need to learn; “Customers Make Paydays Possible “
You pay for the food, the food should be made right. No tomato, it shouldn’t have been there. Extra pickles should have been,
Customer service has been on a dow hill slide on BC Ferries (including White Spot) for years.
Customers are a bother to them
PS White Spot; when I order my eggs medium, they should not be hard boiled texture. If your “chef” can’t cook, find new ones, And your server should not be telling me it is the best I will get, as the kitchen is busy with take out
Y A W N
She probably thinks she got a win over the evil patriarchy by being petty to a little kid lol
Probably a man hating feminist. It happens. Move on.
Sounds like BC needs another big pipeline to be constructed so they have a different pickle of sorts to worry about.
It seems to be a case of give them the pickles already!
BC ferries is the new “Dumpster Fire.” From breakdowns, staff shortages, water issues, and now this??!?? WOW.. There is an old saying in the hospitality sector. “Give’m the pickle.” BC ferries really needs to take a looong hard look at itself.
The BC Ferries comms director had so many things to say about the experience, and the situation, and the process, and the policy… but never did clarify whether anybody gets free pickles on BC Ferries.
It all about poor customer service from BC Ferries & White Spot. A failing industry and they wonder why?
Sure thing Kid .
You wanna hear some real problems ?
I’ve been getting the shaft on my Maple Syrup for I don’t know how long.Im paying top buck for half a can of cane sugar.
Is there no decency left in this Country?
I mean it’s Maple Syrup for crying out loud and this is Canada!
Jokes aside…it’s not about the pickles clearly. It’s about the constantly complaining about nothing albertans.
I hope the family can get over the trauma of ” Picklegate ” ?!! I’d hate to see the son suffer from P.T.P.D ?!
It was never just about a pickle. To some of us, it hits a nerve because life in BC feels like death by a thousand little cuts. First it’s the pickle, then it’s housing that moved out of reach, wages that never kept up, long commutes, packed ferries, shrinking options, and milestones our parents’ generation hit that feel borderline fictional to us now. For a lot of younger adults here, every small unnecessary frustration feels tied to a bigger reality: paying more, getting less, and constantly being told not to complain because it’s ‘just a pickle.