MARGARET F. McCANN
Fax: (919) 419-9119
E-mail: [email protected]
18 August 2007
Mr. Ronald M. Shaich
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Panera Bread
6710 Clayton Rd.
Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Dear Mr. Shaich:
“If you don’t read the fine print, it will cost you $300.” This should be the sign posted in the parking lot of the Panera Bread restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
At the 9 PM closing time of this restaurant last night, we were parked in the lot of this restaurant. We walked up the street to get ice cream, and when we returned at 9:45 PM, both of our cars were gone. We then read the fine print on the sign (see photos [street view] [close-up of sign]), which does, indeed, say “No parking after business hours.” But those words are in much smaller print than the main point on the sign: “90 minute reserved parking for Panera Bread customers only during regular business hours.” When I turned in from busy Franklin Street, I was not able to read the entire sign at a glance; reading the first part, I thought we could park there because it was after business hours.
Granted, this was my error. If I had come back to find a warning on my car or a notice requiring payment of a modest fine, I could graciously accept that, and I would not park there after hours again. Even if the car were booted, requiring a reasonable fee, I would not be angry; the sign says “All others will be towed or booted”;
But to tow cars, and especially to tow so soon after closing, is way out of proportion to the offense. To assess the community norms, I looked at the Town of Chapel Hill Web site, which says, “It is rare for the Town of Chapel Hill to tow vehicles.” But apparently private businesses will tow with impunity at the slightest provocation.
When I called the towing company’s number, I was told that the fee for getting our cars back that night would be $150 per car, and that it had to be in cash. We had driven both our cars, because my husband was on call at Duke Hospital, which meant that we had to come up with $300 in cash to get our cars back. Furthermore, we had to wait for 20 minutes for the first car, and 40 minutes for the second vehicle – potentially jeopardizing patient safety, if my husband had needed to get back to the hospital immediately.
Particularly unnerving was that, while we were waiting, a man drove up and stopped, asking us if we wanted a ride to where the cars are towed. He did not identify himself as working for the towing company, so I can only assume that he was offering in order to make some cash for himself – or to get us into his car for even more nefarious purposes. Apparently he recognizes that he’ll find easy prey stuck in that lot most evenings.
I talked with the manager of the Chapel Hill restaurant (Sarah Matusz) this afternoon, and she stated that the decision to tow was made by the franchise office, because of concern about safety late at night in a “college environment.” Although this explains why the company wants to discourage after-hours parking, but it does not explain why immediate towing is a reasonable approach. She said that the current arrangement is for the tow trucks to arrive at closing time every evening and immediately begin towing (after verifying that the cars do not belong to anyone still in the restaurant).
This policy does not fit the image of Panera as a fine local citizen that your company tries to cultivate. Until last night, Panera Bread was one of my favorite places to eat, both at several local restaurants and when traveling – but no more.
Sincerely,
Margaret F. McCann
cc: Panera Bread, Chapel Hill
Panera Bread franchise office
Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership
Chapel Hill Police Department
Better Business Bureau
News and Observer
Chapel Hill Herald
Chapel Hill News
