Quaker Steak & Lube Opinions

[jonmandude]

*** THE FOLLOWING VIEWS DO NOT IN ANY WAY REPRESENT THE POSITION OF WISCONSIN COLLECTOR CAR. THEY ARE THE OPINION OF THE USER POSTING THEM ***

More of my ideas in action. I hope they at least are doing one of my other ideas and paying you for advertising?

Personally I will not attend. If they had treated me well or at least pretended to care about the car cruise-in as anything more than a way to bring in customers, I may feel different and even offer to help. But after spending the past three years building this event with absolutely no help from any of the management or staff at QSL, only to get shafted, I would prefer no one attends. I think treating people correctly is more important than making money off others’ efforts. I think the Wisconsin Summer Cruisers can let any of you know how well they were treated by management on days when I was not involved. You can probably expect more of that.

Am I bitter? Yes. I put untold hours of effort into making this cruise-in work and making everyone of you feel welcome. How many of you even met anyone else? Or did anyone else ever show at another cruise? Or bring a car to their own cruise?

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or at least pretended to care about the car cruise-in as anything more than a way to bring in customers

I wouldn’t go that far. Many of the ideas discussed this year focus on how to make these events what appeals to the classic car community – what works and what doesn’t work at other car shows. Talking to people at shows and reading all the wonderful opinions and feedback on the forum from shows and cruises, I gave them this info and they were quite receptive to forming the cruises this year around that feedback.

Only because they want to draw people in to the restaurant, not because they care one iota about the car community. My goal was always to build it bigger for two reasons. One to make it more enjoyable, and two because I wanted to see more cars for me to enjoy looking at. The questions I got from management were “how do we get them to stay longer?” and “how do we get them to spend more?”

I worked there every day. I know what they are thinking. They can say whatever they want, but I know the behind the scenes. They can’t tell you what works at other shows because they never have been. They can’t tell you what the people want because they didn’t bother to meet them or talk to them.

Hell, the same thing that forced me to leave in November happened in the early summer. They told me that I was too valuable and that they would do whatever, or pay whatever, to keep me there, but as soon as summer was over….It’s very easy to lie about your intentions.

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[jonmandude]

The following statements were made after these post were removed from another thread

I guess we censor opinions here on WCC? Check out the QSL cruise night thread and you will see that any statement by me has been erased. I am sorry but that is bad business.

[moparkid25]

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I guess we censor opinions here on WCC? Check out the QSL cruise night thread and you will see that any statement by me has been erased. I am sorry but that is bad business.

I agree J. I had it out on here when everybody was praising HOH like there the greatest thing since Disneyland. My comments were not deleted until Lance got on here and posted my personal info and called me a Narc that goes to East Wash in my red cuda and narc’s street racers, lol! It got to be a big F-You match and then our mutual friend had his named dropped, so he joined the forum to get his point across. With some things that were said, I wasn’t really that upset about it except that the topic was locked and others were not allowed to give there opinion, because thats how forums work – opinion.

(with no offense to the administrators or other members) It’s funny how public forums work, especially when there’s money and promotion involved. I have said before and said to you Friday night in person I’ll never have another thing to do with QSL because they f*cked you over and you didn’t even get kissed.

[jonmandude]

Thanks moparkid25. I wish more people stood up for what is right, and that is treating people well.

The way I see it, QSL made a decision that caused a reaction. They should now accept that reaction and own up to the fact that they were wrong, not try to hide it. If they are going to try to make profits off of my hard work I cannot do anything about it, except inform people and let the people decide for themselves.

WCC should allow it, but they are worried about the almighty dollar. I like the administrators here and respect them, so I don’t mean to criticize, but this is wrong. I did not “bash” QSL I simply told the truth. I did not say “F” them or say “don’t go” I simply said that I would prefer people not go and that we all stand together for what is right and don’t support ANYONE who wrongs any of us.

I will continue to let others now about QSL and the way they do business behind closed doors.

[jonmandude]

I am now going on record that I was wrong to criticize the WCC administrators.

It is my belief that any forum should be an open discussion allowing viewpoints, both positive and negative, without censorship. It is my belief that a forum site becomes a community, one that looks out for each other by sharing experiences and information.

I believe that QSL is using my efforts, and all of our love our cars, simply for their own profit with absolutely no concern or care for the hobby. We all like to get together and share our cars and stories with each other. When I started the Cruises at QSL it was out of love of the hobby. I wanted to make a place for all car enthusiasts to get together and share, my intent was not profit, just joy.

While I do understand that the goal of any business is to profit, it is the ethics of that profit that I do not agree with.

[jonmandude]

Wow, I guess I didn’t realize how much this meant to me, how much I cared about this, how much of my heart I put into it, how hurt I was or how angry I am at QSL for taking it away from me.

I apologize to all of you for having to bear witness to this.

[moparkid25]

Hey, I’ll go to the loonie bin with ya…. thumbsup.gif

[circletrack]

Jon ~ Sometimes we have to realize no matter how hard we work, or how good our intentions are ~ someone else is behind us 99.9% of the time trying to screw things up and make themselves look good, it’s a fact of life. I do appreciate everything you did for QSL, it should be interesting to see what this summer brings.

You also have to remember the guys at WCC have to look out for themselves also. They’ve worked hard to get this great website up and running, and if they feel the need to censor, it’s their decision, not ours.

You will come out of this a better person, I know it.

[moparkid25]

I will say that I liked the atomsphere at QSL, it was very relaxed and the beer was cold. I liked the food, but every time I ate there I always had a spare pair of shorts in the glovebox in case I didn’t make it home fast enough 😯

[Anonymous]

jonmandude,

I, too, appreciate everything you did to make the QSL cruise-ins on Thursday nights a success. You were a success and most of us recognize that it was you, and not the QSL, that made it a success week after week, last year. I live on this side of town and I sincerely appreciate having the opportunity to participate in a car event on this side of town.

Let me say this in closing: Some times you’re the bug and some times you’re the windshield. This is just one of those deals when it turns out you were the bug. You will come out of this just fine and move on to bigger and better venues, car shows and cruise-ins. I would challenge you to start work on your next car event or cruise-in. Actually, have you given any thought about putting together something on State Street for 2009?

Marshall

[jonmandude]

Honestly, I haven’t given much thought to anything else. You aren’t the first to ask me to do something else.

I appreciate all of your kind words and support, but I am tired of being the bug. As a teen I went to LA to follow music. I enjoyed music because I enjoyed the feeling I got when my music made people smile. I found the music business was more about business than music. That soured me on music. I then started working in the envelope business. I worked my way up the corporate ladder. I always stuck up for the little guy in the business, I wasn’t afraid of speaking up when I thought something was wrong. At first that willingness to speak up moved me up, but eventually the stress of always being that person wore on me.

I have always enjoyed making people smile and I have always spoke up when I see something that is wrong, it is who I am. But when you are that way it seems that you always end up being the bug.

[Anonymous]

Jon,
I frequent QSL very often and I am a regular there, have been for the past year or so.
Your post trouble me a little bit.
Quaker Steak & Lube have been around for over 20 years and have been doing car cruise ins since the beginning. Car Cruise In along with Bike Nite are Lube’s 2 top events and they continue to do them year after year. Most folks who bring their vehicle on the old Sunday Cruise Ins definetly did not order food and usually just drinks. Lube provides a safe place for groups to meet weekly and also on request. My group has called the Lube numerous times for them to set up spaces for us to park during the summer months and they did knowing that they were not making money off of us many times.

On your getting fired.
It is my belief that you had problems with your performance as an employee of QSL (you were also a bartender). You were cut back on bar hours because of your performance and after several attempts to help you correct your behavior….
They did offer you to stay on with Bike Nite.
They did appreciate everything you did while you were here.
You are the one that decided to leave. You did not get fired.

You also did not start car cruise in or bring it to The Lube.
It has always been a part of Quaker Steak’s culture.

Just my input, take it as you would like. It seems like all the bad mouthing the Lube has gotten out of control, only by you and one other person.

I have passions of my own but not for cars but for other things I have worked hard with and understand how you feel.

Unfortunately as a friend of someone that works there I feel like I must watch this forum to see what other stuff pops up

Again,
The Lube did not make a mistake letting you go
You quit
Your work was appreciated with Car Cruise Ins

etc,etc,etc

[moparkid25]

On your getting fired.
It is my belief that you had problems with your performance as an employee of QSL (you were also a bartender). You were cut back on bar hours because of your performance and after several attempts to help you correct your behavior….
They did offer you to stay on with Bike Nite.
They did appreciate everything you did while you were here.
You are the one that decided to leave. You did not get fired.

As someone who is not an employee, but claims to be a friend of an employee, who in the hell are you to discuss his performance as a QSL employee?! This topic was started because of the questionable directions the cruise nights could take now without Jon directing that aspect of the business.

[color=]You also did not start car cruise in or bring it to The Lube.
It has always been a part of Quaker Steak’s culture.[/color]

Car cruises are a part of this 20+ year business, but Jon is the one who made it work in Middleton, not some douchebag in a big office who counts his money all day!

I have passions of my own but not for cars but for other things I have worked hard with and understand how you feel.

If you have no passion for cars, then I recommend you quit $%#& off about something you have no idea about on a CAR FORUM!!!

[color=]Your work was appreciated with Car Cruise Ins[/color]

Yes, Jon’s work was appreciated by me, many others in OUR hobby, but not you. I met Jon a couple years ago and I’m proud to consider him a friend! As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t walk across the street to piss in the QSL parking lot if people like you are the patrons that associate there.

[jonmandude]

Thanks moparkid25. But he has just as much of a right to comment as we do, and I welcome his comments.

Stever51878

With all due respect, you have no idea what your are talking about. You have been going there for one year? I worked there for almost three!! I worked EVERY bike night and EVERY car event. NO ONE ELSE at QSL, even the owner, can say that.

There was never a problem with my performance. As a bartender I was never late, I never called in sick, I did not give away drinks, I was (and I quote) the “best bartender for closing the bar”, I received many compliments to management from customers about my performance as a bartender, My till was always accurate (something that many others could not say), I never received a single complaint, period. There was never a discussion, EVER, about my performance, except the few times to compliment me on said performance. There was one “discussion” between me and a manager but it turned out to be a misunderstanding by a new manager. If there was a problem I would not have been allowed to work out my two week notice. During my last month, more responsibility was added to my duties. Sound like a “problem employee”?

With the thought of me starting the car cruise, I did. When I started at Middleton QSL, they only did Bike night. I asked why we didn’t do a car night and the response I received was, “other Lubes do it, see what you can do”. No other person had any interest in it until they started to see a monetary return. That is not “bad mouthing”. It is stating fact.

The only “bad mouthing” anyone has said, has been statement of fact. That QSL only does the car cruise in to bring in customers, fact. That they have no interest in the cars or the owners outside of money, fact. That the ideas that they have to improve the car cruise in are mine, fact. And that I would prefer that no one attend, also fact. Moparkid25 did not “bad mouth” either he only said that he would not attend if I was not involved.

You do not know me, or anything about the subject. While appreciate your input, your assumptions (and that is all they are) are not based in fact.

For the record, I loved working at QSL. I did anything asked of me and then some more. I spent much of my free personal time promoting QSL and the cruise night. Many on this forum have seen me at other car shows and cruise ins with a Lube shirt on and a flier in my car window. I was on this and other car oriented forums as well. I never asked for compensation, but I think I earned a little respect. You, obviously, do not know the reasoning behind my leaving there, nor does the person that told you. You do not leave a place that you spend that much time and effort trying to improve, and then let everyone know about it, for no reason. I will leave it at that.

[jonmandude]

Quote:

It is my belief that you had problems with your performance as an employee of QSL

Again,
The Lube did not make a mistake letting you go

etc,etc,etc

To update this stever51878, last night I had a customer from QSL find me at my new place of bartending employment. That customer said that he looked for me the last time he was at QSL and was disappointed to not see me. He then told me that the service was terrible and that I was missed. This is about the fifth time that I have had this experience during the past two months.

If the customers feel that way, and others on here have shared their feelings, then yes, QSL made a mistake. It is about business and relationships built with the customers and providing service. When you have someone within your organization that provides that service and builds those relationships, you do not let them go somewhere else to do that somewhere else. You keep them and build on that.

[jonmandude]

I stopped by and spoke with the guys at Blue Chip this week. They say that they will not be doing Quaker Steak and Lube this season. It seems that they were bounced in favor of the new guys, Benchmark Classics.

First, I want to say thank you to the Blue Chip guys for helping to make last year a huge success. The best nights last year were the nights that Blue Chip was there, as well as many of you. I don’t agree with the idea of pushing them out for somebody new, when they did so much to help it grow (but then what do I agree with there?). There was always room enough for everybody when I ran the cruise in.

Also I would like to wish Benchmark the best of luck with their nights at QSL, sincerely.

Blue Chip said that they will be helping out with the Hot Rod Power Tour registration. I am so looking forward to that week. Who all wants to meet up in Iowa?

[Author]

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