50pesos Hourly Parking Fee at Kenny Rogers Roasters and Seattle's Best Stand-alone Stores

By Mavicity, 8th Jan 2012 | Follow this author | RSS Feed | Short URL http://nut.bz/58yfw2nf/
Posted in Wikinut>Reviews>Restaurants

I have a meeting with a possible business partner. I originally chose KFC Katipunan but since it was under renovation, I opted to go to Kenny Rogers/ Seattle's Best Katipunan instead. I left the store in high spirits until I went to the parking lot, back to the car and was asked by the security guard to pay 250pesos as parking fee. I said, "Seriously? Let me talk to the manager."

• Me, Kenny Rogers and Seattle's Best
• Jazz or Bossa Nova music, dim yellow lights, circular sofa dining sets and free wifi
• How to incur a 250peso (5.66USD) parking fee.
• Let me talk to your manager.
• The verdict

Me, Kenny Rogers and Seattle's Best

We were all in good terms before this incident. I had made fond memories with both food businesses.

Papa first brought me to Kenny Rogers when I was in grade school. I was mesmerized by the menu and the seemingly endless choices of side dishes. That was also the first time I ever heard of a side dish. I was enamored. I was in love. Dining at Kenny's and choosing side dishes were so much fun. Back then if I ate at Kenny's on a weekend, I had bragging rights at school the following Monday.

I discovered Seattle's Best later in life. I was working for a now defunct software business located in CyberMall, Eastwood City in Libis. CyberMall had no Starbucks, and since I worked early hours, I needed coffee and the Seattle's Best on the ground floor was my favorite early morning stopover.

Jazz or Bossa Nova music, dim yellow lights, circular sofa dining sets and free wifi

When an establishment gives you all of the above, it communicates the following message: Sit back, open your laptop, stay awhile and order as you wish.

In the Philippines, more and more food establishments have followed this formula. Burger King is undoubtedly my favorite. When I was still employed I would do my overtime work at Burger King. They not only have free wifi, they also allowed you plug in your laptop forever, for free. Not to mention that Burger King branches are usually open 24hours, and they will never kick you out no matter how long you stay. I guess as long you still smell decent, ordered at least one meal a day, they won't mind your presence. Ok, let me rave about BK on another page.

This formula is not new. Fine dine restaurants prefer their diners to stay awhile and savor the food and order more courses. Soft lighting and classical music were employed. The message is clear, stay awhile.

How to incur a 250peso (5.66USD) parking fee.

I do not know how much parking fees go in any other country but the Philippines, but a 250peso parking fee will soon make mendicants of vehicle owners here in our side of the world.

Here's how I managed to owe a restaurant 250pesos for parking.

I wen't to Kenny's, parked, was given a ticket and was informed by the guard to have it signed by the cashier. I pocketed that ticket and went inside the restaurant. That was around 1pm. My friend, a possible business partner, came it at around 3pm. Yes, she was 2 hours late, thank you very much.

We ate and small-talked for about an hour or so. Then we talked business for about two more hours. She left and I talked for another hour or so with my companion.

All in all, I was inside Kenny Rogers for 6 hours or maybe more. When I went back to my car and was about to exit the parking lot, the guard informed us that we had to pay 250pesos.

Now let me tell you that even when you parked overnight in Makati, the country's central business district, you will not have to pay 250pesos. Certainly parking for 5 and some hours in a restaurant that told you to stay awhile, should not be worth 250pesos, there shouldn't even be any parking charges!

Or at least, they should have told me before hand. Of course, there it was in print on that little parking ticket that they gave me. Parking was free for two hours, and then you get charged 50pesos every hour in excess.

It felt like hi-way robbery. No one told me there was a fee. Certainly it was not expected for you to be charged a parking fee in a restaurant's private parking lot. Not in the Philippines.

The guard only told me to have the parking slip validated by the cashier and not to expect any charges after. There wasn't any sign that said it was paid parking. I wouldn't have parked otherwise! I would have taken my business elsewhere because I knew fully well that it will take me a long time to talk business with my friend.

Let me talk to your manager.

I went back inside the store and asked for the manager. The first crew I asked said that he was just new and that he did not know who the manager was. What? Wow.

It was the guard that suddenly came in from behind and led me to the manager. The manager simply said that it was a valid charge that I would have to pay since they were audited by the Head Office. She also said that all stand-alone Kenny Rogers and Seattle's Best had paid parking lots.

I told her that it would be great if the guard had informed us that it was a paid parking lot before we entered the store or that there should be a sign that says it was a paid parking lot. She shrugged and said that she will just deduct 100pesos off my fee.

Since I didn't really expect a 100% discount, I turned my back, paid my parking fee and drove off thinking of how I will structure my post about the incident.

The verdict

Kenny Rogers and Seattle's Best stand-alone stores charge parking fees, exorbitant fees.

Don't be fooled by the ambiance that lures you to stay awhile. If you have a car, you can only stay for 2 hours unless paying the 50peso hourly fee is ok with you.

Try other restaurants and coffee shops that don't charge parking fees. There's a horde of them that will allow you to enjoy their facilities without the hold-up in the parking lot.

If you simply must eat at Kenny's or Seattle's, go to a mall and park for free or pay the 40peso one-time fee.


Photo credit of the Kenny's Katipunan facade.

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