I've told this before but it is always good for a laugh.

One year in the mid 1970's my mother decided she didn't want to cook
Thanksgiving dinner. She kept seeing ads on television from a nearby
grocery store, Kroger. "Let Kroger Do It For You!" All the work. All
the side dishes. Just pick it up!

This was before the Internet, folks. This was before Cable TV. She saw
ads on TV for local stores and store promotions. We only got four
television channels. CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS. Local advertising.

She used the phone (OMG, a land line) and called the Kroger supermarket
in Bartlett, TN. Said she'd seen the ad. She ordered a Thanksgiving
dinner. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy. Two sides and
a pie. To be picked up around Noon on Thanksgiving day.

My middle brother and I went with her to pick it up. My brother was
loading the box into the trunk when he said, "This feels very cold." We
opened the box in the parking lot... what was in the box? Frozen solid
food. A frozen *uncooked* turkey. Frozen everything side dishes. With
instructions on how to cook all of it.

The television ads (I remember them) made it sound like it would be a
fully cooked meal. Just bring it home and plate it. It definitely was
not that.

I have rarely seen my mother display anger in public but she did on that
day. She told my brother to grab the box and she marched back into the
store. I was trailing behind thinking "Uh oh." LOL She gave the store
manager what for. She cited false advertising. She asked what the heck
was she supposed to do with this box of frozen solid uncooked food? At
Noon. On Thanksgiving. She demanded and got her money back.

A cautionary tale based in reality.

We went to another grocery store and bought some NY strip steaks and
russet potatoes. We had broiled steaks and baked potatoes for
Thanksgiving dinner that year.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> I've told this before but it is always good for a laugh.
>
> One year in the mid 1970's my mother decided she didn't want to cook
> Thanksgiving dinner. She kept seeing ads on television from a nearby
> grocery store, Kroger. "Let Kroger Do It For You!" All the work. All
> the side dishes. Just pick it up!
>
> This was before the Internet, folks. This was before Cable TV. She saw
> ads on TV for local stores and store promotions. We only got four
> television channels. CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS. Local advertising.
>
> She used the phone (OMG, a land line) and called the Kroger supermarket in
> Bartlett, TN. Said she'd seen the ad. She ordered a Thanksgiving dinner.
> Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy. Two sides and a pie. To
> be picked up around Noon on Thanksgiving day.
>
> My middle brother and I went with her to pick it up. My brother was
> loading the box into the trunk when he said, "This feels very cold." We
> opened the box in the parking lot... what was in the box? Frozen solid
> food. A frozen *uncooked* turkey. Frozen everything side dishes. With
> instructions on how to cook all of it.
>
> The television ads (I remember them) made it sound like it would be a
> fully cooked meal. Just bring it home and plate it. It definitely was
> not that.
>
> I have rarely seen my mother display anger in public but she did on that
> day. She told my brother to grab the box and she marched back into the
> store. I was trailing behind thinking "Uh oh." LOL She gave the store
> manager what for. She cited false advertising. She asked what the heck
> was she supposed to do with this box of frozen solid uncooked food? At
> Noon. On Thanksgiving. She demanded and got her money back.
>
> A cautionary tale based in reality.
>
> We went to another grocery store and bought some NY strip steaks and
> russet potatoes. We had broiled steaks and baked potatoes for
> Thanksgiving dinner that year.
>
> Jill


Damn, I would have been ****ed too! I have ordered hams and things, and have
been tempted to order a pre-cooked holiday meal when just the two of us, but
never have. I assume that they are fully cooked. LOL

Cheri

On 11/1/2018 1:26 PM, Cheri wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I've told this before but it is always good for a laugh.
>>
>> One year in the mid 1970's my mother decided she didn't want to cook
>> Thanksgiving dinner.* She kept seeing ads on television from a nearby
>> grocery store, Kroger.* "Let Kroger Do It For You!"* All the work.
>> All the side dishes.* Just pick it up!
>>
>> This was before the Internet, folks.* This was before Cable TV.* She
>> saw ads on TV for local stores and store promotions.* We only got four
>> television channels.* CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS.* Local advertising.
>>
>> She used the phone (OMG, a land line) and called the Kroger
>> supermarket in Bartlett, TN.* Said she'd seen the ad.* She ordered a
>> Thanksgiving dinner. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy.
>> Two sides and a pie.* To be picked up around Noon on Thanksgiving day.
>>
>> My middle brother and I went with her to pick it up.* My brother was
>> loading the box into the trunk when he said, "This feels very cold."
>> We opened the box in the parking lot... what was in the box?* Frozen
>> solid food.* A frozen *uncooked* turkey.* Frozen everything side
>> dishes.* With instructions on how to cook all of it.
>>
>> The television ads (I remember them) made it sound like it would be a
>> fully cooked meal.* Just bring it home and plate it.* It definitely
>> was not that.
>>
>> I have rarely seen my mother display anger in public but she did on
>> that day.* She told my brother to grab the box and she marched back
>> into the store.* I was trailing behind thinking "Uh oh." LOL* She gave
>> the store manager what for.* She cited false advertising.* She asked
>> what the heck was she supposed to do with this box of frozen solid
>> uncooked food?* At Noon.* On Thanksgiving.* She demanded and got her
>> money back.
>>
>> A cautionary tale based in reality.
>>
>> We went to another grocery store and bought some NY strip steaks and
>> russet potatoes.* We had broiled steaks and baked potatoes for
>> Thanksgiving dinner that year.
>>
>> Jill
>
>
> Damn, I would have been ****ed too! I have ordered hams and things, and
> have been tempted to order a pre-cooked holiday meal when just the two
> of us, but never have. I assume that they are fully cooked. LOL
>
> Cheri

It certainly came as a surprise! In retrospect, I wonder how they were
supposed to have cooked it? AFAIK grocery stores in the 1970's didn't
have the equipment. They didn't sell rotisserie or fried chicken,
didn't have in-house bakeries.

I felt a bit sorry for the manager. I doubt he had any control over the
corporate advertising. For all he knew she was planning to cook it the
following weekend, plenty of time to thaw out the turkey and containers
of side dishes.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 11/1/2018 1:26 PM, Cheri wrote:
>> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I've told this before but it is always good for a laugh.
>>>
>>> One year in the mid 1970's my mother decided she didn't want to cook
>>> Thanksgiving dinner. She kept seeing ads on television from a nearby
>>> grocery store, Kroger. "Let Kroger Do It For You!" All the work. All
>>> the side dishes. Just pick it up!
>>>
>>> This was before the Internet, folks. This was before Cable TV. She saw
>>> ads on TV for local stores and store promotions. We only got four
>>> television channels. CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS. Local advertising.
>>>
>>> She used the phone (OMG, a land line) and called the Kroger supermarket
>>> in Bartlett, TN. Said she'd seen the ad. She ordered a Thanksgiving
>>> dinner. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy. Two sides and a
>>> pie. To be picked up around Noon on Thanksgiving day.
>>>
>>> My middle brother and I went with her to pick it up. My brother was
>>> loading the box into the trunk when he said, "This feels very cold." We
>>> opened the box in the parking lot... what was in the box? Frozen solid
>>> food. A frozen *uncooked* turkey. Frozen everything side dishes. With
>>> instructions on how to cook all of it.
>>>
>>> The television ads (I remember them) made it sound like it would be a
>>> fully cooked meal. Just bring it home and plate it. It definitely was
>>> not that.
>>>
>>> I have rarely seen my mother display anger in public but she did on that
>>> day. She told my brother to grab the box and she marched back into the
>>> store. I was trailing behind thinking "Uh oh." LOL She gave the store
>>> manager what for. She cited false advertising. She asked what the heck
>>> was she supposed to do with this box of frozen solid uncooked food? At
>>> Noon. On Thanksgiving. She demanded and got her money back.
>>>
>>> A cautionary tale based in reality.
>>>
>>> We went to another grocery store and bought some NY strip steaks and
>>> russet potatoes. We had broiled steaks and baked potatoes for
>>> Thanksgiving dinner that year.
>>>
>>> Jill
>>
>>
>> Damn, I would have been ****ed too! I have ordered hams and things, and
>> have been tempted to order a pre-cooked holiday meal when just the two of
>> us, but never have. I assume that they are fully cooked. LOL
>>
>> Cheri
>
> It certainly came as a surprise! In retrospect, I wonder how they were
> supposed to have cooked it? AFAIK grocery stores in the 1970's didn't
> have the equipment. They didn't sell rotisserie or fried chicken, didn't
> have in-house bakeries.
>
> I felt a bit sorry for the manager. I doubt he had any control over the
> corporate advertising. For all he knew she was planning to cook it the
> following weekend, plenty of time to thaw out the turkey and containers of
> side dishes.
>
> Jill


True, but how much trouble would it have been to list it frozen, ready to
cook?

Cheri

On Friday, November 2, 2018 at 10:24:43 AM UTC-5, Cheri wrote:
>
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > I felt a bit sorry for the manager. I doubt he had any control over the
> > corporate advertising. For all he knew she was planning to cook it the
> > following weekend, plenty of time to thaw out the turkey and containers of
> > side dishes.
> >
> > Jill
>
> True, but how much trouble would it have been to list it frozen, ready to
> cook?
>
> Cheri
>
Yes, the manager probably had no control over corporate advertising but I
bet the ad in the paper showed a beautifully browned turkey accompanied
by some yummy looking sides. Just a few words added to the ad would have
made all the difference in the world. "No preparation needed! Comes frozen
ready to be cooked."

On 11/2/2018 12:32 PM, wrote:
> On Friday, November 2, 2018 at 10:24:43 AM UTC-5, Cheri wrote:
>>
>> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> I felt a bit sorry for the manager. I doubt he had any control over the
>>> corporate advertising. For all he knew she was planning to cook it the
>>> following weekend, plenty of time to thaw out the turkey and containers of
>>> side dishes.
>>>
>>> Jill
>>
>> True, but how much trouble would it have been to list it frozen, ready to
>> cook?
>>
>> Cheri
>>
> Yes, the manager probably had no control over corporate advertising but I
> bet the ad in the paper showed a beautifully browned turkey accompanied
> by some yummy looking sides.

Yes, that's exactly what it looked like!

> Just a few words added to the ad would have
> made all the difference in the world. "No preparation needed! Comes frozen
> ready to be cooked."
>
Yes, just a few extra words would have clarified it. Unfortunately they
didn't say that.

It's a funny fun Thanksgiving.

Jill

On 11/2/2018 11:23 AM, Cheri wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 11/1/2018 1:26 PM, Cheri wrote:
>>> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> I've told this before but it is always good for a laugh.
>>>>
>>>> One year in the mid 1970's my mother decided she didn't want to cook
>>>> Thanksgiving dinner. She kept seeing ads on television from a nearby
>>>> grocery store, Kroger. "Let Kroger Do It For You!" All the work.
>>>> All the side dishes. Just pick it up!
>>>>
>>>> This was before the Internet, folks. This was before Cable TV. She
>>>> saw ads on TV for local stores and store promotions. We only got
>>>> four television channels. CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS. Local advertising.
>>>>
>>>> She used the phone (OMG, a land line) and called the Kroger
>>>> supermarket in Bartlett, TN. Said she'd seen the ad. She ordered a
>>>> Thanksgiving dinner. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing,
>>>> gravy.* Two sides and a pie. To be picked up around Noon on
>>>> Thanksgiving day.
>>>>
>>>> My middle brother and I went with her to pick it up. My brother was
>>>> loading the box into the trunk when he said, "This feels very
>>>> cold."* We opened the box in the parking lot... what was in the box?
>>>> Frozen solid food. A frozen *uncooked* turkey. Frozen everything
>>>> side dishes. With instructions on how to cook all of it.
>>>>
>>>> The television ads (I remember them) made it sound like it would be
>>>> a fully cooked meal. Just bring it home and plate it. It definitely
>>>> was not that.
>>>>
>>>> I have rarely seen my mother display anger in public but she did on
>>>> that day. She told my brother to grab the box and she marched back
>>>> into the store. I was trailing behind thinking "Uh oh." LOL She gave
>>>> the store manager what for. She cited false advertising. She asked
>>>> what the heck was she supposed to do with this box of frozen solid
>>>> uncooked food? At Noon. On Thanksgiving. She demanded and got her
>>>> money back.
>>>>
>>>> A cautionary tale based in reality.
>>>>
>>>> We went to another grocery store and bought some NY strip steaks and
>>>> russet potatoes. We had broiled steaks and baked potatoes for
>>>> Thanksgiving dinner that year.
>>>>
>>>> Jill
>>>
>>>
>>> Damn, I would have been ****ed too! I have ordered hams and things,
>>> and have been tempted to order a pre-cooked holiday meal when just
>>> the two of us, but never have. I assume that they are fully cooked. LOL
>>>
>>> Cheri
>>
>> It certainly came as a surprise!* In retrospect, I wonder how they
>> were supposed to have cooked it?* AFAIK grocery stores in the 1970's
>> didn't have the equipment.* They didn't sell rotisserie or fried
>> chicken, didn't have in-house bakeries.
>>
>> I felt a bit sorry for the manager.* I doubt he had any control over
>> the corporate advertising.* For all he knew she was planning to cook
>> it the following weekend, plenty of time to thaw out the turkey and
>> containers of side dishes.
>>
>> Jill
>
>
> True, but how much trouble would it have been to list it frozen, ready
> to cook?
>
> Cheri

Oh I agree with you. I do remember the ads (television, maybe some
newspaper inserts) showing a beautifully cooked meal. "Let Kroger do it
for you!" Do what? Put frozen uncooked food in a box? The entire
premise of the ad was misleading. But don't forget, this was in the
1970's. Was there truth in advertising? I don't blame Mom for being angry.

We (mom, dad, middle brother and I) didn't mind having steak & baked
potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. In the dining room. We used Mom's
good china. Turns out Thanksgiving dinner isn't about a turkey. LOL

It gave us something to laugh about over the years. Remember the Kroger
Thanksgiving? LOL

I'm sure if my mother was here now she'd laugh about it. As it is, I'll
never forget how she let that man know exactly what she thought about
the Thanksgiving promotion.

I also remember a time around in the 1970's when she went to buy a new
car. She had been driving a five year old car, schlepping to and from
the Commissary on base to buy groceries. Sometimes having to take us
kids to school in bad weather. Dad decided she needed a new car.

I went car shopping with her. She found a new Chevy she liked. We went
into the office. She had just written out the check when the sales
manager said he'd have to call her husband to "get permission". I was a
nosy but informed teenager. I said, "She doesn't need permission!" Mom
pulled the check back and tore it up. We left.

When we got home, Dad asked, "Did you find a new car?" She told him all
about it. The salesman said she needed his permission. My father blew
his stack. He went into full Marine Colonel mode. LOL

Dad got the manager on the phone. He said "My wife does not need my
permission to buy anything! Her name is on the checking account. It's
a joint checking account. How dare you question her ability to buy a
car? We will be taking our business elsewhere." GO DAD!

An excuse the salesman offered for letting the business walk out the
door included me... he said I was "a loudmouthed teenager". All I did
was speak up when they said my mother needed her husbands "permission"
to buy a car.

Jill

On 11/1/2018 11:12 AM, jmcquown wrote:
> I've told this before but it is always good for a laugh.

Been there, played that game. I only did it once, many yrs ago.

nb

On Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 11:12:31 AM UTC-6, Jill McQuown wrote:
....
>
> A cautionary tale based in reality.
>
> We went to another grocery store and bought some NY strip steaks and
> russet potatoes. We had broiled steaks and baked potatoes for
> Thanksgiving dinner that year.
>
> Jill

New Thankgiving Day Dinner customs are sometimes necessary!!

Fa-Ra, Ra Ra Ra Ra-Ra Ra Ra Ra!

;-)

John Kuthe...