Bonus Chicken

Part of the fun of being in a new place is trying new restaurants, so I’ve been trying different eateries as often as I can while I’m in Florida.  I’ve been to Firehouse Subs, Sonny’s BBQ, Antonio’s and Sila Thai.  All good, and all not available in Vermont.  Yesterday some friends and I decided to try Pollo Tropical, on the recommendation of another friend.

It seemed like a normal fast food chicken restaurant at first, with the exception that it was serving its chicken sandwiches with split pea soup instead of fries, but on a chilly day that sounded perfect.  I ordered said soup and sandwich and sat at a table, waiting for my food.  I was table #13.  Right away, someone brought over a plate of fried chicken, rice and a roll.  I explained to him that I had not ordered that, but he insisted that it was supposed to go to table #13, and walked away.

Then my friend Michelle came over to the table to wait for her food.  She hadn’t told the guy that we were together at the same table, but her receipt also said Table 13 on it.  Soon enough, my actual food came, followed by her food.  Did all the receipts say Table 13?  I would investigate further.

I went up to the counter and explained to them that I had not ordered a chicken dinner in addition to my meal, nor had I paid for one.  They told me I must be mistaken, because I was at Table 13, and the receipt clearly said Table 13 on it.  I checked for hidden cameras and/or Ashton Kutcher, but found nothing, so I went back to the table to eat my real food.

For a while, the bonus chicken just sat there.  I thought that perhaps some angry person would eventually show up and demand their dinner from us, so we didn’t touch it.  But after a while we decided that the roll sure would taste good dipped in our soups, and as the roll seemed like the least offensive thing on the plate to steal, we ate it.

Michelle started in the rice soon after, and that bonus chicken started to look mighty tempting over there, so I ate it too.  And, by gum, it was delicious!  I mean seriously, that is some good chicken.  Wow.  Did it taste better because it was illicit chicken?  I can’t say for sure, but man, you have got to try that chicken.

We left, still having no idea why a plate of chicken was delivered to us, free of charge.  Did the cashier guy think I was really cute?  Did a ghost order it?  Did someone just hit a wrong button?  There were only about three other people in there, and none of them seemed to be missing any food at any time.  Weird.  So I give Pollo Tropical two thumbs up.  I can’t wait to try it again, just to see what else they try and serve me.