The Ritz Camera I normally take my film to has always had quick service. Though from time to time they've had problems following directions, they've always been friendly and quick. The entire staff except one or two people was Middle Eastern of some sort, but I never really thought anything of it. It was a photo shop that did excellent work most of the time.
So I go in yesterday afternoon after work and drop off my film, and the store is all rearranged, all the staff are white Americans, and instead of promising my film by first thing in the morning like usual, they say it won't be ready till 3:30 in the afternoon next day. Hello? It's one hour service. I went back at noon to get my film, wasting part of my lunch hour, because I hadn't looked at the promised time and it's always been standard practice to be able to pick it up by lunchtime. And the guy, who is apparently the district manager, says that there were "problems" with the entire staff. "Ain't that the truth," a woman behind me in line says.
Weird. It makes me wonder if I'd been patronizing a terrorist cell that was rounded up, or if it's a matter of discrimination, or just some random thing I don't know about. At any rate, it makes me not want to go back to this Ritz, because they were rude and slow. Sure, they're in transition, but it's not looking like an improvement in circumstances.
