Long John Silver's

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OPEN NOW - Closes at 9:00pm

Oh, how we crave the hot, crispy fish, the deep-fried shrimp, and those mouthwatering, famous Hushpuppies. That's what we were hungry for on our way back home from our trip to Nebraska. As we pulled into Mankato, MN, I searched to see if they had a Long John Silvers here, and, surprisingly, they did. We had to stop.



Now, our issue was not with the food, it was as you would expect: yummy, tasty fried food. But, our issue is with the management there and how a situation could have been handled a lot better.



First, as for wheelchair accessibility: it was tight going in the doorways, even with a standard chair. It seemed that you had to line everything perfect to make it over some bumps or you have to start over again. Once you're in, they have a small opening that leads into the dining area, but the opening was too small, and the chair would not fit. They have another wall separating the ordering line from the dining area. Here you can move through ok, little snug, and, if busy, can seem very claustrophobic. The dining area seems like, if busy, it can be tight to maneuver with a chair, but sitting on the outside worked fine. My advice is this, if you are in a chair I would come in through the exit, pull up to a table that is accessible, and have someone order for you.



Now, here is our situation, without going all in detail. It lies with a poor manager that wouldn't step up, or speak up, and was not happy to move a huge menu sign that I could not get around. I was not only angry but more humiliated. I have never had this much of a problem with needing help eating at a restaurant, feeling degraded and belittled because I'm in a chair that needed a little accommodation. Jodi had to ask 3 times for someone to move the sign. The last request she made was firm, but not rude. But, I was met with a manager that gave me dirty looks and didn't even speak to us. It took 15-20 minutes to finally be with my family, customers would stop at our table and were more empathetic to us than the manager.



A worker, named Lindsey, started out rude, but eventually was the one who stepped up and did the job that the manager was supposed to be doing. Even though she had only been working there for a week, she is very passionate about her city and wanted to try to make things right.



As for us, on the way we were treated, we will just drive on by on this location and find another Long John Silvers around the cities of Minnesota.



http://familyfriendlyoutings.blogspot.com/

One of the few places that has stayed in business for years and if you have a meal here you will understand why. The food is good without being outrageously expensive.

It's got very good food, and is especially fun in the summer when you can sit outside and watch the boats go by. They also frequently have live music.

The building that now houses the Basket Factory Restaurant was indeed a basket factory in a previous life. Located on the Erie Canal, there is dining available overlooking the water on a large deck outside.



They have a delicious Rueben on the lunch menu and an excellent Shrimp Scampi on the dinner menu.