You read the headline right. After what I experienced yesterday, Pepeyes Chicken and Biscuits in Albany’s Hannaford Plaza is on a personal three-month boycott from me.
Because it’s one thing to have to deal with panhandlers.
It’s another thing to not give a crap about panhandlers.
Let me explain.
Yesterday, I was busy running errands around the Capital District – and after pickup my laundry at the laundromat, I wanted to snag some dinner. There was a Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits in the Hannaford Plaza on Central Avenue, so I figured I’d get some spicy chicken and whatever imitation Louisiana cooking I could acquire.
Parked the car. As I walked toward the entrance of the store, there was a young man standing outside the entrance. “Excuse me, sir, sir could I please have a dollar…”
Ugh. Panhandler. I don’t need a panhandler who probably makes more money than I do – tax free, mind you – begging for change and pleading poverty to unsuspecting patrons. And I remembered … there were sign-carrying panhandlers begging for change off the I-90 Exit 5 offramp, just as cars turn onto Everett Road toward Central Avenue.
I walked into the store. I do not need to deal with panhandlers today.
Waited in line.
“Welcome to Popeyes, what can I get for you?” the less-than-enthusiastic cashier said to me.
I placed my order and paid for it. “And by the way,” I said, “you might want to chase away the panhandler in front of your door. I don’t need to be begged for money on my way in to buy your food.”
The cashier never looked up from her register. “Oh, we can’t do that.”
Huh?
“We can’t do that, as long as he’s not in front of our store directly we can’t ask him to leave.”
“But he’s right at the entrance of your store. He’s bugging your customers for money.”
The cashier placed my chicken in a box, then put the box in a bag.
“So you’re not even going to tell your manager about the panhandler?”
“Nope,” she replied. “Nothing we can do about it.”
“But this guy is pestering your customers as they enter your establishment for money – ”
“Thank you for ordering at Popeyes,” she said, handing me my bag of food. I swear she never looked up from her register screen.
Ugh. I’m out of here.
And as I leave the restaurant…
“Excuse me, sir, but can you spare a dollar …”
The panhandler is now bugging me for change as I’m heading back to my car. Same panhandler.
So as far as I’m concerned … starting today, and continuing until at least April 30, 2018…
I am personally boycotting Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits in the Hannaford Plaza. There is absolutely NO REASON why that cashier didn’t at least address my concerns about a beggar bugging this store’s patrons for money while they’re entering and leaving the store.
Last time I checked, Hannaford Plaza is considered private property that is open to the public for shopping. It’s not open for vagrants and beggars and swindlers. And if Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits wasn’t going to do anything about vagrants bugging their customers for handouts, then why should I do any business with any merchants in the Hannaford Plaza at all?
So yeah, I’m not happy with the situation last night. I’ve worked too hard for my money to hand it over to a street beggar. Especially when I know that street beggars and vagrants and panhandlers make a TON of money from these handouts.
Besides, if I’m that desperate for Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits in the future, I’ll drive to the one on Hoosick Street in Troy. At least the only issues with that one is trying to find parking on Hoosick Street in Troy.
But at least at that location, I won’t have to worry about panhandlers.
At least I hope not.
Chuck The Writer 
I share your sentiments about the panhandlers, but Popeye’s may not be able, legally, to do anything about it as long as, like she said, they are not physically blocking the entrance to their store. It would be up to the property owner to file a complaint with the Albany PD to evict the offenders, who would probably return the following week anyway. The best you can do is what you did – ignore them.
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The panhandler situation is insane. I saw a woman getting out of a van on Central Ave near 155. She immediately ran to the curb with a sign and started begging. I think that many of them are already getting assistance. There is begging, and then there is coercion —with a fine line in between.
We won’t go to downtown Albany anymore. We were hit up for money before we got out of the car. The last time S went down there, he was bothered for money while INSIDE of a venue. The guy was dressed well. As he was leaving, anothr man wanted to “borrow” S’ cell phone. S walked away quickly but the guy followed him, matching his pace. Two more men, sitting on a porch, saw this and joined in the chase.
S was a track star in high school and college, and he is still in great shape. He broke into a full run and left the dirtbags with their jaws hanging. Thank God I was not there because I can’t run, and S would have tried to protect me.
We stopped going to downtown Albany after that. We are done,
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I’m shocked that you’re so heartless you couldn’t spare even a drumstick for a poor homeless fellow Hillary supporter. I didn’t realize that Street Academy stood for Wall St. Congratulations on paying off your car loan so early.
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I know that place Chuck – the workers behind the counter probably know those begging outside.
I’ve worked with homeless populations in the past. You can tell the scammers from the truly needy.Yes, there are scammers on Central Ave, in front of Westgate, and on Everett, I live right in the area and pass by them every day. I’ve seen their handlers take their money, I’ve seen a mother bring her child to stand at the Exit 5 on a cold day. They’ve tried to hustle and harass me as well.
However, I’ve also seen homeless going through dumpsters behind the CVS next to Westgate. I’ve seen the same drunks turn up day after day at in Townsend Park, not begging shaking off the cold and hunger. I’ve seen a homeless mother and her child I was working with get mocked and called a bad mother by other mothers who have a warm home to go to and a hot meal to eat.
I turn away probably 9 out of 10 of the hand-outs I get asked for. When I spot someone who is truly homeless or hungry and I if I have a few bucks, I don’t mind sharing and I don’t care what they spend it on. We’re all in this together.
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I know of someone whose 40 year old daughter was a panhandler on Everett Rd. She begged for money for drugs and recently died from an overdose.
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