Sometimes, the exact food you want is also the hardest to get.
If you live in a major city, you might be lucky enough to have a variety of cuisines available for your dining pleasure. However, if you live in the suburbs—or, worse yet, out in the country—your eating-out options are severely limited.
TikTok user Emily McGill (@emilyannmcgill) can tell you that firsthand. After deciding to surprise her fiancé with an order of Dave’s Hot Chicken, she ended up driving for two hours to find a location that was open. When she actually got there, however, she was met with an unpleasant surprise.
What Went Wrong with This Dave’s Hot Chicken Order?
In a video with over 482,000 views, McGill explains how she ended up two hours from home with a baby and, to her surprise, no food from Dave’s Hot Chicken.
Overlaying the text “Dave’s Hot Chicken COUNT YOUR DAYS” on her video, she starts her video by addressing the company directly: “I am tired and I’m on the verge of crying because of you.”
According to McGill, she decided to go to Dave’s Hot Chicken and pick up an order for her fiancé as a surprise, as he had been working several long shifts and “really freaking wanted” to try the food from the chain.
The problem with this plan is that McGill lives in the country, and the nearest Dave’s Hot Chicken was 1 hour and 45 minutes away in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. So, she set off, bringing her six-month-old baby with her.
Upon arriving at the location, however, she learned that there was not (yet) a Dave’s Hot Chicken at that location.
“Even though it says ‘Open’ online, [the location] says ‘Opening Soon, July 17th,’” McGill states. “Why is there nothing being told about that one?”
Already anxious from driving in the city, she was nevertheless determined to pick up a Dave’s Hot Chicken order. So, she ventured to the next closest location, which was another half hour away in Kansas City. This time, she opted to order and pay online to ensure that the chicken would be ready for her upon arrival.
However, once she actually got to the address, there was no chicken to be found
“I go to your little window to pick up the order…The lady brings out a sign—after I was waiting there for my food for a good five minutes out in the rain, OK? ‘Closed. No power,’” the TikToker recalls. “So I just knock on the window, have her open it, whatever. I’m just like, ‘OK, I ordered online 20 minutes ago.’ And she’s like, ‘Sorry, there’s nothing we can do about it.’”
“I’m like, ‘Can I at least have a refund?’” McGill adds. “‘Sorry, there’s nothing we can do about it.’”
All of this—the lack of food, the long drive, and the failure to receive a refund for her order—made McGill upset.
“That’s a decent amount of money that I’m out because [of] y’all,” she says, directing the comment at Dave’s Hot Chicken.
She concludes, “I hate driving in the city. Like, this is not me. This is not my thing. And I want to do it because I love my fiancé, OK? And he deserves it. He deserves so much. And I’m so anxious to have to drive two hours home with a six-month-old and no food. Nothing to show of it. Thank you, Dave’s Hot Chicken.”
Commenters Aren’t Sympathetic
In the comments section, many users expressed confusion about how any of the details referenced in the video were the fault of Dave’s Hot Chicken.
“Driving that far for chicken is ur first issue,” a user wrote.
“Girl why didn’t you just call to confirm,” added another.
“Chicken gonna be cold and gross by the time you bring it back for him to have it regardless,” noted a third.
That said, some commenters were on her side.
“YALL SHE DESERVED A REFUND CAUSE SHE DIDNT GET HER FOOD,” exclaimed a commenter.
“The frustration is valid girl I see you. A 4 hour round trip for nothing plus being out money and not getting to surprise your man it all piles up,” offered a second. “I hope they make it right.”
The TikToker Responds
Eventually, McGill posted two follow-up videos responding to some of the comments under her original video.
In short, she says she drove the significant distance as a surprise for her fiancé. As the couple lives in a rural location—“McDonald’s is literally 45 minutes away. Like, we don’t live close to any sort of society”—driving two hours was significant, but not totally out of the question.
She also noted that the original video was simply a frustrated rant. However, she was eventually able to get Dave’s Hot Chicken by driving an additional 30 minutes.
Regarding the fact that the food would be cold by the time it arrived, she says that her fiancé does not mind eating reheated food.
Finally, she gets to Dave’s Hot Chicken specifically. According to McGill, Dave’s Hot Chicken DM’d her on TikTok asking for her email and receipt. They later followed up via email and phone. McGill says she spoke directly with the owner, who apologized and wanted to resolve things.
@emilyannmcgill Please get their attention!! I should’ve at least got a refund @Dave’s Hot Chicken ♬ original sound – Ems
“He apologized profusely,” McGill recalls. “In the original video, like, I wasn’t even talking extremely negative on Dave’s Hot Chicken…I was just sharing my experience, and nothing to do with them. I literally just wanted a refund.”
Thankfully, McGill says she’ll now be getting a refund. Not only that, but the company asked for her address to send her a surprise in the mail. She does not yet know what this surprise will be.
Commenters were satisfied with this resolution
“God forbid a girl wanna give her man what he wants,” said a commenter.
“No judgements.. I will drive 3 hrs to try the new closest Dave’s hot chicken in St. Louis!” exclaimed an additional TikToker.
The Mary Sue reached out to Dave’s Hot Chicken and McGill via email.
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