Freebirds World Burrito, commonly called Freebirds, was founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 1987 by Mark Orfalea. Orfalea wanted to design a restaurant similar to El Pollo Loco and deliver menu items to students at Santa Barbara college. After discovering he had leftover chicken, his aunt suggested making them into burritos. The company name comes from a favorite song “Free Birds” by the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The company offers Mexican style cuisine with a wide variety of fresh choices, sauces, and salsas. Restaurant locations are known for their ceilings painted like the sky and motorcycle theme, with the Statue of Liberty crashing through a wall in most locations. Currently, the company has 90 locations, most of them in Texas and California.
Freebirds World Burrito was sold in 2007 to Tavistock Restaurants and operates as a subsidiary of its parent company. The company moved its headquarters in mid-2015 from California to Austin, Texas.
Freebirds World Burrito
Freebirds World Burrito, commonly called Freebirds, was founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 1987 by Mark Orfalea. Orfalea wanted to design a restaurant similar to El Pollo Loco and deliver menu items to students at Santa Barbara college. After discovering he had leftover chicken, his aunt suggested making them into burritos. The company name comes from a favorite song “Free Birds” by the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The company offers Mexican style cuisine with a wide variety of fresh choices, sauces, and salsas. Restaurant locations are known for their ceilings painted like the sky and motorcycle theme, with the Statue of Liberty crashing through a wall in most locations. Currently, the company has 90 locations, most of them in Texas and California.
Freebirds World Burrito was sold in 2007 to Tavistock Restaurants and operates as a subsidiary of its parent company. The company moved its headquarters in mid-2015 from California to Austin, Texas.
History
I am here on behalf of an attempt to search for the most qualified person to speak to about a hostile work environment created by offensive and not to mention, extremely unprofessional conduct occuring currently due to General Manager by the name of “Koatney” at SHEPHERD PLAZA, 3745 Greenbriar Dr, Houston, TX 77098. I’ve witnessed multiple cases which have yet to receive the depth of concern and correction it should. I believe every individual responsible for this business is also responsible in taking into consideration the seriousness of this dilemma as it is in violation of everyone’s rights as workers of the U.S. The U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has specific guidelines in case Mr.Koatney (and whomever supports his behavior towards employee’s, employee family/friends, and customers who are witnesses all affected by this hostile behavior) needs further education on how the system works and the rights one obtains as working citizens of this country. “Employers are encouraged to take appropriate steps to prevent and correct unlawful harassment. They should clearly communicate to employees that unwelcome harassing conduct will not be tolerated.” This is only merely a concerned comment in comparison to how serious I am in taking civil action against employee’s who are forced to endure offensive conduct as a condition for continued employment or agreed upon weekly hours. There are multiple witnesses at the Freebirds Shepherd location to describe the employee discrimination that is in violation of employee rights. Everyone has a limit when it comes to being taken advantage of and expected to accept intolerable behavior, bullying, belittling, intimidation, offenses, disrespect, lack of communication skills, lack of human decency and basic human to human interaction. All of the above mentioned pointed at one guilty individual by the name of Koatney.
The manager and staff during lunch at free birds in midland texas are terrible!! they are rude and treat paying customers terrible. the place is always a terrible mess and i have had enough. I’m not one to ever complain but i do keep going back in hopes things will change and they don’t. free birds will lose my business because of this issue.
Do you folks do a background check on your employees? What about Sanders brothers in San Antonio? Both working as a managers. oldest one convicted felon and he other one, Steven, just been charged with assault/bodily injury at another restaurant.
Could someone please send me my W-2?
I’m trying to get paid, I️ did the work I️ did everything I️ was never late you guys won’t pay me and my parents are wanting to get our attorney involved. There are drugs being sold out of the belle isle location, I️ have proof I️ know who all does it while working and at work. All I️ want is my money on my pay card. Jennifer won’t return my phone call. 405200XXXXX
I have read that a lot of businesses are giving free meals to first responders. I was elated, and really felt the city’s appreciation for our services.
I am a health care professional and I work in the medical center here in Houston. I left my family, braved the storm and stayed at the hospital for days to care for those in need. Not knowing what I would come back to upon return.
I went to Freebirds today to redeem my first responder lunch. Unfortunately I was told by the manager, Tabitha this was only for police or EMS. This was not clearly stated and I was turned away.
I feel this is a “slap in the face” from Freebirds to nurses. I have no desire to return to this location and have advised others as same.
I worked for the Murfreesboro location it nt been a week I done left there the train Chris told me I was lazy and slow no good work he a gm at one of y’alls store in Texas nt the way to treat ppl I will ntbstep back in that store never and I will tell ppl bout it I will go to local news paper let them that y’all dnt care plz mail my check to my addres plz that all I ask
Went to Freebirds in Turlock ca. My first time back in along time and I felt you should know that the restaurant is completely disgusting. It is just noon here in Turlock. The glass doors were what I noticed first, they were dirty and I didn’t even want to touch them. Got inside and the rest of the restaurant is fithly too. I will not be back!! Makes me wonder how clean the food is.
We went to freebird for supper tonight at 500 N Hiillside Wichita Ks and the employee was very very slow about taking are order and was very rude to us tonight. I got a burrito bowl and they give me half a spoonful of everything I asked for and I said can I have a little bit more and the employee said NO and I said ok and I just left and went somewhere else. I also want to let you know that the trash was overfilling and the employee was not doing anything about it and another customer said are you going to take out the trash and they said NO.
I went to Freebirds on Greenville in Dallas after the St.Patricks parade to get a child’s plate to go and the manager Russel didn’t no what I was ordering and told his employe to give me a small cup of meat but I told told him I was getting a child’s plate he told me I couldn’t buy any food and told me if I didn’t leave he would call the police on me.
Can I just start off by saying I have never, ever provided feedback to a manager or corporate office about an “in store experience” in all of my 30 years. I understand we all have bad days, but today was BY FAR the worse experience I have ever received. I would also like to point out that my family and I are regulars at freebirds and spend quit a bit of money on each visit.
Today at approximately 6:30 pm., at the Alamo Ranch Freebirds location in San Antonio Texas, I was treated so bad that I left crying. I was not going to write this review because I do not like people to get in trouble however I felt the need for someone to know. I walked in and ordered a burrito bowl and nachos as I always do. I was going down the line explaining everything I wanted in each item. I’m not sure if I was asking too many questions or asking for too many condiments or maybe just being too friendly but the person who served me was being extremely rude( Naiomi). Giving me less than a full serving of each item, rushing me and not even making eye contact or smiling , and just overall appeared bothered by me.
When I went to checkout I explained that I had forgot to ask for chips and queso for my Barito bowl order. She looked at me annoyed and even bothered that I would ask for something additional and then proceeded to shout to her coworkers to give her a portion of queso cheese. When I told her I want to chips to go with it as well, she nearly lost it. She slammed her hands on the counter said forget it and walked to get me my half a serving of queso and half a serving of chips then proceeded to tell her coworker this XXXXXX wants everything. At this point I wanted to walk out and I would have if I didn’t have a hungry Child at home expecting me to bring home freebirds. I did not want to pay for a half serving for everything and an extremely rude customer service experience, not to mention being called a XXXXXX.
I’m not expecting anything from this I’m not even expecting a phone call or an apology all I wanted to do was simply bring to the attention of someone the coworkers that they have working for them and the experiences they are giving to paying customers.
Wow. I can’t believe that you had his experience and that there’s not an apology or a follow-up comment from Freebirds. This kind of service is never appropriate! I’ve worked in the food service industry myself, and there is never a time where you treat your customers this way, ever! I really hope that you have not gone back to Freebirds after this experience.
Don’t worry, I don’t think they care enough to reply.