This article is about two reports that were made regarding Applebee’s and Olive Garden serving alcoholic beverages to young children. An Applebee’s in Michigan filled a 15-month-old’s sippy cup with margarita mix and alcohol, and an Olive Garden in Florida served alcoholic sangria instead of orange juice. These are two very successful restaurants giving media a great story to cover. It’s appealing to many because it has babies, alcohol, and common food places involved. Restaurant and public relation consultants say that they are going to retrain the staff of these places and take other precautions when it comes to the serving of any alcoholic beverage.
I liked this story because it exposes a serious problem that occurred in more than one location. There is no excuse for an alcoholic beverage to end up in a sippy cup. Clearly that is a questionable action that needs to be investigated further. Something like that doesn’t “accidently” happen. I also think that the author did a very good job at keeping any sort of opinion or personal emotion out of the story. With something so inappropriate that took place, I think it is important to just lay out the facts. It’s clear that this is a serious ordeal, so the emotion doesn’t need to be added.
I think this article is going to have people form strong opinions against these restaurants and the people that they are hiring. I’m sure after a lot of people read this article these two dining facilities are going to get some not so nice letters sent to them. Most people are going to take this very seriously. Especially since the two children who were effected were of a very young age.
Bruce Horovitz wrote this piece. He is a USA Today money reporter who normally writes about new production, food and restaurant business and advertising. He is also a reporter on Super Bowl and Olympic marketing trends. He is 58 years old and is from Virginia.
If I would have written this article I think I would have tried to get reactions from people instead of just the PR peoples quotes. This would have been a good way to show emotion and add a little more to the story besides hard facts. It’s pretty clear that most anyone is going to be appalled that an event like this took place, especially since it occurred more than once and in different states. A story like this does not have to have emotion because it is more hard news that anything else, but I think it would add a little substance.
Brittany M. Watson 
Wow…what a story. I worked in a restaurant last summer and I cannot imagine that ever happening. I agree with you saying that these incidences don’t happen on accident. I was surprised to read in the article that to change their policies and have only alcoholic beverages made in the bar and other drinks in the kitchen, how you can confuse a sippy cup with a regular one is beyond me though. I also agree, having reactions from other people and not just PR would have been nice.
I think this is crazy. This is something that will really hurt the companies as a whole, not to mention what could happen if they decided to take this to court. I’m also with Siara. How do you confuse a sippy cup with a regular one?