Fran O'Brien's Secret

Posted By Blackfive

Many people have gotten involved and written/communicated with the Hilton Corporation in support of Hal and Marty of Fran O'Brien's.  Here's just two:

Andi of Andi's World

Leslie's Omnibus

I know both Andi and Leslie personally.  They are some of the biggest hearted and intelligent people you could meet.  Below is some of what Andi would like for us to do (i.e. do it!!!):

Thank you for the literally thousands of e-mails generated to the management of the Hilton Hotels Corporation on behalf of Fran O'Brien's  Stadium Steakhouse and the troops. You were so effective that they closed the e-mail addresses we published. You can still reach them  through the Hilton Honors website -
hhonors@hilton.com.

And another way you can help.

Thanks for spreading the word on Fran O'Brien's Steak House dilemma. I work at Fran O'Brien's and assist with the donations for the Friday Night Dinners for our wounded heroes. We would like to list the correct address for "The Aleethia Foundation" where charitable donations can be sent.

The Aleethia Foundation
1718 M Street NW
Suite 1170
Washington DC 20036

Thanks again.

The Hilton is playing a masterful game.  Personally, I am convinced that the Hilton's professional and caring reaction is a complete smokescreen.  And it seems to be working somewhat.  If they really gave a rat's ass about Fran's, this would have ceased to have become the issue it is.

I wrote this about Fran's in trying to explain to those who believe that it's simply a business decision:

Again, simply put, it would not be the same environment as Fran O'Brien's.  Most of you get it.  After all, that's why you're here reading this blog.  But a lot of people don't.  Or they take the easy road where they rationalize a business decision.

And, the fact that there are Vietnam Vets running the op pretty much seals the deal for me.  I owe 'em.  They did a hell of job and they're still serving their country - small spheres of influence again.

So.  You can disagree with me, examine leases, talk big business talk all you want.  Maybe it's about ADA issues (probably is), maybe not.

For me, it's personal.  It's damn personal.  While I hope that this can be resolved for everyone's benefit (especially our wounded troops), I doubt that the Hilton Corporation understands the reaction that they are going to cause.

I doubt that they see it coming...

Well, I think that they see it coming now and the spinmeisters are out in force.  However, they still don't get it.  See Mudville for more to the story.  They think that they can treat our wounded guys like heroes and it will solve everything.  Wrong.

Hal and Marty do not, I repeat DO NOT, treat our wounded as heroes.

I can hear some of you gasping in surprise.

Hal and Marty do not treat our men and women as heroes.  They do much better for those who gave us so much and are away from their units, their hometowns, their friends recovering from their wounds.

Hal and Marty treat our wounded troops like family.

And that's something that the corporate suits at HILTON won't understand.

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Comments

[Teresa]

I've said it before - this whole incident makes their latest "hospitality" campaign look like a load of Horse Hockey. All that crap they have in the commercials about people helping other people - doing nice little things for them...

And they are following this formula how? A realistic campaign would be... come stay at Hilton, we'll kick you when you're down.

[Z]

Matt,

We were really moved by the Fran O'Brien's experience Friday -- especially the soldier who stood up and talked about how it was Fran O'Brien's that made him feel like a real person after he came home. He asked us to boycott, and we're ready to boycott.

Here's our Boycott Hilton petition:

http://www.thewartapes.com/2006/04/save_fran_obriens_1.shtml

Z

PS -- great to meet you (briefly at the milblogging conference!), I work with Deborah & Mike on the War Tapes.

[Omnibus Driver]

I'm not so sure that this isn't a salvageable situation. The response I got from the Pres/COO was far different than what I got from the GM of the individual hotel. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this works out.

[Maggie45]

Matt said:

"Hal and Marty treat our wounded troops like family.

And that's something that the corporate suits at HILTON won't understand."

That is IT in a nutshell!

[thedude]

you guys are all misinformed. the hilton hotel had been trying to negotiate a new lease with marty and hal for two years! marty and hal never showed up for the meetings until it was too late. marty and hal are the ones using the veterans as leverage. how disgusting is that. if marty and hal really cared about the combat wounded veterans they would have acted like responsible business people and negotiated a new lease with the hilton BEFORE the old one expired.

[thebronze]

Let's see, I wonder if the word "Hilton"
appears on any of "thedude"s paychecks...

Hilton hack...

[lino]

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