Meers Store & Restaurant owes $181K for unpaid labor (some child labor)

[BBatesokc]

This may spell the end of the Meers Burger....

As reported by the Oklahoman.....

in part:

MEERS — The U.S. Labor Department claims a Wichita Mountains roadside attraction famous for its pie tin-size burgers used unpaid children as young as 10 years old to bus tables, among other wage and labor violations.

In a U.S. District Court complaint filed Wednesday in Oklahoma City, the department said Meers Store & Restaurant owes more than $181,000 to workers for unpaid wages dating back to 2012.

Restaurant served big complaint

[Plutonic Panda]

Double click the title when your looking at the threads page. It should let you edit for a certain amount of time.

[BBatesokc]

Double click the title when your looking at the threads page. It should let you edit for a certain amount of time.

That didn't work for me, but clicking 'go advanced' while in the editing tab did work.

[Tundra]

*Ooops - Either I typo'd or autocorrect struck again. 'Meets' should be 'Meers' but I can't edit the title.



This may spell the end of the Meers Burger....

As reported by the Oklahoman.....

in part:

Restaurant served big complaint

Is probably the dirtiest restaurant, I've ever been to in my life, being on the road for the last 25 years in sales I've eaten almost everywhere in this state. So for me to make this statement ,it's not a title any restaurant would want. I'm not talking about 120 year old grime, I am talking about fly infested filth, I'm shocked that the health dept hasn't closed this place down long ago.

[BBatesokc]

Is probably the dirtiest restaurant, I've ever been to in my life, being on the road for the last 25 years in sales I've eaten almost everywhere in this state. So for me to make this statement ,it's not a title any restaurant would want. I'm not talking about 120 year old grime, I am talking about fly infested filth, I'm shocked that the health dept hasn't closed this place down long ago.

I've never found the place to be filthy, but it is usually unkept. I mostly find it to be WAY overrated. We only go if we are in the area and someone with us insists.

I guess this complaint explains their 'cash only' policy.

[BBatesokc]

Flashback: 11/5/2013 - Meers, home of “The Best Burger in Oklahoma,” is blaming Obama for expensive hamburger buns…

[bchris02]

Going to Meers is somewhat of a tradition after hiking in the Wichitas. I agree that its overrated, but after a long hike, that burger and their house beer is such a treat. I'll be sad if it closes.

[Urbanized]

It's a great motorcycle ride down there, and I would hate to see ANYPLACE with a long history close in a state so generally bereft of historic charm. Hope they can work it out, though the story sounds pretty damning.

Regarding a health department shutting it down, those types of inspections usually happen on the local or county level. It's entirely possible that there is little or no oversight there to speak of.

[kevinpate]

That'll take more than a few pie tins of burgers to resolve.
I stop in when in the area, which isn't so much anymore.
Never had a bad meal there.

[BBatesokc]

Maybe the bright side will be if they are forced to sell to someone who can run the operation a bit better. I have patronized the place since I was very young. I do remember a time when they served up a very good burger. Unfortunately, I don't recall having that very good burger for probably close to two decades now.

I'd hate to see the establishment go, but I wouldn't be upset to see it pass to more capable hands.

[rezman]

Same here. I first went there when I was very young. And when my sister and brother in law lived in Lawton and he was stationed at Ft. Sill, we would stop by Meers about every other time we went down there, along with a trip up Mt Scott.
Later on we would take the motorcycle rides down there, which included the required stop at Meers. I agree, the last several times weren't as good a years past, but it is kind of a tradition and it was still pretty good to a bunch of hungry bikers.

[Dustin]

Noo!!! Forget the burgers! Its all about the peach cobbler and homemade ice cream!

I will be devastated if this place closes.

[Zorba]

I've only been once, but I enjoyed it, except for the cash only policy with the $5 ATM charge. The burger was good, and the ice cream was great.

Would be sad to see it go, hopefully it goes to someone that will run it better.

Wow this is a very stupid thing to say: "Maranto said. “If I go bankrupt, I'm going to fix it as much as I can so the government doesn't get a damn thing.”" I am pretty sure intentionally destroying assets pre-bankrupcy so creditors can't recover their losses would land one in prison.

[ctchandler]

Wow this is a very stupid thing to say: "Maranto said. “If I go bankrupt, I'm going to fix it as much as I can so the government doesn't get a damn thing.”" I am pretty sure intentionally destroying assets pre-bankrupcy so creditors can't recover their losses would land one in prison.

Zorba,
The way I read it is that he wants to avoid giving the government anything, not his creditors.
C. T.

[Chadanth]

Zorba,
The way I read it is that he wants to avoid giving the government anything, not his creditors.
C. T.

In an unpaid labor dispute, the government may be a creditor due to unpaid taxes and such. Someone with more experience than I wold be able to offer better perspective, but I believe they're pretty close to the front of the pack in a liquidation in cases like that.

[BBatesokc]

Zorba,
The way I read it is that he wants to avoid giving the government anything, not his creditors.
C. T.

The government is who he owes the money too apparently. Additionally, making that statement is certainly a way to make sure your bank accounts are seized and liens are put into place. Its pretty much a perfect example of how they ran their business (out of business quite possibly).

[Urbanized]

This type of thing happens to bars and restaurants all of the time. The outcome is almost never good if you're a fan of a place. It's not like the government comes in and runs the business, or finds a great owner to take it over. They lock the doors and auction the assets, equipment and everything else, piece by piece. If they do this at Meers the place is likely done.

[Urbanized]

Regarding the statement he made, that won't be a shock to people who've eaten there. The place has a scruffy charm and is in a great setting for Oklahoma, but the menu itself has a number of anti-government rants printed on it.

[jrod]

I used to love Meers as a kid, but the political rants are too much, total turn off. It's one thing to have Fox News on the tv at your restaurant, but to shove your views down my throat (Obama is the reason for expensive buns!!), naw I'm good. I'm fine with it failing. Bye Felicia.

[soonermike81]

Went there for the first time ever after a hike with the family several months ago. Overall, it was a pretty good experience, but probably wouldn't wait in that line again if they are able to survive all this. The burger we got was good, but definitely not as good as some make it out to be. Not worth the wait, IMO. Also had a steak, but can't remember the cut. However it was excellent. Peach Cobbler was decent but not great. Even though I probably will never visit again, it would be sad to see a place like this close its doors.

[Urbanized]

I just really like the history of the place. It's essentially a short stroll from an almost hidden entrance to the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, and the "mining camp" they reference was from Oklahoma's (very brief) gold rush. Brief because the only gold there was from a salted claim. It was all a big con job.

I really don't care who owns the place, as long as someone keeps it going. If it were a better operator that would be fantastic. But if the government's claims are correct I wouldn't hold out much hope. Operating the place is probably more of a labor of love than a profitable venture, cooked books notwithstanding.

I think you'll have a challenge finding a new operator to go out to BFE and sink the level of investment this place would require into what at the end of the day would probably be a marginal operation.

[soonerguru]

The food there has sucked for years. The in-your-face wingnuttery is also very off-putting. Why go out of your way to infuriate half of your potential customers?

Child labor violations? Not overly surprised given the ownership's apparent disregard for its own patrons. It's also unfortunate that the owners apparently didn't value their own employees' contribution to the restaurant. There's no excuse to deny pay to workers.

The only reason anyone would bother going there today is simple nostalgia at this point. It ain't what it used to be. If the burgers were as good as they were in the 1980s, I might go there and ignore the mindless rhetorical tropes that insult my intelligence.

If you want a good burger in the Wichitas, throw a hibachi in your trunk with some charcoal and cook your own; it will be leagues better than a Meers burger anyway.

[Zorba]

Zorba,
The way I read it is that he wants to avoid giving the government anything, not his creditors.
C. T.

Already answered, but in a bankruptcy everyone you owe money to is considered a creditor, including the government and unpaid employees. So in this case, I am sure the largest unsecured creditor would be the government, followed by the employees, then probably vendors. There is also a matrix for who gets paid first, and I think the government is generally high on that list.

I am wondering if a comment like that, and any action along those lines, would get a injection/restraining order against him continuing operating the business.

[PhiAlpha]

The food there has sucked for years. The in-your-face wingnuttery is also very off-putting. Why go out of your way to infuriate half of your potential customers?

Child labor violations? Not overly surprised given the ownership's apparent disregard for its own patrons. It's also unfortunate that the owners apparently didn't value their own employees' contribution to the restaurant. There's no excuse to deny pay to workers.

The only reason anyone would bother going there today is simple nostalgia at this point. It ain't what it used to be. If the burgers were as good as they were in the 1980s, I might go there and ignore the mindless rhetorical tropes that insult my intelligence.

If you want a good burger in the Wichitas, throw a hibachi in your trunk with some charcoal and cook your own; it will be leagues better than a Meers burger anyway.

I've been there several times over the last few years and to me it's still pretty good. I think there is probably a partisan bias working for those who still like the place and those who don't after their increasingly anti government rants over the last decade. I haven't talked to many conservative leaning friends that don't like it.

[ctchandler]

I thought their food was pretty good, but the first time I went there I was disappointed because Epicurious had it listed in their top ten burgers in the country and I could think of three places in the OKC metro area that were better. The atmosphere was nice, the food good, pricey, but good. I have been there three times and it was always worth the stop. I would hate to see it go.
C. T.