After the recent ban on bake sales in New York City schools, parents associations across the city have been desperately trying to make up for the lack of funds. P.S. 222 in Marine Park is no exception to these cuts and had to find other ways to raise money. One popular fundraiser has been hosting nights at Burger King or McDonalds, which in turn gives 10% of profit during an established 3 hour period, typically bringing in $850 – $900 per event.
P.S. 222 reached out to the ionic Brooklyn eatery Roll-N-Roaster to arrange a similar deal, in an effort to support the local business while raising money for the 5th grade senior trip. Despite the food being more expensive, the Parent’s Association of P.S. 222 promoted the December 1st event with fliers, Facebook, and word of mouth and the restaurant was standing room only during the event. The event seemed to be a great success.
However, PA Representative Mardie Sheiken explained that Roll-n-Roaster promised them “the world” and failed to deliver. They agreed that Roll-n-Roaster would give 10% in the same fashion as Burger King and McDonalds. General Manager Ayet Karce insisted that Roll-N-Roaster owner Nick “Buddy” Lamonica was extremely generous, giving his employees Rolexs and regularly donating to charities. Because of his generosity, Lamonica promised that in addition to donating the 10% of profit, customers brought in by the event would receive a 10% discount and that Roll-N-Roaster would make a donation on top of that themselves. Roll-N-Roaster even boasts their generosity on the company website, which claims to have donated $300,000.00 to “Save the Children.”
When Maride and her associates went to collect the check at the end of the event, they were told to call back tomorrow. When they called back they were told to call back again, then again the next day. They went back and forth with Roll-n-Roaster numerous times for another two full weeks until Roll-N-Roaster finally called them to tell them their check is ready. They were issued a check for $471.00, which was far considerably less money that was expected given the size of the crowd and the cost of the food.
The Principal, Parents Association, and students are now disgusted with Roll-N-Roaster.
Here is what was sent out via Facebook after the check:
Just so you know the owner of Roll N Roaster DID NOT live up to his word of giving our school the 10% of what we brought in the night of our fundraiser!!! They made us wait 2 weeks and presented us with a check for $471.00….. It was a standing room only crowd for three hours straight… no way he only pulled in $4,710.00.
Please pass the word — they are not nice business people and clearly have no values! Although we all enjoy the food, my family will NEVER eat there again…. choose for yourself the next time you want to eat there…
More on this to come as Roll-N-Roaster will not speak with GerritsenBeach.net
Update 12-21:: Roll-N-Roaster spoke with SheepsheadBites who is also covering this story.
Speaking about the 10% off coupon/flyers:
“That was generous on our part. They never had that with other restaurants,†Karce said. “We were generous enough to do that and what they did was take advantage.â€
“A lot of those flyers were flyers given to our customers,†said Karce. “I was told they were people who forgot about them. They thought we were idiots and would believe that.â€
Karce claims he never gave permission to hand out flyers at the establishment, and he spotted PA president Maryann Locicero handing out flyers to customers.
Karce said the amount given was 10 percent of what came in from the flyers. Because of what he saw as “dishonesty,†the business did not donate more.
Karce said Roll-N-Roaster was reluctant to do this kind of event and won’t be doing it again in the future.
“This is a classic case of why we shouldn’t have done it, because it did interfere with customers who were complaining,†he said. “It was an inconvenience for our customers that came, which [the PA] solicited outside, stalking them as they came out of cars.â€
Somebody call Judge Judy!
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I posted this over on Sheepshead Bites…
Before I start, let me just say that I am not affliated with Roll and Roaster in any way. As a matter of fact, they’ve turned me down when I’ve asked for funds for various causes, saying that all their charity work goes to Save The Children. And I have no connection to P.S. 222.
Something sounds fishy here.
I find it hard to believe that “the McDonald’s fundraisers bring around $800 to the group.†You’re telling me that on average, that the school ups Mickie D’s sales by $8K in one night? That’s an amazing figure. And frankly, I don’t believe it.
I do find it more realistic that R&R sold $5K during a 3 hour stint. Even with those numbers, it means R&R brought in $27.78 a MINUTE! Damn – I gotta open up a place like that.
I’ve run a couple of these type of fundraisers in the past and it’s always been standard procedure that the restaurant tells you that the coupons need to be distributed before the event, not at the restaurant or on their property and you are not to solicit their customers.
But also, we’ve had volunteers keeping count on the amount of customers who come in, and ask for receipts so that we can run our own tally.
According to truila, the school has 862 students. To get an $8K night, that would mean that 93% of the students would have to spend $10 at the R&R. And no fundraiser I know has a 93% participation rate.
(http://www.trulia.com/schools/NY-Brooklyn/Ps_222_Katherine_R_Snyder/)
So in conclusion, I think the Mickie D numbers are bogus and that the PTA is unfairly attacking Roll and Roaster.
I call shenanigans!
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@BrooklynQ, $4,700 is an average day shifts take. 3-5 thousand per day shift (11-6pm) then 5-16 thousand per night on a regular basis.
As a former super employee, when you deal with Ayet or Roll-N-Roaster, you are either with or against them. There is no in between. They are have theis sense of uber-entitlement that they are the center of the world.
I can completely see this story as written happening. Promising the world then pretending to get upset at something and screwing people over.
More than likely buddy has no idea what is going on.
As soon as Ayet (buddy the owner is in FL or NYC) feels he is being crossed or feels like causing drama he will cause massive drama. Going to GREAT lengths to screw whomever over.
I’m sure that their regular customers that “were inconvenienced” that is total bullshit and a complete lie.
What problem would a “extremely generous” man whom has givin 300,000k to feed the children have if a few people were given flyers in a parking lot. Even if that was against their agreement. Especially a man that was going to give on top of that.
Your trailia stats are misguided. Families go… friends of friends… people go to these events to support the school. Thinking that they are supporting the school. $10 is also a low ballpark figure, you have to go to at least $15 according to zagat.
I’m sorry to confim true, that these are not nice people.
As far as Rolexes TWO people got rolexes, lets not get think that this man is handing out cash.
If you google Nick lamonica you find that he is estranged from his family and owns yachts in flordia, im sure he is fine living the dream.
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5,000 to 16000 a shift?
Where did you work?
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@me, I think he meant the business took in that much money per shift, not that he gaid that much
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@Former Super-Employee, Why does he have to give anybody a Rolex ? He was nice enough to give them to two people. So he’s estranged from his family ? Half of America’s marrages end in divorce. he owns a yahct that he EARNED, how does this somehow make him a bad person ?
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I never fully understood these fundraisers. (We are not involved with 222). Rather than spend $20 to $30 at a restaurant I would not normallly go to, and my school gets only 2 or 3 bucks, I would so rather just give the PTA the $20 to begin with. I dont need the fast food, neither do the kids.
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@Parent, Especially if you feel like you have to beg.
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@Parent, If you’d been to one of these things, you’d see how excited the kids are to see each other, their teachers, etc. on a school night in a different place. It’s all about the school spirit and brings the community together. You can’t just buy that spirit with a donation.
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@LQuinlan, I have been to one of these things. When my daughter was at Good Shepherd we went to one at Burger King and it was chaotic. Personally we dont eat at fast food restaurants, but we went to support the school. The kids do love seeing ecah other at night and the teachers. At the time Mr Pap the principal was there and he was very thankful to the families that came. Its the same with all fundraisers; I would rather just donate the money directly than buy junk I dont need. If you cant afford the $20, donate the 2-3$ profit they would make. Its like the wrapping paper campaigns, that stuff is so overpriced, you can buy larger rolls at Target for half the price. Magazine drives – price is cheaper on the internet (try it, google a magazine title). I have purchased an entertainment coupon book every year for years and probably used 3 or 4 coupons total. Have a party for the kids at school, charge me $15 on a $10 a head party, my daughter then has great memories, the PTA has $5 profit and I dont have a pile or stomach full of overpriced garbage.
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@Parent, Those ideas are great for the parents like you that will actually contribute but, as you know, only a small percentage of a school’s parents actually do. These fundraisers are also aimed at getting friends and families of the active parents involved to make up for all of those parents who don’t pull their weight. It’s much harder to go to them with a list and say. “Give me three dollars,” but when they go to a fund-raiser or buy a kid’s candy, they feel like they’re actually doing something.
If your kids went to public school, you’d realize how many parents resent *anything* they’re expected to supply for their kids’ “free” education.
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@LQuinlan, I get it, I can see that.
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I was at the fundraiser —- I went to kill 2 birds with one stone — to eat out before the Good Shep. tree lighting and to give back to the 222 school, which has been so good to my 3 kids through the years! It was standing room only.. we waited a long time for our food…. I am not in a position as someone said above to just donate 20 bucks to the school but since my family has to eat, this made sense! i was involved in the past with McDonald’s fundraisers and we did make over 800! I do not plan to eat at R n R again!
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R n R was always cheap. I have been going there since they opened, I never got one thing free. They charge for all extras and don’t forget when you use the R n R coins they won’t even give you your change thats due. I spent $50 for a few lunches and then remembered I forgot to add the cheese, yup forked over another dollar. The only thing they give away is the raw onion crap. They are way over rated and very expensive for standing on a line like a fool and staring at the counter waiting for them to call your number, then you find your own table. Oh yeah, cheap with the parking too, how many cars do u think can fit in that lot, expand already.
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@me, I was including the summer.
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Being a parent myself, It is time that we all stand together as one & as tax payers to demand that NY state puts education first. Once this is done, we will not have to rely on fundraising to give our children what they deserve.
By the way parents, our children don’t need smart boards & or computers to have a great education.
One more note, Some parents should stop leaving education in school hands & work with children at home to improve kids skills its not easy but it works.
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@Dewrock, I completely agree with you about the funding. We dont need an oven in our houses either we could cook on a fire pit in the backyard, but it is a whole lot easier with the modern convenience. Computers and smartboards teach children skills they will need for the rest of their lives, computers rule our world. From what I have read, this particular fundraiser was to allow disabled children physically and financially to attend a school outing anyway. I dont think anyone here doubts the value of teaching and working with our kids at home.
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I like what you say, thumbs up!
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@Dewrock, I agree totally. It amazes me that people will boycott a business that was nice enough to donate money to a school , but won’t contact the politicians that are supposed to be representing them. Is’nt the money taken in by N.Y.S. Lottery supposed to be going towards education ? If that was the case our schools would be built with golden bricks instead of being constantly covered with scaffolding. Why not boycott LOTTO, then write your local polititian telling them why ? Why do people believe everything the government tells them? Is it believable that OTB & NYS racetracts are the only bookies that lose money ? same thing at the MTA , 50 % of tolls off NYC bridges & tunnels goes upstate while NYC Transit handles 95 % of the regions riders. Then lets get the propaganda machine running to pit the public against the employees while the polititians rip off everybody.The job of the politians & the press is to scare the crap out of everybody till they get what they want (see congestion pricing ). Why does everybody except what’s told to them. QUESTION AUTHORITY !!!!
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Im 100% with you, All should read your say in the matter & i hope they do. Minds like yours & some others is what makes America what it is & what it can be.
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I did a couple of those fundraisers in Burger King and got over $500 each time for Tuesday nights between 6 & 9. We had to have people stand around and collect the receipts from people as they left the counter. We also had people stake the drivethru.
If bake sales were banned to cut fat & sugar from kids, why are they allowing an event at a fast food place? Have a walk-a-thon or a dance-a-thon or a move-a-thon of some sort. Have kids get sponsors. Get the older kids involved in planning a fundraising event instead of selling overpriced crap.
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I was there, everyone had a great time, the manager is DEFINITELY lying, hoping that PA at 222 will call CBS/NBC someone and tell him what a lovely person he is.
Will tell ALL my friends and family never to go there again, was also going to put in a large order for New Year’s Eve, which they have lost.
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@PS 222 parent, I think you added the part about New Years Eve just to embellish the story.
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“The Big Fat..Bully..Of the Brooklyn Beef”
So you battle your way into the shuffled parking lot, just to end up driving out the other side. Lets not forget to mention the 2-3 spots they’ve taken up with a useless outdoor eating section that never has any tables or chairs. you make your way out of the packed lot & Forced down a one way street just to find your self right back on emmons ave in a complete hungry loop. So you finally get a spot in the corner of the lot, just to find your self sucking in your stomach to squeeze between your door and the car next to you… You stand on the 15 person line… then greeted by the “Wonderful Glorious” cashier… you pay your way and receive the golden ticket & wait in the haze of emotionless faces who are all fixated on the lady with the CHEEZE!! as your arteries begin to clinch……. so your saying “should have went to B&C and got myself a “Dingle Dangle” oh well…. then the old man walks up to the counter to fight with the people cause the want to charge him for salad dressing.. and so on and so on….So after you finally sit down with your food…you scarf down your meal… now you ask why would someone want to do all this for a dam beef….
Lets face it were all addicted!!!! as a matter of fact im heading there after i write this comment… They got us by the beef here people… theres nothing we can do now….
Heres a Challenge:
Next time you get your beef. bring it up to the counter after taking one little bite. Tell them the beef is too fatty and youd like a different one. “Curly” or “LeeMing” will put there latex gloves on and go through your sandwich free of charge… pretty cool right… I seen them do this once… and they wouldn’t give the costumer a new beef… So the costumer took the wich and chucked it at cooks.. Its was priceless!!!!
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@CHEEZE ON ANYTHING YOU PLEASE!!!!, and now they charge for pickles too, and they charge the same price that they did for fountain soda for a lukewarm can of soda. The reason I go back is I remember how good it was when I was a kid and it has not lived up to that expectation in the recent past.
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The food at Roll N Roaster is GREAT and that’s all that needs to be said.
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@Brett Favre, You talking liquid huh?
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@Junk Food, Should they have been grateful if they gave half that or a quarter? The place was wall to wall with customers that never would have spent their money there in the first place. I couldn’t make it but my husband and son (a 222 alum) went and every single table in the place was taken and constantly in motion with new familiar faces. Is that usually the case on a Tuesday night?
They had to open a separate line for 222 customers so, if everyone was handed a flyer, why was there a line for patrons without?
The only mistake the PA made was not keeping a closer eye on the receipts…I guess they were too trusting and expected the manager to do what he had agreed to
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@LQuinlan, Is that the case on a Tuesday night ? YES IT IS! go to Roller-n- Roaster @ 2 in the morning and it’s crowded. To us it’s nothing special, but I know people in other boroughs & the Island that go out of their way to eat there because they do think it’s special. Do you think they have been there all these years because people don’t go there? IN the words of Yogi Berra ” Nobody goes there anymore, it’s to crowded’.
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@Junk Food, I dont necessarily agree with you but the Yogi Berra comment was very appropriate and funny. Good timing!
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@Junk Food, I’ve been there on a *Friday* night and every single table isn’t taken with people waiting for you to get up. Yeah, it’s a popular place but I’ve never seen it the way it was that night on an average Tuesday night. If a fund-raiser brings in that many people, I don’t agree they should just take anything they’re offered.
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@Junk Food, A deal is a deal. If someone promises you $1000 for a days work and gives you $500 do you just say oh well? To speak up would then be spoiled and ungrateful. Although I think some of these fundraisers are lame, when a deal is made it should be honored.
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@Trump, I meant “To speak up then would be spoiled or ungrateful?”
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@Trump, The resturant did’nt have to host a fundraiser at all. The parents association made $ 421. The resturant in return got a load of bad publicity. You have a funny way of saying “thanks”. The sad part is local businesses will proberly think twice about hosting future fundraisers because of all the whinin’
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@Junk Food, A deal is a deal, does that only apply to the resturant ? No flyers to be handed out on the property was part of the deal to. How come the business has to take a loss for trying to be nice? Also a parent admits receipts were not kept track of. In the words of Judge Judy “stupid,stupid, stupid’.
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@Junk Food, you got me, i forgot about that part, both sides should abide.
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@Junk Food, Funny, McDonald’s & Burger King are happy to host PS 222 fundraisers and have never had a complaint. They even have the same rules regarding flyers and have never had an issue with the school. Could it be that R&R’s manager is full of crap?
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@LQuinlan, Could it be you are assuming the R&R’s manager is full of crap? Could it be the PA did something to piss the manager off by handing out flyers on the property in violation of the agreement? That’s an assumtion too! Assumtions, opinions & maybes don’t equal fact. Fact is a parent admits receipts were not counted. If that was the case then it was poorly run on the part of the PA. Is the PA looking to deflect blame for a poorly run event ? If recipts were not counted than the PA can’t possibly know how much they had coming to them. If they can prove they were somehow shorted on the amount, then let them do it! Otherwise,the only ones full of crap is them and they should stop dragging a hard working businessman’s name through the mud. Let the PA put their money where their mouth is and show where the manager of RnR is wrong on the amount, don’t assume. In the words of Felix Unger “Don’t assume, because when you assume you make an ASS of U and ME”. I wish PS 222 & RnR well in the future.
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@Junk Food, Aren’t receipts collected when you pick up your food at R & R? How could the PA keep track of them?
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NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.
Please remember this for both sides.
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I made the deal directly with Ayet the “Manager”…. it was a good faith words only deal…. clearly, the only people who really know the deal are him and I … oh, and on one occasion, Mike,”Ass’t Mgr.” was present — that was the initial meeting…. we chose R n R for their reputation and b/c they do have food in accordance with the Chancellor’s preference for school-aged children to eat healthier. Ayet says the restaurant is under surveillance….. let them show us the tapes… We DID NOT solicit their regular customers…. And it was NOT a typical Tuesday night.. no matter what anybody says! I could go on and on, but it is useless at this point. Bottom line, yes, our legislators and our tax money should better serve the education system BUT it does not! Parents have always been the behind the scenes hard workers — to raise funds for ALL the children! If Ayet is So sure of his convictions, let’s see the tapes and let’s see the actual numbers they brought in that night…. I bet that NEVER happens!!!
All the best to everyone for a wonderful holiday season and happy 2010… I am putting this behind me and moving on…. valuable lessons learned for all of us!
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@Mardie, If you can’t prove any wrong doing then you should not have gone public and sullied the mans reputation. Not happy with the donation . The answer: let me spread bad publicity. That reeks of the Al Sharpton/ Jesse Jackson playbook of fundraising. Starting to sound less like a fundraiser and more like a shakedown. If I was you I would put it behind me to, because in the process of damaging this man’s reputation you have damaged yours as well. I hope all area businesses take note.
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@, I agree completely, and how does Roll and Roaster have healthier food than any other fast food joint?
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@,
Look at their menu… they do have healthier options.. lean roast beef, turkey breast.. other unfried items… how ironic that I am giving you their better options!
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@@Anonymous,
Also, NEITHER side can PROVE anything….. or at least won’t… if they are saying we solicited their customers with flyers then please show one of these websites the videotapes that they claim to have…. wouldn’t that make sense?
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@Mardie, Mardie, If your so sure of your convictions, lets see your proof the manager is lying………I bet that NEVER happens. There is no disputing that your heart is in the right place & you obiously are very passionate & noble in your efforts on behalf of the children of PS 222. However, if it’s your word against his you should not have gone public with this dispute.the publicity is bad for all involved, no winners.
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So far there are 43 comments concerning this issue. On Monday I’m sure 43 letters will be sent to our local representatives concerning the lack of funding given to our schools. Let’s see the same passion & zeal directed at them. Can we agree on that ?
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@Junk Food, Ill send one, who do we send it to. I hope not Lew Fidler, youll never see anything done then. If someone knows who to write to please list name and adress. Great idea.
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Silent Lew, the ghost of GB net past!
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@, Totally off topic but I got a letter from Lew this week…I emailed him 4 times before the election and got no replies and then I finally get a letter from him & he spelled my name completely wrong. Thanks Lew.
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become a millionaire selling cheese wiz on top of ordinary otherwise tasteless commercial wholesale processed food sold in bulk quantity,and i was always told buy gold or land….who knew?
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