Applebee’s is in the PR Hotseat of the Week

Who/What is in the PR Hotseat of the Week? Applebee’s. Here’s why:

The company that owns the Applebee’s restaurant chain said Monday it was immediately retraining its workers nationwide after a server at a suburban Detroit location accidentally served alcohol to a toddler. The company, California-based DineEquity Inc, said it would also change the way it serves juice to youngsters to eliminate the chance of any mixups that could result in any more toddlers receiving mixed drinks.

On Friday, Taylor Dill-Reese went to an Applebee’s in Madison Heights, Michigan, where — among other things — she ordered her 15-month-old son Dominick an apple juice. What the little boy apparently got instead was a margarita. His mom told WDIV-TV that she only realized something was wrong when Dominick “kind of laid his head on the table and dozed off a little bit and woke up and got real happy.” The little boy reportedly began hailing strangers, too.

Applebee’s released a statement Monday saying it was relieved that Dominick was “not seriously injured as a result of accidentally receiving the wrong beverages” and apologizing to his family “for the stress and worry this caused them.”

via Applebee’s Alcohol Mistake Leads To Retraining For All Servers.

So, how would you handle this PR mess? Is the statement and initiatives to retrain servers enough? What’s your take?