GILBERT, AZ (AZFamily) — Some employees at the Firebirds Wood Fire Grill in Gilbert say every summer the A/C goes out, forcing them to sweat it out while on the clock and serve complaining customers who are upset about conditions the workers can’t change.
“So muggy and sticky, just working alone just was like sickening,” said an employee who wants to remain anonymous to protect her job.
She said the restaurant’s air conditioning broke in mid-July. “It hit like 91 the other day in the dining room,” the employee said. “We’re not able to make any money because everyone’s leaving.”
She said it wasn’t until Saturday, after a post about the issue in the “Go Gilbert” Facebook group, that management took action.
“After the Go Gilbert post there was fans everywhere, we got swamp coolers now,” she said.
A Firebirds spokesperson released a statement that reads in part, “This summer, we have had challenges with a couple A/C units that were not reliably functioning at their full capacity. This is of course not ideal in the Arizona heat, so we installed portable A/C units as a temporary fix.”
“They’ve never even done that before,” said the employee.
An official with the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health said the agency has received complaints and is investigating.
“Everyone was making comments how they felt like they were gonna pass out, throw up. People were getting dizzy,” said the employee.
We found dozens of online reviews from unhappy customers who say they visited the steakhouse for a special occasion and were uncomfortably hot during their meal.
Some reviews are from this summer, others are from years ago, and all shared the same experience.
“It’s just mind blowing that it’s never changed because it’s the same thing every single summer,” said the employee.
Arizona’s Family asked the spokesperson for Firebirds whether it’s an ongoing problem and when they anticipate it will be fully fixed.
The spokesperson said the restaurant regularly maintains its facilities, including the HVAC systems. “We can assure you that for decades, since we opened our first Phoenix-area restaurant, the health and safety of our team members and guests has been our top priority and will always be.”
Arizona’s Family stopped by the restaurant on Tuesday near Williams Field Road and the Loop 202 and found some Firebirds fans.
“Today was the first time that I noticed that the A/C wasn’t working, but they’re doing a great job inside with the swamp coolers and fans,” said Pierce Waychoff, a customer.
He said he enjoyed his lunch in a cool environment. “I like Firebirds a lot,” said Waychoff. “I’ll be back many more times, God willing.”
“Since we opened Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in Gilbert in 2018, we’ve taken pride in keeping the restaurant in great shape, to ensure we’re always creating extraordinary experiences for our guests and team members.
This summer, we have had challenges with a couple A/C units that were not reliably functioning at their full capacity. This is of course not ideal in the Arizona heat, so we installed portable A/C units as a temporary fix.
We have been working with local HVAC professionals and have aligned on a permanent solution, for which parts have been ordered.
We can assure you that for decades, since we opened our first Phoenix-area restaurant, the health and safety of our team members and guests has been our top priority and will always be."
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