Tue. Dec 3rd, 2024

One of our readers, who is in her 70’s and is retired, had an awful experience recently at the Carl’s Jr. at the Orange Outlets, located at 450 The City Dr S.

She met a friend and they each parked their cars at the Carl’s Jr. They failed to see that a sign warned that their cars would be towed if they parked there and were not customers.

They went to see a movie at the AMC theater at the Orange Outlets. When they returned to their cars they were shocked to see that the cars were gone.

The manager at the Carl’s Jr. admitted that they had observed the pair on surveillance video. Whether or not they called the towing company is not clear.

When the pair finally got picked up by a relative and went to retrieve their cars from the Southside Towing yard in Orange they each had to pay $393 to get their cars back. A tow yard employee told them that they cruise the parking lots at the Orange Outlet every two hours to find cars to tow.

$393 is an outrageous amount of money to have to pay for this disservice. Imagine if you are retired or on a low income? That could mean not eating for a week or not paying your rent or utility bills.

Our reader called Carl’s Jr.’s corporate office and was essentially told sorry but too bad.

The Irvine Company handles this a different way. Their security guards will post a warning on your vehicle. That is certainly better than getting towed and having to pay a small fortune to get your car back!

It is disappointing that the Carl’s Jr. at the Orange Outlets supports and encourages predatory towing. Our readers should avoid eating there until they change this awful policy.

author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

18 thoughts on “Beware the predatory tow trucks at the Carl’s Jr. at the Orange Outlets”
  1. So Carl’s Junior is supposed to pay for people to park in their lot by the loss of sales if their customers cannot park in their lot?

    1. There are other options such as posting warnings. Calling a predatory tow truck company that charges almost four hundred for you to retrieve your car is a nuclear option that they should reconsider.

    2. I agree! Tow truck companies like this only hurt the poor. They should absolutely give a warning first!

      1. How does the independent owner of the franchise know how old the driver that took up space in his/her business.

        More like Juvenile Hall visit. Obey the rules. No one parks at Carls and walks all the way across to go to movies. Especially at 70! Visiting prisoners

  2. Hmmm what a coincidence that this has been happening in Santa Ana lately by certain towing companies. Makes me wonder if anyone has a cut in these towing companies??????

  3. Obey rules whatever age. That price is out of control for a ticket. Issue a warning. Hey good for them in their 70s they can walk a long distance to the theater. They’ll move to a neutral parking space before walking to the theater next time.

  4. You clearly know nothing about owning a business and losing customers because people are stealing a private property’s parking. I bet if you were the business owner you wouldn’t be so fond of losing revenue because your customers can’t find parking. Why don’t you find more important things to write about. Being 70 years old and retired is no excuse for being unaware of your surroundings.

    1. U obviously don’t visit that parking lot… they aren’t losing business… half the business they get is inmates being released and walking over from theo lacy… their lot is never so full that u can’t find a spot… ever… i live about 6 mins from this location. And the fact that the tow companies r towing cars from the area every 2 hours, whether they’re called or not is pretty f’d up.

  5. If you think you can leave your car at a business you’re not shopping at you deserve what happens.

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