9 Nasty Truths About Your Favorite Foods
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Fast-food customers frequently complain about bad service and long waits at the drive-thru. The easiest people to blame are the restaurant employees who are often characterized as being slow, rude or just plain incompetent.
A 53-year old Taco Bell manager in Maryland (who asked not to be identified so he could speak freely without fear of reprisal from his bosses or offending customers) has an answer for all the complainers: Look in the rear-view mirror.
He says that it's often the customer who delays service with a lack of consideration for both hardworking staff and other patrons idling in the lane behind them.
"I've often wished we had a steam catapult -- like the ones they launch planes off of an aircraft carrier -- to get some of these people moving," he says. But he believes that many problems with slow service could be easily remedied if customers followed a few simple rules.
A 53-year old Taco Bell manager in Maryland (who asked not to be identified so he could speak freely without fear of reprisal from his bosses or offending customers) has an answer for all the complainers: Look in the rear-view mirror.
He says that it's often the customer who delays service with a lack of consideration for both hardworking staff and other patrons idling in the lane behind them.
"I've often wished we had a steam catapult -- like the ones they launch planes off of an aircraft carrier -- to get some of these people moving," he says. But he believes that many problems with slow service could be easily remedied if customers followed a few simple rules.
1. Know What You're Ordering
Frequently, customers change their minds at the pick-up window, once their food has already been prepared. It takes more time to change the order, especially if it's an item that has to be remade. "This slows everything down," he says. "Especially on large orders."
2. Don't Add Additional Items at the Pick-Up Window
"Often the food has already been made and they have started working on the next order."
3. Have Your Money Ready, and Please, Nothing Larger than a $20
Many customers think they're being helpful by searching their pockets for exact change. They're not. "I have seen people take a couple of minutes to find a few pennies," he says. "Meanwhile cars are backing up and food is getting cold."
4. No Eating at the Window
This Taco Bell manager has seen people start dining on their lunches before driving away, opening sauce and other condiments, and passing around orders among several passengers in the vehicle.
5. Come Into the Restaurant for Large or Multiple Orders
This is a big time waster for cars with just one or two passengers. "The larger an order, the longer it will take to make everything," he says.
Of course, these rules don't take into account the sheer volume of cars lined up for tacos and burgers or the situations where customers are doing everything right and employees just can't keep up.
Our Taco Bell manager still finds there's no excuse for rude customers. "Customers usually could care less about the people behind them," he says. "Common courtesy frequently takes a back seat in the drive-thru."
What do you think? Is it the customer or the fast-food employee that makes the drive-thru a torturous experience? Let us know in the comments below.
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12-09-2009 @9:48AM Mark S. said... If I choose to enter a "fast-food" drive-up lane (and I seldom do) I know that there are sometimes delays and I accept this 'risk'. Complaining about these silly occurrences is foolish. If you can't handle this sort of thing, then eat at a sit-down restaurant and shut your pie hole, you wimp!
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12-09-2009 @9:48AM Bradford R. Howard said... I order fast food "all over America" and occasionally in Canada. Well-satisfied. I always prefer to go inside when I have time. If place is busy or inefficient, I go through drive-up for faster service (if I need fast service ... which I often do need. I have been boycotting one chain (good food) past few months because of poor value for money. Sonic has wonderful food ... but I hate those tight spaces. Should tip there. BK uses too much lettuce ... if I don't request them to make it light. Falls on lap. I dislike mayo and sometimes forget to mention that. I try to keep orders simple and "foolproof," (I worked as curb hop in 1951 and don't like for everyone to speak at once and then all change their orders! Have worked TB: very tough ... because I had to wash pots and pans at same time! Could someone get electrocuted? Fast food places (Hardees, McD, for example) could give better service, better food if they paid all good employees better -- which they could afford to do ... and stop employee turnover! Too greedy for their own good. I worked at Hardee's also. Good food. I love their tough biscuits! (Truly.) I hate weak sodas ... which are very common all over the country in all food places! There are places I won't order a soda. Even bottled Coke can be weak. (If the water won't run decently in restroom -- and no towels, no hot water, the franchise is owned by tightwads.) Why don't some places pick up trash around building and pull weeds? Also fix up their signs! Make parking lots and drive-throughs suitable for 20-foot-long vehicles: There are many of them now.
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12-09-2009 @9:45AM Jim said... Sarah, shame on you. You are one of the guilty ones. Pull forward and then check your order. You are holding up the line and causing other's to get cold food.
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12-09-2009 @9:51AM Boo said... Always count your change. I've tested every fast food joint in town. Everyone one of them gives you the wrong change back. I'm talking about 25 cents or more. They are stealing your money through the window. If they want a tip then put out a tip jar but don't steal it.
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12-09-2009 @9:53AM jim said... The people who get me are the lunch-time delegates who come with a list for everyone back at the office, and then want to pay for each order separately.
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12-09-2009 @9:56AM Nori said... I used to be a fast food manager. First thing I did was make sure my restaurant was cleaner and had better quality food than any other same named place within 30 miles. Then we trained the customers to help move the service along. They would be asked to move out of the line when they weren't prepared to order. If they didn't like our expectations of their behavior and complained, then they could go somewhere else. It didn't take much flack from a customer for them to be asked to leave and not be welcome back. I had customers come in and apologize for their behavior and ask to be allowed to come back.
Restaurants aren't obligated to serve anyone. If your product is top quality, your service rocks, and they can't get that any where else, they'll play your game. Customers will accept what you have to offer, how you offer it, and be respectful of your employees.
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12-09-2009 @9:57AM Don said... Part of the problem is when you get to the menu board someone asked can I take your order. Well i'm not sure yet I just got here. They should put a second order board back a few car lengths. If it is busy the customers can look at the board and be ready when they get to the speaker.
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12-09-2009 @10:05AM Stylez said... The Taco Bell in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 3 out of 4 times forgets to give me one of the items I clearly ordered and paid for. Sure they always replace it but after a 20 minute drive back you kind of give up .
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12-09-2009 @10:06AM Ron said... Thanks for listening everyone.
I am the Taco Bell Manager mentioned. As for the people who hate going to Taco Bell, you shouldn't let your experience at one or two stores make you think they are all bad. If you don't what's on what you are ordering, ask. Otherwise, it is often your own fault that the order has someting in it you don't like.
Taco Bell Manager in Maryland
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12-09-2009 @10:10AM Wanda Holston said... I think this manager,s statements are ridiculous. I will order my food as quickly as possible without being rude and without intentionally holding up the line. In return, I expect my order to be read back to me, put in enough bags so that it is not smashed, and would like for it to be hot, and correct. This does not happen most times. I will take the time to add something at the window if I am given the total and told to drive around, without knowing that they have even heard my order. I will also inspect my order before I leave, at the window. When my children were babies and I had to drag them out of the car in the cold or rain because my order was incorrect, I realized if they mess up, it's their problem, and not to make it mine. I am not getting paid to serve them. I am the only customer that you should be concerned with until I pull away. I worked in fast food for 5 years. I know what that job entails. It's not that difficult.
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12-09-2009 @10:11AM Bill said... My 3rd grade teacher used to say "Anytime you point your finger at someone else, three other fingers are pointing back at you." Any time I go through a drive-thru lane, it's to save time, so I'd dearly love to pick up my order and then just zoom away, but, quite frankly, my orders have almost ALWAYS been wrong. If the staff wants the line to speed up, work on themselves to get the accuracy right. I also once had a young "lady" at a restaurant that will remain nameless who thought I was someone else try to complete a drug deal with me. Managers, work on your staffs!
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12-09-2009 @10:20AM CJ said... I worked at McD's for several years and customers definitely slow down the drive-thru, but the employees are supposed to do their part as well. Get the order right and the cust won't be angry. I had a lot of terrible customers and a lot of great customers.
As for the cell-phone thing someone else mentioned...I don't care if they are on the phone. I work at a clothing store now and people do it all the time. I ask them questions anyway. Most are okay with it since they are the ones being rude, others are going to be jerks anyway.
We've all had bad experiences, but not all places are bad a cust service.
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12-09-2009 @10:12AM Stormy21856 said... All the comments above are why I just don't go to any fast food joints. It stopped being "fast" many years ago. I may end up going once or twice a year, but am disappointed EVERY time. The food stinks too!
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12-09-2009 @10:12AM Tackberry said... "It's often the customer who delays service with a lack of consideration for both hardworking staff and other patrons idling in the lane behind them."
That says it all. People today largely suck. I was at a Taco Bell drive-thru a few weeks ago, and the Haitian lady in front of me started throwing a bunch of trash out of her window between the first and second window. Me and the cashier watched this and just looked at each other. Now I live in Miami, and if you were to see the low quality of many people here you would not be too surprised by this type of thing. A lot of rude people need to be bitch-slapped.
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12-09-2009 @10:12AM BMCCart181 said... Always count your change. I've tested every fast food joint in town.
Everyone joint gives you the wrong change back. I'm talking about 25 cents or more if they can get away with it. If they want a tip then put out a tip jar.
Someone is looking into this stealing.
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12-09-2009 @10:15AM MARY said... I like Taco Bell somewhat. The one closest to me has a problem with the order taker for the drive-in. She talks fast, has a strong Spanish accent, and if you ask her to repeat, she gets annoyed. I use the drive-thru if I am in a hurry or not properly dressed to come in. It's better to go in so you can watch them make the meal, plus you usually get seconds on the drinks at no charge.
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12-09-2009 @10:20AM emily said... I used to work at a burger king, and more likely than not it is the customers fault. They change their mind at the last second and then get mad when they have to wait a couple more minutes. Just to let people know, a manager is sometimes needed to change an order due to how the computer works and when it is extremely busy, it is a HUGE inconvieniencce. If you truly want to make sure your order was correct pull into a parking spot and check. it's really not that hard. And please don't come in yelling and with an attitude because that won't help get anything accomplished any better and will most likele result in your order getting messed up again. Main thing to know: just have a little bit of patience, espiecially if it's busy.
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12-09-2009 @10:27AM Me said... PLEASE!! Taco Bell Managers, Did it ever occur to you that the drivers may pass out the food at the window to make sure YOUR staff did not mess up our order AGAIN?
How insulting. And as for those of us who start eating when we get our bags, sounds like that is a personal issue YOU have. Stop watching us then. Perhaps we are HUNGRY and that's why we came to your place to eat.
If all managers of Taco Bell are as snooty as you I would boycott.
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12-09-2009 @10:21AM originlcin said... I gave up fast food for 6 mos and lost 18 lbs. FF is a waste of money and bad for you.
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12-09-2009 @10:25AM Stormy21856 said... I will say, when on vacation June 2007 thru Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho I experienced the best service and nicest employees. The samll town stores were amazing. The employees were cheerful, respectful and fast. They all spoke english extemly well, were well groomed, well dressed and had no "attitude." City stores just don't have the same employee pool to hire from.
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