How DARE you be fast at the Drive-Thru!!!

[Kisa]

So my coworker, who I will call Laura, was at the window while I was taking orders. I'm not sure how many of you know this, so I'll go over it anyway. At the Drive-Thru window, there is a timer. You must try to get the orders out within a set amount of time. If your time is in the green, you're ok. If you are in the red, you need to get the time down or else it makes the store look bad. The DM goes over the numbers and gives reviews accordingly. If something really odd happens, like a car breaking down at the window or someone ordering 100 tacos or whatever, the manager can make a note saying "this is why our time sucks so bad". The standards differ between stores, but our time standards are as follows:

Open-3pm: 45 seconds
3pm-close: 75 seconds

The recorded time is the average of all the cars within a specific time period.

Now that that's over, back to my story.

The time was around 97 when I got in. I, while working alone, got the time down to 86 whthin one hour which is pretty damn good. Laura came to help me and we were working together perfectly to get the time down to 75. I was stalling the customers at the speaker, which is actually harder than it sounds, and Laura was collecting payments and handing out the orders as quickly as humanly possible while still being polite and friendly. Most customers were enjoying getting their order within 20-40 seconds. One woman, however, was insulted by it.

She got to the window.

L: Hi how are ya today?
SC: Good. *catbutt face*
L: Great to hear! That will be $x.xx!
SC: *hands over a bill*
L: Thank you! *gives her change, drink and bag of food*
SC: I want mild sauce.
L: Alrighty! *gives her mild sauce* There ya go! Have a great day mam!

See? Laura was polite, friendly, provided excellent customer service ans still got her order out in 36 seconds. SC had this disgusted look on her face and refused to move.

L: Is something wrong mam?
SC: I don't like the way you treated me!
L: I'm sorry if I did anything to upset you mam. I always try to be extra nice to all my customers. *looks slightly hurt*
SC: I don't like your attitude!
L: What did I do to upset you?
SC: You got me my food too fast!

I thought the whole point of a Drive-Thru was speed. Silly me...

L: Oh I'm sorry mam. I was trying to get these orders out.
SC: Well, I don't like things to be so fast!

So, basically, "I don't want to get my food in a timely manner. I want to sit at the window and chat about the weather for 30 minutes, then stare at the clouds for another 15".

SC: You should really learn to be more considerate to others! Stop being so rude!
L: I deepy apologise for that mam.

Was I hallucinating? Because I swear I saw Laura greet you with a smiling face. She even asked how you were doing for crying out loud! Maybe I'm schizophrenic and she was really scowling, mumbling and glaring. Maybe she whipped the bag at your face instead of handing it to you. Maybe she said "GO TO HELL BITCH!!" instead of "Have a great day mam!". I should really get checked fot that.

[emax4]

Pht! some people. I would have kept smiling, and while talking to the woman, say, "ok. let me get my manager. He could use a good laugh.." and start laughing in the customer's face.

[MadMike]

If something really odd happens, like a car breaking down at the window or someone ordering 100 tacos or whatever, the manager can make a note saying "this is why our time sucks so bad".

Speaking of something really odd happening, my wife and I went to Taco Bell one evening, and since it was a slow night, we ended up BSing with the manager while we ate.

He told us that late one night, an extremely drunk woman came thru the drivethru. She placed her order, pulled up to the window, and passed out cold. He said that while they were trying to figure out what to do about her, the machine was beeping at them for exceeding their order time.

They ended up calling the cops. Eventually, they were able to revive her, and she tried to tell them she wasn't driving, despite being passed out in the driver's seat and alone in the car when they arrived. Then she changed her story to "I don't know how I got here." Then again, as hammered as she was, that one might have been true.

[mikoyan29]

You know, I've read some pretty stupid things on this board but I think that one has to take the cake. The whole point of fast food is in the name...to be fast. Drive Thru is supposed to be a little faster. If you want slower service, go inside or better yet go to a different restaurant.

[Food Lady]

Exactly!! Was the SC old? I get that whole "I want customer service people to chat me up and listen to my life story" point-of-view mostly from seniors. It may have been that way in 1955, but that was 56 years ago, lady.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

This brings up two of my pet peeves about the ordering/service process and how some customers make it unnecessarily sucky:

1) At my company we try our best to get in-stock items out of the distribution center and on their way to you within 24 hours. If you place your order before 12 noon eastern time there is a good chance it will ship out the same day. If not, it usually ships the next day. People call to make changes to their orders and many times we have to tell them it's too late because the packing slip has already been printed and the item has been picked and is being prepared for shipment. Some understand, and others pitch a fit..."but I juuuuuuuustt ordered it!!!" So, shall we wait a week or so to ship items we have in stock just in case you want to change your mind? Somehow I think that would anger a lot more people.

2) Customers have no idea what kind of standards we employees are held to. We have to say certain things and in a certain way; our calls are all recorded and any of them can be chosen for grading (we get at least two calls graded per week). At the same time we have to do whatever needs to be done to help a customer to place or service an order, we also have to keep our call time (and after-call time) down, because other calls are coming in and those people don't like being on hold forever either. If we are good employees, and of course all of us here at CS are , we are trying our best to balance all these things while still pleasing you. It would be nice if more customers could actually figure this out.

[Bright_Star]

....but isn' that the poinrt of "Fast" food?

[dalesys]

..."but I juuuuuuuustt changed my mind!!!"

Congratulations on realizing it was F.O.S.

(like a diaper)

[Sheldonrs]

If she doesn't like things fast, how about this:

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucccccccccckkkkkk kkkkkkkk
Yoooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.................!

[BowserKoopa1]

Perhaps she felt she was, as some customers like to say, "being herded through the line like a bunch of cattle"?
Ok this kind of stuff really pisses me off. 99.9% of customers want fast and friendly service, and L did both. But there are a few people who just have to gripe because they feel they were rushed through when in actuality the employees are just providing fast and friendly service. Makes me wonder what these idiots are thinking. People want their food fast and with a smile and we give it to them. Then they complain that, just like I said earlier, that they are being herded through the line like a bunch of cattle. And of course if we slow down, they get upset. Seems like a lose-lose situation to me.

[mikoyan29]

Perhaps she felt she was, as some customers like to say, "being herded through the line like a bunch of cattle"?
Ok this kind of stuff really pisses me off. 99.9% of customers want fast and friendly service, and L did both. But there are a few people who just have to gripe because they feel they were rushed through when in actuality the employees are just providing fast and friendly service. Makes me wonder what these idiots are thinking. People want their food fast and with a smile and we give it to them. Then they complain that, just like I said earlier, that they are being herded through the line like a bunch of cattle. And of course if we slow down, they get upset. Seems like a lose-lose situation to me.

Well of course they are being herded through like a bunch of cattle, that is the point of a drive thru. You do not go thorugh the drive thru because you want to chat it up with the employees. You do not go through the drive thru because you want a nice sit down meal that you can eat at a liesurely pace. You go through the drive thru because you don't want to deal with the hassle of going into a restaurant and getting your food. You want it fast. But then some people will complain about anything I guess.

[thatcrazyredhead]

Wow, that's awful! *cookies for Kisa and Laura* That's pretty crazy that she didn't understand the concept of a drive-thru is to get your food and get on your way quickly. Tell Laura to take it as a compliment instead, that she was just so fast, she upset the space-time continuum or something.

but everytime I read one of Kisa's posts, I get a desperate craving for a chicken quesadilla.

[Betweenshades]

Back in the day when I was working for the golden arches, I would run the drive thru alone for the breakfast rush. I had good times, too- I think I was around 50 seconds for each order.

Every once in a blue moon I'd get a person getting pissy because I was too fast. I did the same as L and greeted them, looked them in the eye and smiled, etc. But, nooooooo. I was fast therefore I sucked. Smile and nod...

[MoonCat]

"Sorry, ma'am, this is the fast food window. We had to close down the slow-food window but we DO have a dining room you can wait in next time."

[bainsidhe]

Back in my pizza delivery days, I had a guy chew me out for delivering too fast. He lived within a mile or so of the store and I showed up in about 20 minutes. Most folks are happy about that.