A couple of SCs from the food side...

[VulpesRau]

I've worked in fast food for about 3 years (currently at a TB/KFC), and I've had a couple of run ins with stupidity...

- Back a year ago in Indiana, I was working at a Taco Bell and started to help a new coworker to learn how to ring in orders via drive-thru. It was going well, and he caught on quickly. Well about an hour later, I was preparing some meat for the line, when I notice this lady standing at the counter with a stern look on her face. I stop what I'm doing and go to help her. "May I help you ma'am?", I ask. And her first words out of her mouth (with two kids in tow) is "Are you retarded?!"

Everybody (including the customers who are eating) stops, and stares at this lady, who proceeds to go off on her wild tangent, screaming at me about how she drove an hour back to her house only to find out she was missing all this food, and how we got this wrong. (Note to people: pull over and check your bags before leaving!) After about a few minutes of this abuse, I'm still smiling (though want to kick this lady in the crotch), and after she burns out, I start to calmly ask what she's missing, etc. I even offer her free dessert for her troubles, and she turns lobster red, embarrassed as all hell.

My MIC, who was in the bathroom at the time, comes back out and I tell him what happened. He tells me "I would've kicked her out before she even finished that sentence!"

[Imogene]

This is one of the many reasons I hate, hate, HATE going through the drive through. I can easily check my order before I leave by finding an empty spot nearby and poking my head into the bag.
Gets me some exercise as well as making it less reliant on my bad side...

[bainsidhe]

So what I really want to know, was she a scammer or did she have a legitimate complaint? Either way, she shouldn't have treated fellow human beings in such a manner. But during my fast food days, the most unruly of people tended to be the scammers.

[mattm04]

I had a SC do the "are you retarded" type thing. I let them do their spiel than when they stopped I said "I'm smart enough to know that that is inappropriate and to refuse service."

[VComps]

<SNIP> ...after she burns out, I start to calmly ask what she's missing, etc. I even offer her free dessert for her troubles, and she turns lobster red, embarrassed as all hell.

My MIC, who was in the bathroom at the time, comes back out and I tell him what happened. He tells me "I would've kicked her out before she even finished that sentence!"

Ah yes, but it's SOOOOO much more fun when you treat them nicely... it makes them feel like an idiot for being confrontational in the first place.

I had a coworker who we'll call Jesse - as that is in fact his name - who subscribed to the theory of being snotty and sarcastic to 'difficult' customers. I told him to try it my way - the "kill 'em with kindness" philosophy.

I said just ratchet up your 'niceness' level to JUST under the point of being patronizing... then I showed him how with the next idiot.

Not only does it drive them NUTS.... but what're they going to say to your management?

SC: "HE WAS NICE TO ME!!!!!11eleventy"
Manager: "..."

[wagegoth]

If they're claiming to be missing that much food, the odds are they're scammers. And the whole story of driving an hour home, puh-leez.

You might miss that you didn't get a burger or order of fries or a dessert, but to claim you didn't get half your order and didn't notice is bull***t.

[Thatgirl71]

Like Joe Pesci said in Lethal Weapon, "They always fuck you in the drive thru!!"

What a bitch though, it's called check your bag before you drive off!! and I'm with your MIC, I would have thrown her rude ass out.

[rerant]

Before the word "retarded" even fully left her lips I'd be pointing at the door.
Not saying anything, just pointing. Pointing until she got the hint.

[Megg]

I am a shift manager at TB () and I have thrown people out for less. I actually made one of our most regular customers (every single DAY she is there, no kidding) apologize to a newer manager for calling her retarded. I gave her the option, because she is there every day, after all. Anyone else would be hitting the streets.

My favorite refusal of service was when the one teenager kept ordering "Pink Tacos", and we warned him. His friends were all "Shut the hell up, dude!" but he wouldn't. So out of my drive through he went.

[Kiwi]

Seriously why do people get SO angry over this stuff

I dont know about you guys but if someone forgets my burger or whatever when I get home I call the store, tell them about it calmly and ask to be sent a voucher for the missing item.

I dont storm all the way back someone and throw a tantrum like a two year old whos lost his favouirte sippy cup.

Seriously people in this work need to chill the feck out, its JUST a burger!

[I_Hate_SCs]

(Note to people: pull over and check your bags before leaving!)

But that would require her to *do something*!

[Enjis]

Who drives an HOUR to go to a Taco Bell? There's gotta be at least three of them in a five mile radius of my home!
And even if she lived out in the sticks, with no fast food around...would YOU drive an hour to go to a Taco Bell??
(Don't get me wrong...I *love* their Cruncy Taco Supremes, but geeze!)

[InSearchOfSunset]

Well I wouldn't drive an HOUR to go to a TB but there is only one in my town.. and it's on the far south side... so anyone living north of the river has to drive at least 30-40ish min to get there.

[draftermatt]

Who drives an HOUR to go to a Taco Bell? There's gotta be at least three of them in a five mile radius of my home!
And even if she lived out in the sticks, with no fast food around...would YOU drive an hour to go to a Taco Bell??
(Don't get me wrong...I *love* their Cruncy Taco Supremes, but geeze!)

The only thing I can think of is that they were on a trip and on their way home.

But then, why would you buy food that you want to eat hot knowing you have at least an hour before you will eat it? If you're buying food that far from home you'd probably be parking and eating or eating while driving.

[Becks]

(Note to people: pull over and check your bags before leaving!)

It's such a shame that we have to, because some people can't do their jobs correctly.