So, you're too good to acknowledge me?

[Maximillion]

Unfortunately, I'm stuck working fast food and once again I'm stuck in drive-thru on a normal basis. When I worked here the first time, I realized the hard way how ignorant people can be but it looks like it has gotten worse over the years.

When I open the window to collect from customers, I make a point to say the usual "Hello, $x.xx please, how are you?" and they just sit there and give me a seething glare like I peed in their Starbucks sitting in the cup holder. Then after giving them change and/or a receipt, I tell them "Thank you, have a nice day/night" and they literally just give me another glare and drive off.

I'm sorry, but what makes you so superior to me that you can just disregard someone like a piece of crap in the grass you're trying not to step on? How are you better than me?

I realize this might not be a big issue with some people but I find it very disrespectful that people can be this arrogant to people just because we work in an undesirable job. They surely wouldn't like it if the shoe were on the other foot. Just sayin'

[hinakiba777]

Yes but you work at a fast food restaurant. So OBVIOUSLY you are a subhuman creature that all people are better than, you are a little food fetching monkey who should not dare to speak to such wonderful wonderful people.

Or people are just jerks. One or the other.

[BuffySummers]

It's not a reflection on you, Max, it's because these people are so miserable and insecure in their own lives that they MUST find someone who they think "has it worse," otherwise THEY are the lowest creatures out there. And who better to look down upon than the person who (by choice and for a wage) is there to serve them?

tl;dr - miserable people are miserable. Serve them with a smile, and feel lucky that you don't have to BE them.

[Gaki]

I can't even go through drive-thru because I'm so awkward. My worst nightmare is the person at the window actually talking to me because I get this huge lump in my throat and I can't speak. It's part of my social anxiety issues and I've never gotten over it. I'm lucky if I can even speak loud enough at the speaker.

I actually try to figure out where to go with the rudest drive-thru people so I can go there without getting spoken to. (The Wendy's in my college town is the only place they just throw food at you, so that's where I go.)

It might be weird but at least I don't glare at them.

[jnd4rusty]

Oh boy do I ever feel your pain! I also hate the ones who come up to the speaker and put YOU on hold while they are still on their cell phones or when they come to the window they are on their cell phones and they will totally ignore your greeting. I get irate over the ones who cannot park close enough to the window so you practically have to climb out the window to get their money! I, of course, found a solution to that, I pretend that I cannot lean out any further and I make them get out of their car or lean further out! Ha! works pretty good and really I cannot lean out very far due to back problems. I have been in the restaurant business for most of my adult life and it has been by choice not because I could not get a "better" job! People do not realize how hard it is to work the fast food business, they think that it is an easy job since we hire teenagers but in reality it is extremely hard and I have seen people not make it because they could not handle the stress and hard work.

I have been at my store for 17 1/2 years now and I love it but it is very demanding especially since our store is number 2 in the nation in sales out of over 400 locations (we were number one but a certain store in oil rich North Dakota took that from us). We have to write down the name of the customers after they order so we can call them up to get their order and I get frustrated when people spell the most simplest of names, as if I cannot spell because I work there. I am talking about names like "Bill" or "Bob", that really steams me up, I finally started to say "Yes, I know how to spell that name", usually shuts them up and makes them realize that I am not stupid.

Most of the time I do not have problems at work because most of our customer base are repeat customers who have been coming to our store for 40 years and many who come in every single day and sometimes twice a day. We still get the frustrating ones, those who like to argue, those who say their order is wrong in drive thru AFTER you repeated the order and they agreed to it, those who want their entire order replaced because you forgot to give them a cup of cheese.

I really do understand the frustration! I want to write a book on proper restaurant ettiquete, but I don't think the entitlement SC will actually read it or even see themselves as a problem. Just remember that as long as you are working hard and paying your way in this world then there is no such thing as a "bad" job. I get better than average pay at my job and it pays my bills, puts a roof over my head and feeds me. I am proud of my accomplishments so boo hoo to anyone who does not agree just because I work in the restaurant business.

Okay I will stop ranting! This is a sore subject for me because I see this all the time and it irrates me to no end. I am sick and tired of defending myself because of my "less then stellar" job, some people are just too ignorant! So keep smiling and being pleasant and be proud of yourself, do not give them the pleasure of ruining your day!

[manybellsdown]

I have never understood being horrible to the person who is doing a service for you. Especially with food. I'm not suggesting you're going to spit in my burger, but there's other things that can happen.

I don't want to be the person that gets the stale fries, the ketchup I asked to be left off, or the bare minimum of cheese on my nachos. And it baffles me that so many people seem not to understand this. Also, I've never in my life worked in food service, and I still get it.

[Maximillion]

I actually try to figure out where to go with the rudest drive-thru people so I can go there without getting spoken to. (The Wendy's in my college town is the only place they just throw food at you, so that's where I go.)

It might be weird but at least I don't glare at them.

I'm not perfect but the worst I can be to customers who actually aren't rude is maintain a nonchalant attitude. I've been told that being nonchalant is as bad as being disrespectful, but I disagree. As far as rude customers, I school them with my outlandish vocabulary and basically talk down to them without them really noticing.

People do not realize how hard it is to work the fast food business, they think that it is an easy job since we hire teenagers but in reality it is extremely hard and I have seen people not make it because they could not handle the stress and hard work.

When I started working here the first time, back in 2004, I was a junior in high school. Back then, the job was fun and not as difficult (to me at least)because I was trained in all areas and found ways to strategize. It was also my first job and I took it more seriously than others. Since coming back, it has become increasing more difficult to work there because it seems the responsibilities have increased and we now have management that treat this place like a Fortune 500 company. We don't get paid enough for that crap.

I really do understand the frustration! I want to write a book on proper restaurant ettiquete, but I don't think the entitlement SC will actually read it or even see themselves as a problem. Just remember that as long as you are working hard and paying your way in this world then there is no such thing as a "bad" job. I get better than average pay at my job and it pays my bills, puts a roof over my head and feeds me. I am proud of my accomplishments so boo hoo to anyone who does not agree just because I work in the restaurant business.

I've also thought about writing such a book, or at least an essay about restaurant etiquette but I'm not sure how that would be received by the general public. I should do it anyway. I definitely work hard too, in some cases harder than others, though I am not as fast. Lack of motivation will do that to you. The work gets done though

I seriously don't know what I would do without this site. Actually, I do...

for starters.

[Pixilated]

Yes but you work at a fast food restaurant. So OBVIOUSLY you are a subhuman creature that all people are better than, you are a little food fetching monkey who should not dare to speak to such wonderful wonderful people.

Or people are just jerks. One or the other.

Personally, I'd go with #2. Not that I'm cynical or anything ...

[blas]

I smile and say hi to anyone who helps me out. That's my genuine warm smile, and I try to make sure everyone who helps me can feel that they are appreciated.

[Slave to the Phone]

What I think is sad is when I break the script at drive throughs. I'll pull up and the person will say something like "hello, how are you today?" I'll tell them that I'm good and ask about their day. There is always a little hesitation which I assume is because they didn't expect to be responded to as a person.

[AccountingDrone]

I smile and say hi to anyone who helps me out. That's my genuine warm smile, and I try to make sure everyone who helps me can feel that they are appreciated.

I am the same way, especially thruway toll booths and drive throughs.

I look at it as I am recieving a service, and that is a *good* thing!

[BeenThereDoneThat]

That's really sad. I was going to say "I go out of my way" to be nice to anyone who is serving me, but it's really not out of my way at all, it's just common courtesy and the fact that I like to be nice to other people. It's really NOT that hard!!

I get some of the same treatment on the phones, just people who want to get right down to business, don't say please or thank you or anything except what absolutely needs to be said and then they barely acknowledge me while I go through my closing spiel and then hang up without another word. Sigh.

[ShootMePlease]

I always acknowledge everyone I come into contact with when they greet me wherever I am. I can tell sometimes they're surprised when they say hello and I say "Hi !! how are you ?" back cheerfully, especially in the drive-thru. I believe you should treat others as you would like to be treated, plain and simple. I assume those who are assholes would like to be treated as such.

[cashierbex]

Reminds me of when I was taking the bus to school and I was the first stop. I always said "Good morning" to the guy. I was the only one to do so. I think he was shocked at first. Poor guy.

When shopping and its at a nice place (not Redneckville aka Wally World) I always say "Hi" or "Have a good day" sometimes before they could lol. Force of habit from my job lol.

[mikoyan29]

I always say please and thank you to folks.