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**Gawdzillers** · 04-26-2007, 12:12 PM

I'll take a Diet Heroin please.

**Ree** · 04-26-2007, 12:18 PM

I understand your frustration, but, to be honest, I do find a lot of your responses rude and snippy, regardless of whether these customers are repeat offenders.
You say you work Drive-Thru, and with any Drive-Thru I've been to, the person inside can't see the customer, so I wonder how you could know they are repeat offenders, unless you recognize their voice. (If so, that's pretty darn good recognition.)
How long have you worked at this job?
Maybe a change of pace is in order if you are having trouble maintaining a professional tone with irritating customers.

Seems to me that you make it harder on yourself with cryptic snide remarks.
They end up repeating themselves several times before they understand your sarcasm, and that adds minutes to the total time of service, when just being straight forward would solve the problem.

What's wrong with just saying, "Our children's meals are not called Happy Meals" or "We carry Pepsi only."

It's a known fact that the majority of customers miss signs and assign brand names to all things in a category, (Happy Meal has become synonymous with a child's meal, Coke is synonymous for an cola product), so why fight it?

Also, in a Drive-Thru, there is a sense of urgency to pick out your food as quickly as possible to keep the line moving, so there is a chance that a person is going to miss portions of the menu board.

Like I said, I do understand the level of frustration, because, after almost 30 years of customer service, I get tempted to make snippy comments, too, but I keep them to myself in my head, because I feel better taking the high road, and, after all, that annoying dude who just asked for a product by the brand name of our competition really does contribute to paying my wages, and what the heck...he came to my store and bought my product...not theirs.

**sarahj** · 04-26-2007, 01:55 PM

My first thought... you're mean. Seriously. I have much respect cos you actually say to customers what they deserve (repeat offenders, I mean), but you're crossing the line. Three years? I'm surprised you only have one warning.

**Tria** · 04-26-2007, 02:20 PM

Quoth Rogue_zero View Post

However there was a new one from just last night.

SC: I'd like coke.
Me: That's a controlled substance sir.
SC: Yep
Me: ...did you want a drink today?
SC: I said I want coke
Me: That's an illegal narcotic sir
SC: Yep
Me: ...

Well, there was a Burger King I think that was selling drugs out of the drive through.

**iradney** · 04-26-2007, 02:25 PM

Ya know, what you're saying would be funny if it was like a skit on SNL or something. But IRL? That's a little harsh man.

**Becks** · 04-26-2007, 02:30 PM

Funny, yes, but I think they would've been funnier if they had been thoughts, and not actual conversation.

**Rogue_zero** · 04-26-2007, 02:53 PM

Drive thru, part 2

You know that thing, with the stuff...?

Sometimes I feel like I am being punished for not watching TV. I haven't watched TV in years, really. So I'm at a disadvantage with customers all the time. Here's a few of my favorites

It's a bird! It's a plane! No its an advertising slogan I'm tired of hearing!

SC: Can I get that round thing?
Me: Mexican pizza?
SC: No...the other round thing.
Me: ...
SC: It's good to go!
Me: Excuse me?
SC: That's how they advertise it. It's good to go!
Me: Ma'am I don't watch TV.

Eventually someone clued me in that this sometimes is a reference to the Crunchwrap Supreme. What's sad is that we sell more of those than tacos. They're immensely popular and the joke gets around that we're now called "Crunchwrap Bell". So why is it that a year later, six billion crunchwraps sold, and four advertising campaigns featuring 3 different varients later, PEOPLE STILL DON'T KNOW THE NAME???

Can we be a bit more vague here?

SC: I'd like to get that thing...? It's hard and soft?
Me: Congradulations ma'am, you just described a quarter of the items we sell here. Care to be more specific?
SC: Well it's got the hard shell inside the soft shell
Me: You're still describing four potential products. Is it...a double decker taco? It's a soft taco layer, refried beans smothered on that, connected to a hard taco shell with beef lettuce and cheese.
*DD Tacos are also very popular at my store
SC: Uh...I think so! I'll have four!

Five minutes later, customer walks into the lobby with the bag. Not pissed or anything, but insisting that she didn't get what she wanted. Fortunately, I was the one who helped her at the counter too.

SC: This isn't what I wanted
Me: But this is what you ordered
SC: But I wanted something else.
Me: I described to you what it was. You said it was correct.
SC: Well what's that thing on TV?
Me: I don't watch TV. The current promotional item is a burrito, displayed on the large central part of the menu. That would be mainly on TV, otherwise our normal array of products occasionally are on TV
SC: Well what I want has beef, nacho cheese, a round crunchy thing, sour cream, lettuce, tomato...
Me: *I shake my head and rub my temples* Ma'am, when I described the double-decker taco to you, you said THAT was correct. And why didn't you come forth with this ingredient listing before you ordered?
SC: Well I just remembered
Me: What you want...IS A CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME! And that was on TV like 6 months ago!
SC: Yeah that thing! I'll take four!

So I ring her up for four of those. She pauses for a second

SC: Well what about my refund for these?
Me: What refund? That's your mistake, not ours.
SC: Oh fine just give me the crunchwraps

That menu board isn't just pretty, it has info on it too!

*fast forward another 6 months. The crunchwrap supreme now has its own picture on the menu board, nice and big. It's also has its own combo, complete with a listing by itself on the menu's prices.

SC: Do you guys still have that crunchwrap supreme?
Me: Can you read English?
SC: Uh...yeah...?
Me: Did our menu board blow away in the wind?
SC: No...?
Me: Have you looked at the menu yet?
SC: ....oh there it is!

SC: Hey do you guys have something that's round and crunchy, it's soft and hard?
Me: *confused* Well it sounds like you want a crunchwrap supreme, but that's shown very prominantly on the menu board so if you saw that and that isn't what you want, then I have no idea what you are talking about.
SC: Oh wait! Yes! I want a crunchwrap
Me: *sigh* of course you do...

Can you tell that I really hate this item right now?

SC: Can I buy just the crunchwrap by itself, or do I have to buy the combo?
Me: Did you read our menu board?
SC: Uh no why?
Me: Because it contains all sorts of great information. It's like an FAQ. In fact, why don't you read the section entitled "Specialty items".
SC: ...oh there we go!

On the flip side...

SC: Hello! Do you guys have a combo for the crunchwrap?
Me: Did you bother looking at our list of combos?
SC: ....oh there it is!

SC: I'd like that thing...it's got a hard shell wrapped up in a soft shell...?
Me: We have something like that, and it isn't put on our menu board for some reason. It's called a Cheesy Gordita Crunch.
SC: No that isn't it. Don't you have anything else hard and soft?
Me: Everything else we carry is listed on the menu board.
SC: Well I don't see it.
Me: Sorry then I guess we don't have it.
*co-worker also wearing a headset decides to chime in.
CW: Are you looking for a Crunchwrap Supreme?
SC: Yes! That's it!
Me: So when you said you didn't see it on the menu board, you didn't even bother to look did you?
SC: ....no

If you don't even know what you want, don't expect me to read your mind

SC: I'd like to get a chicken quasadilla.
Me: Okay, would you like a drink with that?
SC: Actually yeah I'll take the combo 7
Me: Okay what would you like your drink to be?
SC: Well actually I don't need a drink
Me: Then I'll ring you up for just the quasadilla and taco. It's cheaper.
SC: *a minute of mumbling with his passanger* Ah...actually give me the combo. I'll take a Pepsi with it
Me: Okay, done. Would you like anything else?
SC: *more mumbling with passenger* Sorry, nevermind, we have drinks at home. I'll just take the quasadilla
Me: *gritting my teeth* Fine. Okay. So you want just the quasadilla? No taco?
SC: Well actually the combo comes with a taco too? Maybe we'll get that...
Me: Okay then. You need time to decide. I'll be back in one minute, and I'll take your order then.

There is no hold button or anything on our headsets. I don't even take it off. I needed a moment to cool off and he really did need time to figure out what he was ordering. About five seconds go by before I hear him drive off. I'm thinking that I just pissed him off and he's leaving. There's a ding in my ear which tells me another person is already at the speakerphone ready to order. But the first guy stops at the pickup window. I think to myself that he's going to yell at me. When I open the window, he's holding out cash. Now I'm confused.

Me: Sir...?
SC: I ordered two chicken quasadillas.
Me: No you didn't. I told you to hold on for two minutes because you had no idea what you were ordering and you needed to figure it out. You didn't say a word after that either.
SC: Well I know what I want now, can I just order here?
(story changed rather quickly now didn't it?)
Me: No sir that's what the speaker is there for. And there's someone ordering now so you'll have to get back in line.

SC: Hello, I'd like that one thing.
Me: *30 seconds of silence*...you need to give me more information than that sir.
SC: Why?
(Gee, I dunno, so maybe I could ring you up for the right item?)

SC: Do any of your products contain [god-forsaken chemical that is probably a preservative with such a long name I'd never be able to remember]?
Me: *trying to be helpful* Well you could always look on our website or send an email...
SC: *real pissy with an attitude setting in* Well I DON'T have internet access IN THIS CAR so why don't you just tell me?
Me: How's about this. I'm not running into our stock rooms to pull out 120 different food items and reading their list of ingredients for [chemical] while you sit there in our drive-thru and block other people from ordering. So you're just gonna have to go home and find out for youself m'kay?

SC: Hey I need to get something here my daughter wanted. She said you guys make it.
Me: *I wait for more*...what exactly did she want ma'am?
SC: Well I don't know, she just said you guys made it. She said you guys would know.
Me: ...this is a joke, right?
SC: Uh...no?

SC: I'd like a strawberry shortcake please
Me: Um...we don't sell that. Did you mean a caramel apple empenada?
SC: NO! I MEANT a strawberry shortcake!
Me: Well we don't carry that.
SC: Yes you do! I got one here yesterday!
Me: And I've been working here for two years. We have never carried that.
SC: Don't you play games with me! I KNOW you guys have those things. I want one now!
Me: Sorry ma'am there really are no shortcakes here.

I really didn't know what else to tell her. She bought some other foodstuffs but insisted she was going to call corporate and tell them that I refused to sell her a strawberry shortcake.

SC: I'd like a taco with just beef
Me: Okay, so no lettuce and no cheese then?
SC: Well you can keep that on there, I just didn't want onions.
Me: ...

Wait, how is this our fault?

We recieved a daily fax one day that informed us of a customer complaint. Someone called into the corporate office and filed a complaint against us that some drunk man was hitting on her *near* our parking lot. Not even in it, but near it.

One day a lady came in and ordered food. A lot of it. When she recieved her food, she went to sit down. She couldn't fit in any of the seats due to um...well let's just leave it at that she couldn't fit in the seats since I really don't want to offend anyone. She ate half of her food before she came up to the front counter and demanded a refund because she couldn't fit in our seats. My manager at the time was a very understanding man, but despite her wanting a full refund he only gave her money back for what she didn't eat.

A customer came into the lobby and complained that the garbage truck came up and emptied our dumpster while he was about to come into the drive-thru to order. He said that it was unprofessional of us to allow the garbage men to do that "while customers might be around".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A reply to an earlier post:

As for happy meal, like I said, I don't eat McD's. I was fairly sure it was a McD product, but not entirely sure, and I had no idea prior to that, that it was a kid's meal.

And you're right. I shouldn't be in that position. I don't want to be there. But the fact is they keep putting me there! The simple, sad fact is that I'm the only person qualified to run drive-thru in the store. I kid you not. I work there part time 4 days a week and that's the only time they have a competent person there. The daytime guy TALKS TO HIMSELF. Not only that, he talks to himself to customers. He'll have a conversation with himself aloud, all while transmitting it to the customers at the drive-thru pad. The other day person, and the other night person are ruder than me (to everyone, not just SCs) and don't know how to run both registers, so they can only serve one car in the entire drive-thru lane at a time.

This problem is a result of management's inability and lack of wanting to train people in the position. We have other people there that *might* be able to learn it, but we are never given enough people to man the store plus take the time to pull someone aside and teach them. And I've got a nice big long rant on the management of my facility for another time and another thread.

Isn't it sad that I'm the best this store has to offer? As soon as I can line up another job that gives me a lot of leniency with my hours of availablility and days I can work, I'll be out of there. Until then...

**air914** · 04-26-2007, 02:55 PM

Very funny - but a little over the top. My dad worked for Pepsi for several years - but we live in the "middle" of the U.S. ("KY"). So everyone calls everything Coke. Even if you want Mountain Dew - sometimes people call it Coke. It's ridiculous. Just ask for what you want - I like the more northern "soda". Or "Cola". Or just ask for the specific product. But it did drive me nuts.

I've certainly dealt w/ drive-thru adn w/ morons and sometimes I did wish I could say some things to them - usually when they MISSED the ordering speaker box and asked where it was... UM RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HUGE MENU SIGN?? So I understand your frustration but a couple of the comments are a little over the top - the one about the children's meals not making kid's happy though - that one is priceless

**Rogue_zero** · 04-26-2007, 02:58 PM

Quoth air914 View Post

the one about the children's meals not making kid's happy though - that one is priceless

Well have you seen Taco Bell toys? In the years I've worked there, I've never seen anything half as good as anything McD or Burger King has come out with. I used to be so young, so happy to head over to BK and getting a juicy burger and a cool toy...

To this day I've never seen a child smile long after opening his Kid's Meal bag from Taco Bell.

**air914** · 04-26-2007, 03:07 PM

Quoth Rogue_zero View Post

[
And you're right. I shouldn't be in that position. I don't want to be there. But the fact is they keep putting me there! The simple, sad fact is that I'm the only person qualified to run drive-thru in the store. I kid you not. I work there part time 4 days a week and that's the only time they have a competent person there. The daytime guy TALKS TO HIMSELF. Not only that, he talks to himself to customers. He'll have a conversation with himself aloud, all while transmitting it to the customers at the drive-thru pad. The other day person, and the other night person are ruder than me (to everyone, not just SCs) and don't know how to run both registers, so they can only serve one car in the entire drive-thru lane at a time.

This problem is a result of management's inability and lack of wanting to train people in the position. We have other people there that *might* be able to learn it, but we are never given enough people to man the store plus take the time to pull someone aside and teach them. And I've got a nice big long rant on the management of my facility for another time and another thread.

Okay now I really understand your frustration! I HATED being the one on Drive-Thru all the time. I did NOT like Drive-thru, but I was the only one that could seem to handle it and be pleasant to the customers even after 3 hours w/ no break between customers and craziness! There was one other guy that did it that was really great - in fact it's the only position he would work - and the only one he was really good at - and he liked it - didn't even take breaks..... so that was 2 of us in the store that were good at drive-thru - but the difference was he liked it and I didn't.... guess I should've started making comments like yours... although it hasn't gotten you out of it.....

Oh btw, someone mentioned before that they didn't think drive-thru could see people in their cars - actually at the coffee place I worked at - we did have video. We could see you. And every little thing you did while sitting there at the drive-thru ordering box....

**NightAngel** · 04-26-2007, 03:45 PM

Quoth Rogue_zero View Post

And you're right. I shouldn't be in that position.

You can take solace in the fact that if you worked at my store and spoke to my customers the way you describe- you definately wouldn't be in that position again. Matter of fact you wouldn't be in any position.

**CurlyLocks** · 04-26-2007, 04:12 PM

Rogue Zero, I want to welcome you to the boards, but I have to agree with the previous posters that many of your comments to customers seem quite inappropriate. Yes, the whole point of this place is for us to comiserate about our sucky customers, but we still pride ourselves on doing our jobs with professionalism. Many of us may have one or two instances where we've lost it with an SC, but to consistently make the kind of sarcastic, snide and condescending remarks you've posted is way over the line.

I truly sympathize with you, as fast food drive throughs seem to really bring out the SC's in droves. But I have to tell you - if an employee treated me the way you seem to have treated so many of these customers, you better believe I would complain about it.

**Auto** · 04-26-2007, 04:18 PM

Bravo, Ree.

I too thought Rogue's responses were harsh, snippy and deliberately obtuse when the customers just wanted to order, get their food and get on with their lives.

Getting all pissy b/c someone ordered Coke when only Pepsi was available? Just tell them they'll have to make do with Pepsi and move on.

Most of us, whether customers and workers, don't have the energy to play Rogue's games.

**digilight** · 04-26-2007, 04:42 PM

As someone who worked drivethru at burgerking for about 3 years and delt with lunch rush singlehandedly a few times as well as spending upwards of 6 hours straight on drivethru without a break somedays or running both drivethru and front cash at times I understand the stupidity of some customers. I also have to say that there is no need to treat people the way you seem to. Most people will order a coke out of habit, most are fine if you just say we don't have coke is pepsi ok. To come off with the controlled substance line is making you out to be a SE. If I had to deal with someone acting the way you have described I would definantly complain (at the very least).

I've got to agree with Ree and NA on this one, Not cool.

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Drive-thru experiances, part 1

Drive-thru experiances, part 1

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