"How come it's not $5??"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I have this exchange so many times it hurts my head to just think about it.

Customer, comes in, looks at the menu board and.....

SC: "The Chicken Teryiaki, is that $5?"
(I should point out here the menu board CLEARLY indicates which sandwiches are $5 and which aren't)
Me: No it's not, all the $5 options are here *points to board*
SC: Well why is it not $5? Isn't that you're all about, $5 footlongs. Shouldn't they all be $5??
Me: Almost all of them were for a limited time not long ago but in fact most of them aren't $5.
SC: But that's false advertising!
Me: (oh lord not this again...) No it isn't, the sandwiches we offer for $5 are clearly advertised.

At this point one of two things usually happens:

1) The SC grumbles and orders the sandwich anyway
2) The SC leaves

But not always, I had one guy not long ago who demanded (yes he actually used that word) I give him a non $5 sub for $5 simply because he was "under the impression they were all $5". He threw a huge hissy fit but I didn't budge. He ordered anyway but promised to report me to corporate for being rude and unhelpful. I think it was an empty threat as I haven't heard anything more about this incident.

The worst part of this was he had two young kids (who I assume were his) with him and they saw this whole thing up close.

Pay attention and order, please!

This Isn't Mcdonald's. Simply walking up and saying "I want a twelve inch club sandwich" and returning to your phone conversation does neither of us any good. You see, you have choices here and I need to know what in particular you want on your sandwich so stop talking to your friends at the table behind you, put the phone in your pocket, listen to what I ask you and order your food!

I asked a guy THREE times the other day whether or not he wanted his sandwich toasted because he was not paying attention to me.

Recommendation failure

The number of times this happens is truly astounding. I will ask the customer what kind of cheese/dressing/veggies they want on their sandwich and they will ask me "What do people usually put on that kind of sandwich?". I give them an answer in which I make one or two suggestions and they proceed to choose something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

What's the point in this, really?

Attention party animals!

Coming into my shop drunk is never a good idea. Not only will it instantly make me dislike you but trying to get a complete sandwich order out of a drunk person is like trying to get a straight answer out of a politician. It's aggravating, frustrating and by the end you might feel like you've lost a few braincells.

Weird...

About a week ago near the end of my shift, this guy came in, stared blankly at me for several minutes and then left. I asked what I could do for him, he didn't answer. I asked if he was ok, he didn't answer. I asked if he needed help, he didn't answer. He never said a single word. I guess maybe he changed his mind about where he wanted to eat but that weird stare was really creepy. I hope I never see him again.

[Jester]

I will ask the customer what kind of cheese/dressing/veggies they want on their sandwich and they will ask me "What do people usually put on that kind of sandwich?". I give them an answer in which I make one or two suggestions and they proceed to choose something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

I get this all the time as a bartender, with the same kind of results.

Amusing is people who ask this: "What's your most popular rum?" To which and every bartender, without fail or humor, responds "Bacardi." Not just is it the most known, it is also our well rum, so by default, it is our most popular. Doesn't mean it's the best, mind you....just the most popular. Of course, our most popular beer is Miller Lite, so do the math, folks. Popularity and quality are not the same thing!

Coming into my shop drunk is never a good idea. Not only will it instantly make me dislike you but trying to get a complete sandwich order out of a drunk person is like trying to get a straight answer out of a politician.

Not all drunks are like this. I myself have walked into sub shops schnockered and ordered, without a problem, precisely the sub I want. Why? Because I know what the fuck I want, and am able to order it drunk or sober. People who can't do this are idiots, or really, really drunk. I am guessing it's more of the former, actually.

[mattm04]

I have learned that if the SC is on their phone, to expect to at least double the amount of time needed to complete the task, and to listen to the SC whine how it is taking so long.

[TheSHAD0W]

Recommendation failure

The number of times this happens is truly astounding. I will ask the customer what kind of cheese/dressing/veggies they want on their sandwich and they will ask me "What do people usually put on that kind of sandwich?". I give them an answer in which I make one or two suggestions and they proceed to choose something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

What's the point in this, really?

Actually, it's kind of interesting... This is related to the paradox of choice. When people are confronted with too many options they may balk. Give someone a few suggestions, and it stimulates thought which can indeed lead somewhere completely different from the suggestions, but at least the SCs aren't standing there, brainlocked and drooling.

[Bloodsoul]

So far the only problem I've had.. well, created.. at Subway was when I tried to order a sandwhich that they had stopped making.

I miss ordering a footlong feast (mainly because I don't remember all of the goodies that went into making one).

[MoonCat]

I have never understood the impulse to order whatever is "most popular." Have these people no likes or dislikes of their own??

[ArcticChicken]

I give them an answer in which I make one or two suggestions and they proceed to choose something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

What's the point in this, really?

I actually understand this one. Sometimes, it's hard to figure out what you want, but having things suggested to you lets you figure out what you don't want.

[bainsidhe]

I'll admit to asking the "most popular" or even the accursed "what do you like?" question when I've gone into a coffee shop to order a fluffy, expensive drink. I so rarely drink 4-dollar coffee, but it's a nice splurge on occasion. Without fail, I ask the barista to steer me in the right direction, and they usually are quite helpful. I may not pick their favorite beverage/ingredients, but it offers a nice perspective for options that I wouldn't even think of normally.

[MadMike]

I'll admit to asking the "most popular" or even the accursed "what do you like?" question when I've gone into a coffee shop to order a fluffy, expensive drink.

The only time I've ever done that was at a local bar brews and serves their own beer, and doesn't carry any sort of traditional beers brands. I'm friends with two of the girls from the local roller derby team, and I recently started coming to their games. They always have their after-party at the above-mentioned bar, and the first time there, I had no idea what to get. So I asked, "What would you recommend for someone who's never been here before and has no idea what to get?" The guy was actually quite helpful with that one. He asked me what I normally get at a regular bar, and he was able to recommend something based on that, and it was actually pretty good. I guess they get that question a lot.

[Lindsey]

I didn't even have to click the thread to know this was going to be about Subway, you poor soul!

[emilochka]

The number of times this happens is truly astounding. I will ask the customer what kind of cheese/dressing/veggies they want on their sandwich and they will ask me "What do people usually put on that kind of sandwich?".

In high school, a good friend (K) worked at our local Subway and loved it, mostly because it was the only one in town and the owners didn't really care about, you know, pleasing customers. She is a vegetarian and, through trial and error, found the perfect combination of disgusting ingredients for her ideal sandwich. I'll never forget it: extra American cheese, tomato, cucumber, onions, pickles, olives, green peppers, banana peppers, olive oil, lots of vinegar and salt (really, though, at that point the extra salt seemed redundant). The smell of the vinegar and peppers could clear a room. Even riding in a car with a wrapped sandwich was unpleasant. Seriously, she would douse the thing in vinegar. Another friend once asked why she didn't get lettuce on the sandwich. K's response: "Ew, lettuce would be too much!"

Anyway, whenever a customer asked what she recommended she would suggest her oil & vinegar with pickles/peppers abomination. The prospect of getting all that usually helped people make up their mind!

Apparently one day her manager, the owner who didn't give a shit, was waiting on a customer who wouldn't get off his phone. The guy would just wave the owner away when he asked what he wanted on his sandwich and said, "Whatever." So, the owner, being more than a little , gave his sandwich the "K" treatment and made a meatball sub with pickles, banana peppers, olive oil, vinegar, etc. The customer called back to complain but the owner simply reminded him that he hadn't specified what he wanted and that the toppings he got were a very popular combination!

[Mytical]

Only time I have asked what somebody would recommend was for alcohol. Since the only thing I had ever drunk before that time was beer..and had NO clue about alcohol...

Anyhow...some people know what they want, others can stand in line for 15 minutes..staring at a menu and still have no clue. As for those on the phone, don't you wish you could just stand there with your arms crossed and refuse to do anything until they get off the phone?

[Jester]

I'll admit to asking the "most popular" or even the accursed "what do you like?" question...

Ah, if someone asks me what I LIKE, that's a whole different thing. It's a bit tough with the menu, as all of our food is so damn good, but if they are asking about beer or rum, I am off and flying. I can make recommendations, and often do. I just usually ask them to tell me what kind of rum they normally drink, and then I can go from there.....since we have well over 100 rums, I do need to narrow it down somewhat, after all!

As for those on the phone, don't you wish you could just stand there with your arms crossed and refuse to do anything until they get off the phone?

If someone is on the phone at my bar, I will wait on other people until they are off the phone. And I always politely explain that I didn't want to interrupt them.

[Miss Maple Leaf]

Neither of my favourite subs (Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki/Steak and Cheese) are ever on the $5 deal when the local Subway has it going on. Bums me right out.

That guy was just a jerk about it though.

[hotelslave]

Reading this post has reminded me I havent had Subway in a long time. Now going to go pick up my dinner.