Fast food customer service

[Scutter01]

Let me preface this minor rant by mentioning that I managed a fast food restaurant for several years (many years ago). I understand the issues, between work ethic, qualified labor, etc. in an unskilled, low-paying job like burger flipping.

I went through the McDonald's drive-through today and was greeted by a pre-recorded message. Now, this in itself is not new, nor is it particularly annoying (although I do find it disingenuous). Anything that can speed up the line is good from a customer service standpoint, and when the cashier has to both take an order and accept payment, his time is divided. For this reason, I agree with the practice of out-sourcing order taking to an off-site call center. There you have people who specialize in being nice to customers and knowing how to sell food. That's all they do and they aren't distracted by having to take money or prepare food.

No, what annoys me is when the automated greeter pushes whatever the special is, and then says "May I take your order?" (or something to that effect). I don't want to talk to a recording. I especially don't want to be interrupted by a different voice halfway through (the live cashier) asking me to clarify some item on my order. It's jarring. How about "We'll take your order in a moment." as a recorded greeting? Even more annoying than that, though, is when I've given my order to the automated greeter, and then a live cashier comes on and says "May I take your order?"

Why the heck are you using an automated greeter to ask me what I want if you are then going to ignore my response and make me start all over again? I've already given you my order, now I have to repeat the entire thing all over again. I'm not even going to get into how I normally have to repeat my order two or three times anyway because they can't seem to hear "no pickle" while they're busy looking for the "Combo #2" button.

 

[MountainDewed]

I work afternoon/night shift so my choices are limited on the way home. The other night I stopped at a Taco Bell and was patiently waiting in front of the menu board/ speaker to place my order. 2 minutes into the wait I am getting alittle upset but figure this late at night they have minimal staff and I am not in a big hurry but I am hungry. 4 minutes into my wait I say to nobody in general "Hello welcome to Taco Bell may i take your order?" What do you know all of a sudden there is a voice coming out of the speaker. I'm sorry sir you must not have pulled far enough forward to trip the dinger. I place my order (special order) and she gives me a total and says please pull forward. My order is ready in minutes and I pull out and head for the express way. As soon as I settle into my lane I open up a Taco and take a bite...EWWWWW tomato on my Taco(I hate cold squishy stuff on a taco). Every single one ended up having tomato I was not about to turn around and I wasn't going to eat them. I figure they realize they can screw up 80% of the drive thru orders and nobody ever comes back.

 

[hornadylnl]

I work afternoon/night shift so my choices are limited on the way home. The other night I stopped at a Taco Bell and was patiently waiting in front of the menu board/ speaker to place my order. 2 minutes into the wait I am getting alittle upset but figure this late at night they have minimal staff and I am not in a big hurry but I am hungry. 4 minutes into my wait I say to nobody in general "Hello welcome to Taco Bell may i take your order?" What do you know all of a sudden there is a voice coming out of the speaker. I'm sorry sir you must not have pulled far enough forward to trip the dinger. I place my order (special order) and she gives me a total and says please pull forward. My order is ready in minutes and I pull out and head for the express way. As soon as I settle into my lane I open up a Taco and take a bite...EWWWWW tomato on my Taco(I hate cold squishy stuff on a taco). Every single one ended up having tomato I was not about to turn around and I wasn't going to eat them. I figure they realize they can screw up 80% of the drive thru orders and nobody ever comes back.

Edit: didn't realize there was a bad word on the opening picture of the youtube video. Your post reminded me of ole Leo Gets.

 

[Boilers]

Frankly, I am surprised McDonald's has not offshored/outsourced the drive-through window order taking to India. I see no reason it could not be done.

 

[Mr. Habib]

I'm sorry sir you must not have pulled far enough forward to trip the dinger. I

You shouldn't be tripping your dinger in public anyway!

 

[Scutter01]

Frankly, I am surprised McDonald's has not offshored/outsourced the drive-through window order taking to India. I see no reason it could not be done.

Some of them do, although it's not off-shore. As I mentioned in the OP, I actually agree with the concept (not the off-shore part). It makes for a good drive-through experience as I don't have to keep repeating my order and it's always entered correctly. PREPARED correctly is another matter...

 

[Boilers]

When I was at Purdue, the Dominos pizza consolidated their 'call center' to one office for all of Laf/WLaf. Not sure if they still do this. This was enabled with the then new Caller ID technology.

I recall one girl I knew (most unique name ever) working there. Stopping in and saying hi to her. And getting free pizzas that were brought back (prank pizza orders).

 

[jennybird]

Jakal and I decided we wanted a chocolate dipped cone from McDonalds the other day. So we pull up to the window and see the window girl set 2 vanilla cones down on the counter next to her. We guessed they were for the people behind us. She hands us our drinks and bids us good day. We had to remind her that we ordered 2 choc-dipped cones. So she disappears into the back. Jakal manages to see her dipping chocolate out of a 5-gallon bucket that was setting on the floor (health code violation). Finally after about a zillion minutes of waiting, we see her walking toward us and immediately bust out in what I can only describe as a combination of disgust and laughter. I cannot begin to describe the shock and awe at what was before us. This girl had two icecream cones in her hands, rapidly melting, with dents in the icecream which made them appear to have been dropped on the floor. The chocolate, which was doing nothing more than melting the icecream further, was pouring down the sides of the cones and over the girls hands and up her forearms. It was the most disgusiting yet comical sight I've seen in a very long time. I told her no, we won't eat that, and drove off.

Where the heck is my camera when I need it???

I can't help but wonder if she offered the two inevitably melted vanilla cones that she set on the counter to the folks behind us. Probly did.

 

[sbatten]

I still believe it boils down to work ethic of the high school kids/adults and managers working in those places.

Has anyone else noticed how the service at fast food joints is worse in the more affluent areas?

 

[Scutter01]

I've managed fast food in both affluent and run-down areas. I haven't seen a significant difference in work ethic, but that's hardly a statistically significant sampling.

At both types of places, they're generally full of teenagers who expect to get paid just for showing up, with a small handful of people (both teens and adults) who have a proper work ethic. Virtually none of them can multitask (for example, key your order into the register while AT THE SAME TIME listening to you continue to recite what you want), and virtually none of them can figure your change in their head.

 

[Boilers]

Who sets the bar higher than Culver's, Chik-fil-A and Mike's Car Wash?
Appearance, politeness, well-spoken, seem to enjoy their work. Tidy workplace. imo.

 

[sbatten]

It's amazing how the guy at Mike's keeps a good attitude in the winter when I come through and he's shivering like a dog passing razor blades!

 

[Boilers]

Did he just come from the little "office". You know, the one that's ALL STEAMED UP?

Perhaps they have fringe benefits that we are not aware of?

 

[Mr. Habib]

and virtually none of them can figure your change in their head.

Amen. I want into a McD's once and my order came to $4.87. Handed the counter monkey $5.12 because I wanted to get back a quarter. He looked at my money and started to give back the coins. I told him what I was trying to do. With a confused look on his face, he rang up my order.When the cash register displayed $0.25 he looked up at me as though I had just carried stone tablets down from the mountain top and actually said " how did you do that." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[lowriderjim]

My rant on fast food and most other service businesses is that when you receive compet
ent service it is noticed. Not that I don't appreciate good service isn't that what we pay for.

I believe that it is sorry state of our society when good competent service is the eexception not even the norm.

 

[Boilers]

My ideal fast food (and any other applicable service industry.

1. Draw from one line; like a bank. First come, first served. Don't crowd the customer from behind, or beside. Call next customer in orderly fashion.
2. Have a quiet place to communicate your order to the order taker. Reduce and/or eliminated distractions and noise
3. Native English speakers. Scratch that, native American English speakers. Scratch that - down home folk.
4. Clean, well-lighted, light colored dining area.
5. I prefer to leave my trash on the table, so that it is readily apparent nothing has been done to clean/sanitize the table.
6. At least one person should be assigned to keep the dining area tidy, clean, sanitized at all times. Do NOT spray a cleaner near me and make me smell it, however.
7. All clothes/uniforms should be within two sizes of proper fit.
8. Food prep, ideally, can be seen by customers so desiring or waiting. But behind glass. I don't want to feel the heat/steam, nor hear the kitchen banter and no MACHINE BEEPING!
9. Employees should have their own break area, for resting and eating and have no other reason to be in the customer areas, ESPECIALLY the bathrooms.
10. Entry doors (and drive-through windows) should be double. That is, the outermost door does not open directly into the storage, food prep, and/or kitchen area.
11. If the employee handles MONEY, they should not touch FOOD; as part of their immediate task.
12. Have at least one portion of the dining area where we are not forced to watch CNN (or similar). TVs should be muted and have CLOSED CAPTIONING turned ON.
13. Cups for water should be normal sized, with lids that WORK, and preferably (styro)foam for keeping it cool and reducing sweating/condensation.
14. Restrooms should be attended to frequently.

I'll add more as I think of them.

 

[RCB]

Regarding the change situation, I had an order, think it was for 3 and some change. Handed the girl a 5 and said wait a sec I have the change. I fumbled the change out of my pocket (to get two complete dollars back) to which she said "I already put 5 in" and shrugged her shoulders. I said "no worries... it's exact change, just give me two dollars back." She huffed, rolled her eyes and pushed the one and change into my hand and shut the window. When I got to the order window, I had the manager come up so I could explain my displeasure. He was polite, but seemed in a hurry. Oh well. Yeah, a little different than they used to be. It's like no one is expected to be polite anymore.

And I know what you are saying about the affluent area's. I usually don't get value meals which really gets them confused. I think since jobs have been so prevalent until recently, no one cared. I know a taco bell that recently did renovations and when they opened, only a few of the old employees were called back. Many new hires. They are definitely more on the ball these days.

 

[sbatten]

The thing that really chaps my butt is when they have a tip cup at the register in these places. Here's a tip for you, STAY AWAKE IN ALGEBRA CLASS IDIOT!!

 

[kludge]

Touch screen at the drive through with a card reader.

But then you'd still have to have to have a greeter to help the old people.

 

[NEWMAN]

Like most things, you get what you pay for.

Fast food is the diablo.