DOs and DON'Ts for drive thru customers
DO:
Roll your window down before you pull up to the speaker...you might miss the greeting otherwise, since most franchises emphasise fast greeting time (usually 2-5 seconds).
Speak slowly and clearly, but not so slowly that you insult the intelligence of the person taking your order.
Know what you want before you pull up. If you don't know what you want, go inside. The restaurant is penalized for having a high drive-thru time, and the time starts as soon as you pull up to the speaker, even if you're just looking at the menu.
Use the correct name for whatever you order (they may not say anything to your face, but the employees will definitely make fun of anyone who orders a Big Mac at Burger King or a McFlurry at Dairy Queen).
Ask about ingredients before you order if you have allergies/are very picky.
Include size/flavor/drink/sides where applicable.
Say please and thank you and you're welcome, just like your mother taught you.
DON'T:
Call people on your cell phone to find out what they want while you're sitting at the speaker. The clock is ticking. Call them before you get to the restaurant, or while you're waiting in the line inside. Or...here's a novel idea... you could always let them get their own damn food.
Honk the instant you pull up to the speaker. There is always someone wearing a drive-thru headset whenever the restaurant is open. You will only succeed in pissing off the person wearing that headset by honking in their ear.
Yell "hello?!" at any point in the transaction. If you need a moment, feel free to say so, but when you know what you want, it's okay to just start ordering. Every employee in the store did not pick up and leave in the thirty seconds it took you to decide that you wanted a number five value meal.
Ask stupid questions, i.e. don't ask what comes in something that has the ingredients listed right on the menu board. Also...if only one price is listed for an item, that usually means it only comes in one size. Don't try to order a small or a large.
Try to change your order at the window. Adding a cup of ice water or a side of sour cream at the window is not a hugely big deal. But adding another burger or five orders of fries is not a good idea. Some restaurants won't even allow it. And those that do will still resent you for holding up the line. And please do NOT try to change things you've already ordered. They have almost definitely already started making it, and it's quite possible your entire order is already waiting for you.
Tell the person taking your order who everything is for, e.g. "I'll have a small Oreo Blizzard, and my mom wants a medium dipped cone, and my sister Betty wants a Brownie Earthquake, cause she's a greedy pig, and my third cousin twice removed on my mother's side wants..." Let me tell you a secret: nobody cares. They just want you to order and get the hell out of the drive thru.
Strike up a conversation with the person taking your money/giving you your food. A "How are you today?" "Fine, thanks, and you?" exchange is about all there's time for. The employees are not there to be your friends. They are there to take your money and give you your food as quickly as possible.
Ask for special treatment. Nobody who works at an individual restaurant is important enough to make decisions about things like giving you extra sauces or toppings for free or carrying the particular item that you liked that the company as a whole stopped selling several years ago. The manager may make an exception and give you something for free just to get you out of the drive thru and keep the line moving, but trust me: it's not because you're charming and likeable, or even because you're cute (most of the time). It's because you're a pain in the ass. Next time, try asking at the speaker and paying like everybody else. You'll be amazed how much nicer everybody is. Also, they're less likely to spit in your food
Swear or throw things at anybody. Even if they get your order wrong, or seem to be particularly dense. Just go online or call the main office/complaint line, and then there will be an official record, and you might get a gift certificate out of it, or even (gasp!) a form letter rubber-stamped with the C.E.O.'s signature!
Roll your window down before you pull up to the speaker...you might miss the greeting otherwise, since most franchises emphasise fast greeting time (usually 2-5 seconds).
Speak slowly and clearly, but not so slowly that you insult the intelligence of the person taking your order.
Know what you want before you pull up. If you don't know what you want, go inside. The restaurant is penalized for having a high drive-thru time, and the time starts as soon as you pull up to the speaker, even if you're just looking at the menu.
Use the correct name for whatever you order (they may not say anything to your face, but the employees will definitely make fun of anyone who orders a Big Mac at Burger King or a McFlurry at Dairy Queen).
Ask about ingredients before you order if you have allergies/are very picky.
Include size/flavor/drink/sides where applicable.
Say please and thank you and you're welcome, just like your mother taught you.
DON'T:
Call people on your cell phone to find out what they want while you're sitting at the speaker. The clock is ticking. Call them before you get to the restaurant, or while you're waiting in the line inside. Or...here's a novel idea... you could always let them get their own damn food.
Honk the instant you pull up to the speaker. There is always someone wearing a drive-thru headset whenever the restaurant is open. You will only succeed in pissing off the person wearing that headset by honking in their ear.
Yell "hello?!" at any point in the transaction. If you need a moment, feel free to say so, but when you know what you want, it's okay to just start ordering. Every employee in the store did not pick up and leave in the thirty seconds it took you to decide that you wanted a number five value meal.
Ask stupid questions, i.e. don't ask what comes in something that has the ingredients listed right on the menu board. Also...if only one price is listed for an item, that usually means it only comes in one size. Don't try to order a small or a large.
Try to change your order at the window. Adding a cup of ice water or a side of sour cream at the window is not a hugely big deal. But adding another burger or five orders of fries is not a good idea. Some restaurants won't even allow it. And those that do will still resent you for holding up the line. And please do NOT try to change things you've already ordered. They have almost definitely already started making it, and it's quite possible your entire order is already waiting for you.
Tell the person taking your order who everything is for, e.g. "I'll have a small Oreo Blizzard, and my mom wants a medium dipped cone, and my sister Betty wants a Brownie Earthquake, cause she's a greedy pig, and my third cousin twice removed on my mother's side wants..." Let me tell you a secret: nobody cares. They just want you to order and get the hell out of the drive thru.
Strike up a conversation with the person taking your money/giving you your food. A "How are you today?" "Fine, thanks, and you?" exchange is about all there's time for. The employees are not there to be your friends. They are there to take your money and give you your food as quickly as possible.
Ask for special treatment. Nobody who works at an individual restaurant is important enough to make decisions about things like giving you extra sauces or toppings for free or carrying the particular item that you liked that the company as a whole stopped selling several years ago. The manager may make an exception and give you something for free just to get you out of the drive thru and keep the line moving, but trust me: it's not because you're charming and likeable, or even because you're cute (most of the time). It's because you're a pain in the ass. Next time, try asking at the speaker and paying like everybody else. You'll be amazed how much nicer everybody is. Also, they're less likely to spit in your food
Swear or throw things at anybody. Even if they get your order wrong, or seem to be particularly dense. Just go online or call the main office/complaint line, and then there will be an official record, and you might get a gift certificate out of it, or even (gasp!) a form letter rubber-stamped with the C.E.O.'s signature!
posted by Hannah at 2:03 AM
2 Comments:
Hey, nice blog and great info!
I have a new household budgeting site, come and check it out if you get time I would really appreciate it :-)
I work at a DQ as well and everything you've stated I experience daily. I know EXACTLY what your talking about and I wish all customers had to read this before I even bother speaking to them.
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