mattm Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 For the most part. I don't want to offend the 8 out there that actually have a future. I went to Taco Bell tonight. I was already ticked about that b/c i've recently quit smoking, drinking cokes, started running and watching what I eat. Tonight I had no choice though. The baby was asleep, the wife at a work function and us out of groceries pretty much. She didn't make it home until almost nine so my options were limited. Go to Taco Bell order 4 things and ask for mild sauce. When I get home I notice that they put a whole freaking 3 packets in the bag. I really like hot stuff and could of easily put 2 bags per item. Obviously they couldn't know this, but to only put 3. Sorry for the rant, but it is rare that I can go through a drive through and something not be screwed up. I've been a waiter and a bartender and just don't understand what can be so hard.
Cajun1977 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 YOU like hot stuff but asked for mild sauce? so just because you didnt get 1 more sauce packet the worker is a complete moron? whos dumber the one who gave you one packet less than you wanted, or the guy who knew better but still went anyway? and no i dont work in fastfood, i just hate it when people bash other people for the most petty crap
mattm Posted April 18, 2008 Author Posted April 18, 2008 I agree that it sounds crazy that I like hot stuff and asked for mild. However, thats how I got used to eating taco bell stuff. To call any of there stuff hot even the fire sauce is a big stretch for someone that will eat a raw jalepeno with his meal. It just seems common sense to me that at least 1 packet per item would be included. I usually ask for LOTS, but didn't in this case b/c I had extras from previous trips. Of course my wife had thrown those away b/c I never use them and always ask for lots. Is there something about me or something i've done in the past that rubs you the wrong way. This is the 2nd or third post of mine you've kind of jumped on. I wasn't trying to sell this as some national security issue just an overall complaint of the fast food industry. If there is something I wish you would send me a PM so maybe we could air it out. For what it was worth I was sad to se you ex-member yourself, and glad to see you come back.
Cajun1977 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 dont take it as i was jumping on you, and to be honest i dont recall other posts of yours that ive jumped on, whenever the waters warm i just like to jump in
Bassnbrett101 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 I work at kfc and we have a specific amount we can give a customer unless they ask for more... If they got your order right I wouldn't call them morons either. You asked for sauce and they gave it to you. If you ask for lots of sauce I'm sure they woud have given that to you too. Please don't call us morons, we try our best to keep everyone happy
Super User Dan: Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 mattm, I just don't see why it's such a big deal. Most people probably don't use as much sauce as you, like brett said, they probably have a set amount that they are supposed to give you. Couldn't you have just asked for more? Is having a little less sauce than you usually use honestly that important?
Bassnbrett101 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Thank you Dan, I'm glad to see someone appreciates all the work we go through to get people their meals. Everyone working in fast food has to wash their hands if they walk into a different area, even if its five feet away, just to make sure your food comes out clean... the last thing you should worry about is how many sauce packets they give you
Super User cart7t Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 ....... Everyone working in fast food has to wash their hands if they walk into a different area, even if its five feet away, just to make sure your food comes out clean... the last thing you should worry about is how many sauce packets they give you ding, ding, ding Heavens to Betsy. You actually have to wash your hands when you change work stations? That's gotta be stressful. That still shouldn't have anything to do with making sure my order is right and "the last thing you should do is worry about how many sauce packets they give you" : huh? How about if I get none? How about if they ask me at the drive through order station how many I want, I tell them 10 and they only give me 3? Or if I don't get any? Or if they do ask and then I get up to the window and they ask, "Do you need any sauce"? What, weren't you paying attention the first time you asked me? Or if half the order is in the bag, or if one item is missing, or if I get diet coke instead of Dr. Pepper? Is this alright? I understand the handwashing thing is stressful but I am a customer making a purchase and I'd like to get the stuff I paid for. I suppose I could dump the bag out on the front seat and do an inventory making sure I got everything I ordered. That includes unwrapping the burgers to make sure they actually are burgers and not chicken sandwiches. Honestly I'm with Matt on this one. Todays fast food workers seem far too lax when it comes to satisfying the customer but don't make excuses for poor order filling because of your job requirements. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ragging on you specifically but the attitude "hey, I have to wash my hands many times during the day, you should be happy with what I sling in your bag regardless if it's right or not" is what's wrong here. I guess if the surgeon accidently leaves an instrument inside me or only halfway stitches up the incision I should be understandable because of the long cleaning process involved in prepping for surgery. Or because traffic was heavy this morning, or because his assistant nurse had bad breathe. BTW Brett, I worked at KFC in my high school days some 30 + years ago. I'm sure the way they do things now is probably much different from my days but the one constant that hasn't changed is a rather well known bacteria called salmonella. It's quite prevalent in uncooked chicken and the primary reason you have to wash your hands so often. I'm glad KFC makes you do that. I hope you and all KFC employees take that seriously.
Super User Sam Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 Go to grocery store. Walk down isle with Taco sauce. Select bottle that holds product you enjoy. Take home. Use at home as needed. Problem solved.
moby bass Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Lets see, I haven't been to McDonalds for well over a year. Taco Bell a little more often, usually for my son, but order is frequently screwed up. Burger King, never go there. Order is usually wrong and takes forever to get. I gave up on them. Sam is right, eat at home! I make better tacos then TB, anyway! 8-)
Yakfish Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 I've been working in restaurants for 20 years so I can relate to those behind the counter but from the perspective of a customer, which I frequently am, the expectation is that it will be done correctly. If I am going to give you my money for a product or service that you are advertising it has to be right. Period. You're not going to let me get out the door having only paid half my bill so I expect that I'm not going to get half@ssed service. If I do, you don't see me again. As the GM of a national chain restaurant I have to take this approach. No excuses will keep my potential customers from taking their business to the guy next door if he'll do it better than I will. People in fast food chains work hard, no doubt about it. Underpaid, underappreciated and frequently the place where people ticked off about something else in their lives vent their frustrations. Fair? No. But if you want a job where you don't have to take crap from people because you didn't give them enough hot sauce, STAY IN SCHOOL AND GET A BETTER JOB!
Super User Tin Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 Come up here and ask for sauce or something. I know for a FACT at the KFC/Taco Bell chains up here that anything after 1 per item costs $.15. lol Pathetic. And I refuse to go through a drive through (except at Dunkin) because they ALWAYS screw it up. I just don't understand it. But don't badmouth the workers if they don't screw things up and are pleasant. Atleast they are working.
Super User roadwarrior Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 C'mon...Every fast food store has a "Help Wanted" sign on the door. Basic qualifications: 1. Fog a mirror 2. Show up That's it, that's all. Still, the turnover is more than 100% every year. If you want to improve the odds of getting what you order, get out of the car and go inside. Go through your bag before leaving. It ain't rocket science! 8-)
Super User cart7t Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 .. It ain't rocket science! 8-) Isn't that what's at issue? Instructions for filling order correctly: 1. Read order. 2. Choose correct food from food area and put into bag. 3. Put cup under correct soda dispenser per the order and push button. 4. Put top on cup. 5. Put napkin, straw, condiments in bag. 6. Greet driver at window, take money, make change and hand them their order with a smile. You're right RW, that isn't rocket science OR brain surgery. Though you'd think it was given how hard it is to find some fast food places where the employees can consistantly carry out such easy directions.
Guest muddy Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 The customres inside are the worst part of fast food. You go in trying to get something to bring back to the office, and 3 stoners , with major munchies are in front of you. They are ripped up, trying to decide what they want off a menu that has been the same for 20 years and they are having trouble figuring out with to get because all they have left is $ 2.06
Super User Matt Fly Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 For the most part. I don't want to offend the 8 out there that actually have a future. Go to Taco Bell order 4 things and ask for mild sauce. When I get home I notice that they put a whole freaking 3 packets in the bag. Sorry for the rant, but it is rare that I can go through a drive through and something not be screwed up. The last part says it all, rarely do you make it throught the dirve thru without something being screwed up! Yet you don't check, and you call them dumb.........Sorry Matt, thats just funny. LOL
moby bass Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 I check the order before exiting the drive thru, but then I have to go inside to get the order corrected, which I could have done in the first place. I never worked in fast food, but IMO, I wonder if the problem is that the worker not only has to take the order but is also greeting the previous customer, making change and delivering the order, all the while trying to take your order. That would make it difficult for anybody. Many restaurants used to have 2 operational windows, the first where the order was taken and paid for and the second for pickup. Now, much of it is done at 1 window, by one employee. Hire the second employee. It shouldn't be too difficult to justify that employees wages by creating satisfied, returning customers and saving wasted food from incorrect orders. Just my opinion.
dave Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 This has turned into a fast food employee bashing. (some deserve it, some don't) No one knows about any individuals situation and why they have to work at a certain job. (there but for the grace of God go I, or anyone) Matt ranted about something petty. (didn't get enough sauce) I think he even, after the commotion, realized this. I too do not go through any drive through windows. They are what they are. I recognize it and do what I have to do to keep my own sanity.
mattm Posted April 18, 2008 Author Posted April 18, 2008 Ok, this turned into a much bigger issue than I ever imagined. Brett, I didn't mean to offend you. you were actually the exact person i was thinking of when I added the first line. Of course I also realize that there is far greater than 8 people currently working in the fast food industry that actually have a future. It was meant to be a criticism of the fast food industry as a whole. Not that I didn't get 1 extra sauce packet. BTW, I never said in any post if I was expecting 1,2, 3 or 7 more packets, but several people have said sorry you didn't get 1 more. Thanks for confirming that people with common sense would think at least one per item . The last part says it all, rarely do you make it throught the dirve thru without something being screwed up! Yet you don't check, and you call them dumb.........Sorry Matt, thats just funny. LOL Da@n you Matt Fly >. I'm just joking. I can take a little ribbing and that was my mistake for sure. As stated earlier though I didn't check b/c I thought I had 15 or 20 at home left from previous trips. BTW, I would never save a little plastic container of taco bell sauce unless I was absolutley sure that somtime in the future I would have an order screwed up. In the end I used hot sauce I had in the house, and should of just gone to bed instead of griping. Sorry for getting everyone so excited. I know that I was partly to blame and that this wasn't that big of an issue. I was just frustrated and thought most knew me well enough to know I wasn't contemplating bombing the local Taco Bell.
Popeye Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 As has been stated, working at a fast food resturant isn't "rocket science" by any means, BUT I can attest to the FACT that it is VERY HARD work!! My wife worked for Foodmaker (aka: "Jack-in-the-Box") for almost 10 years and she had to work her butt off the whole time she was there! Even after she became assistant manager, she still had to sub for missing employees and had to be able to do EVERY single task in the whole place while still performing her management duties! I, for one, don't know how she did it some days!! She used to tell me the horror stories of drunk/drugged-up customers coming in and being abusive to her and the other employees or vomiting all over the place and stuff like that that she had to put up with. I have nothing but ADMIRATION for all those folks who work fast food! Sure they may mess up an order or two every once in awhile, BUT at least they are trying to MAKE a living/working and not on the unemployment roles!! Just my personal opinion!
Bassnbrett101 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 Mattm - it's cool dude. And i never said that an order being wrong coming out of the drivethru is ok. It's still the employee's fault that happened. Don't get me wrong everyone screws up and its usually because some hotshot thinks he (or she) can remember 4-5 different orders and ring them all in at the same time. I see this alot, where i work and when I go somewhere else to eat. I don't think its right either, i take the time on the orders I give out to make sure I ring the order in right, that the customer got what they were charged for, and I also ask if they need anything else at the window.
Super User grimlin Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 I love it when they screw up....i usually get something free when they do... ;D Honestly though,check the stuff before you leave...many of times i find myself asking for more hot sauce or sweet and sour sauce or where ever i may be at. All the Mcdonald's here give you ONE sweet and sour sauce per 10 piece chicken nuggets.Everybody knows it only last to 5 pieces if you are lucky.But that's McDonald's rules to their employee.How do i know? My girl used to work for them and she was assistant manager.Unless the customers ask for more all they are getting is one small package of sweet and sour.Perhaps taco bell may have a 3 package limit. So it's not always the employees part.
Fisher of Men Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 I'm surprised this thread has gone this long. Hmmmm.
RobbyZ5001 Posted April 18, 2008 Posted April 18, 2008 I find it hilarious that there can be such a serious debate about fast food screw ups. I also work in the fast food industry. I work in a sub joint. Things get very hectic at fast food places. When you get a lunch or dinner rush things get crazy. I know when someone asks me for sauce I just grab some and give it to them. I don't think twice about it. So if she/he asks you if you want any sauce I am 100% sure before she asked she has already forgot what you even ordered let alone how many.
Super User grimlin Posted April 18, 2008 Super User Posted April 18, 2008 I find it hilarious that there can be such a serious debate about fast food screw ups. I also work in the fast food industry. I work in a sub joint. Things get very hectic at fast food places. When you get a lunch or dinner rush things get crazy. I know when someone asks me for sauce I just grab some and give it to them. I don't think twice about it. So if she/he asks you if you want any sauce I am 100% sure before she asked she has already forgot what you even ordered let alone how many. Which reminds me people who order are usually pretty dumb sometimes too....My girl has also told me of stories of where people ordered a cheeseburger without the cheese...wouldn't that be called a "hamburger"?The people would argue with her for a few minutes over ordering a cheeseburger without cheese.I guess they thought they get more meat or something...who knows? Or the time where this lady stood in line in front of 20+ something people just to order coffee and complain how busy and slow it was.My girl near dang went off on her and told her next time go to tim horton's...they got better coffee and shorter lines. My boy once witnessed a 300 pound dude order 3 bean burritos and take enough hot sauce for 30 tacos and bean burritos.He kept thinking to himself "i sure hope he doesn't use the restroom here". Sorry guys i'm playing devil's advocate here....But i have been in enough fast food and just about every single one of my friends including my girl has worked in those places...it may not be rocket science but it sure ain't that easy.Plus someone working for minimum wage,there's only so much they gonna care about.
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