Friday, June 08, 2007

I Guess I am Old Fashoned

I hate the current fast food practice of taking your order and then calling next in line.  In high school I worked for McDonald's and we never did this unless there was a long wait, and then (we didn't have the fancy computer screens) we had to remember what that order was in order to fill it when the food came available.  I would prefer that the person take my order then make my drink and then get my food.  It would be an art form back in the day (1995) for us to tell the customer their total and have their food back at their tray before they had their money out their wallet. 

I just feel that I am being passed off on someone else.  I don't like that feeling.  There are lots of things that can go wrong when you are passed off.  The person running the food hasn't talked to you and has no personel investment in your order turning out well.  Jimmy took my order but I don't know the name of the kid who actually gave me my food. 

I also hate the helplessness of the people actually running food.  They stand there at the little bins wondering, "where is the food, where are the fries, has this order gone out?"  They are never inclined to help out making anything because they have never looked you in the eyes.  If your food isn't there they go on to someones order they can fill.  You get passed over.  Say you are waiting and someone in drive through orders the same cheeseburger no onions.  Because mr. counter runner has moved on and the cashier is taking his fourth order after yours, the drive through guy grabs what should have been your sandwich and you have to wait to have another one made. 

I guess I just want the security of knowing that the person that takes my order is going to be taking care of me.  There is no chain of people to pass the blame off on.  I like to think that the person is going to look out for me, and if my food is taking too long, go and do something about it.  I like to know that they have satisfied me before moving on to the next customer in line. 

Sure this new way can sometimes (not usually, things get so confusing) be faster, but when the price is the customer,s confidence, maybe it would pay to slow things down a little. 

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6 comments:

Kirk said...

The practice of taking my order at a drive-thru and then asking me to pull out of line and wait for my order to be brought out while those in line behind me are served and allowed to drive away is precisely what has stopped me from eating at fast-food joints. That, and the fact that it seems impossible for them to get a very simple order right!Fast food sucks.

[atropos] said...

Slowing down would be nice but everyone else wants their food NOW. The only good servicing is that at nice restaurants. Fast food does suck!

grrrace said...

fast food sucks.but this talk of mcd's makes me want fries. damn you.

Budd said...

I think what makes it harder is knowing for a fact that I could do their jobs better than them.
Kirk- It was hold the onions extra pickles right? J/K.
Lea- I think the old way was actually faster.
Grace- I got a ceaser salad instead of fries today.

little wonders said...

I used to like the fact that fast food didn't involve meet patties being stuck in a heating draw for 7 years before being served, and did not involve microwaves at all. I worked at McD's back in 86-88 and we made the food and kept it 5mins then if it wasn't ordered it was thrown out, and we still managed to serve people quicker than they do today

grrrace said...

the caesar dressing is prolly just as bad as getting fries. hehe... mmm. caesar salad...