Longbored Surfer

2006.10.27 Fast Food Workers

Twice in the past week have I visited a fast food "restaurant". The workers I fully respect. For the most part they do a job I'm not willing to do for equal wages (I'll let you know when I think of the exception to that). I come to relate a story from those two instances, both showing why I might have issues in working with individuals of an equal level of competency.

I was intentionally making two sequential, but separate orders. At the end of one order the lady asked me for my name so she could call my name when my order was ready. I gave it to her and she wrote it on their copy of the receipt. I then proceeded to place my second order and pay for it. At the end of, she asked me for my name so she could write it on the receipt. I gave her the same name I had given her no more than 20 seconds earlier. I probably wouldn't give her beef about this if I had an extremely unique name and it wasn't written within eyesight and I had ordered more than 5 minutes before.

Most recently the price of my order came to $6.02. I told the worker I would be paying $11.02. He reiterated the price as only being $6.02. Confident of my own math skills, I re-stated that I would be paying $11.02.

I'm not sure why some people who work at registers have to wait until the moment you hand them the payment before they can enter it in. I figured that in overall process improvement, you're able to shorten your average handling time by working simultaneously with the customer. Customer busy finding something? Get out their cup for their order. Taking a little longer? Grab their fries. They've told you the amount they're paying? Enter it in, as opposed to waiting for it and counting it exactly as they've told you.

After a "Whatever" and receiving my money, he entered the amount into the register. "Oh, now I see why you paid that." Although his eyes seemed a little close and his glasses fairly thick, I was glad he could see things my way.

Again, I have full respect for these people. I'm glad they're willing to work for those wages doing those types of services. With these things in mind, and given these two simple stories… maybe it's just that they don't realize they're getting ripped off. Whatever.

Tag(s): food soap_box

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