Common Sense, Simple Common Sense

After working in the food industry for two years, I have compiled a list of things about which I feel people should be aware when visiting a "fast food" restaurant. Take it as you will.

1.) Ordering at the Front Counter: Know what you want. If you don't know what you want and there are people behind you waiting to order - step to the side and let them order first. Don't stand there for ten minutes holding up the line. It is awkward and irritating.

2.) Help us help you get your order right: If you have not been to a restaurant before or are ordering something new and we ask you a question about how you want made PLEASE ask us what we mean. Unless we are new - we will know and be more than fine with answering you. DO NOT PRETEND LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS AND THEN COMPLAIN TO US/THE MANAGER HOW WE GOT YOUR ORDER "WRONG". Know what you are ordering.

3.) Cell Phones: Don't use your cell phone when ordering. Put it away for ten seconds. Seriously. You can do it.
Also - on drive through - we can't see you. When you start listing off everything on the menu to someone on your phone - we have no idea if you are ordering or if you are trying to figure out all the orders for your family of 6. Figure that out before you come or come inside. You hold up everyone else in the line. It makes for a lot of irritated people. We have take out menus. Our menu is also listed online. Use these tools to make everyone's lives better.

4.) People who smoke: I don't care if you smoke. Just don't do it when you are at my drive through window. And definitely don't blow smoke in my face when you ask me a question.

5.) Manners: Smile. Be patient, polite and courteous. Say "please" and "thank you." Just because we work at a place that serves burgers and fries does not mean that we are any less of a person than you are. Also - when people are rude to me, I am much less likely to go the extra mile for them. I don't put extra ketchup in their bag, I don't look for ways to save them money on the order, and I ask them to up-grade everything or add on something just to be annoying. Oh. And if you are rude and have two sodas, one diet, one not, I won't mark which one is which.

6.) Multiple Orders on the Drive Through: Don't. Do. It. Come inside. Seriously. Think about it. If you have three orders in your car and there are three cars waiting behind you - that is like having six cars in drive through. I don't want to have to cash out 3-6 orders for one car. It kills my drive through time. Order it all on one ticket or come inside. Which brings me to my next tip....

7.) If you are ordering over $30.00 worth of food - come inside: Seriously. The drive through is for people who just want one thing and it can be done quickly. Don't order six combo meals all with large fries. Your order alone is going to take five minutes to get it out the window. We are supposed to aim for 45 seconds from the time you get to the window to when you pull away with your food. Ordering $50.00 does not help us in the task.

8.) Order at the Speaker - Not the Drive Through Window: Don't pull around to the window and order just because you don't like talking to a speaker. If you don't like talking to a speaker - come inside. That is what it is for. When you pull around to the window when there are other cars in the drive through it makes it so that you order is out of order on our screens and the people who ordered in the appropriate place's food is going to be sitting there for a solid two minutes while you order and we make your order. Sure we are going to prioritize making you order now because we need to get you out of our drive through, but we aren't going to like it. Oh. And if you are rude about it to me - chances are there won't be any napkins in your bag.

9.) Once You Get Your Food at Drive Through - Pull Forward: It is pretty self explanatory. If there are people behind you and we have finished our transaction, don't sit and balance your check book or reapply your lipstick or finish that email on your blackberry. Pull forward ten feet so that the next car can be serviced. You don't have to go out and drive yet, but please at least let the next person in line pull up instead of sitting for two minutes right in front of our window.

10.) Trash: We are more than willing to pick up your garbage after you have eaten if you leave it on the table, but if you drop a french fry, why not pick it up instead of mashing it into the ground? Or if you spill mustard or ketchup all over the table - use a napkin and wipe it up. Seriously. It takes five seconds and saves a whole lot of gross.

11.) Don't Lose Your Temper: We are human. There are times were we don't get your burger quite right. And if it isn't because of the fact that you ordered it incorrectly: we are very sorry. We will fix it for you and we will feel bad about it. There is no need to yell at us. It won't help anything. We didn't intentionally make yours wrong to spite you. This time around, however, if it is wrong a second time - it is our way of saying: "don't come back. We don't need business like yours.".

12.) Coupon Usage: I am all about saving money. However, just because you don't want to pay full price on anything and the "only one coupon per transaction" rule - please don't have me ring through each individual item you are purchasing so you can save three cents. Please don't do that. At drive through or front counter. I will GIVE you three pennies if it means that much to you.

13.) Don't Be An Idiot: Yep. That's all.