milkshakes.

Notice: You are about to experience the first of many of Gatlyn's infamous rants about random, not really important issues in life.

Rant #1: Just a weird introductory incident

The other day at work while I was in the drive through, a man ordered a cup of ice cream and told me he didn't need a lid.

I'm not sure why he told me that.  Of course he didn't need a lid: it's impossible to stick a spoon through the hole at the top and eat the ice cream that way. But in the drive through we always put a lid on ice cream cups, mostly as a precaution, in case they drop it in their car and also to keep the ice cream from melting.  So I know putting the lid on is not really important. But it's habit for me to put the lid on. Telling me he doesn't need a lid means almost nothing to me.  If he was trying to save me the trouble of putting on the lid, it's not trouble at all.  Like I said, it's habit. What if he did want the lid he just wanted to save me the trouble? Telling me he doesn't need a lid does not communicate whether or not he wants a lid.  It would have made a lot more sense for him to say, "I don't want a lid." Not to mention  less confusing. 

Rant #2: The Meal or Not the Meal?

It always baffles me when a customer orders a meal and not actually wanting one. If a person orders a meal (i.e., they say, I want a #1, a spicy sandwich meal, a #8 combo, etc.), they have just ordered an sandwich/burger, a side, and a drink.  A meal comes with a drink.  So please, dear customers of fast food, do not order a meal if you do not plan on getting a drink.  A meal without a drink is not a meal.

Another thing customers say is, "I want a #1," but when I ask what they want to drink, they say, "I don't want the meal." It seems like common sense to me that saying the meal number indicates that the customer is ordering a meal, whereas saying the name of the entree (i.e., Whopper Jr., Chic-Fil-A Deluxe) indicates the customer does not want the meal.

The funniest thing is when a customer orders the exact same thing 5 different ways at the same time.  I've heard people order a, "#4 such-and-such sandwich meal, the combo" (I think they made themselves clear by saying #4).

Rant #3: Milkshakes 

The hardest thing about working  drive through is making milkshakes and special drinks.  They take a long time to make! So it's always awful when a customer orders 80 thousand drinks or shakes. And (though this is not exactly the customers' fault) it always seems that when one car orders 3 milkshakes, the next two cars also order one or two milkshakes.  Then three cars down from that is a 4 milkshake order.  Isn't that Murphy's Law? Anyways, just as bad as ordering a million milkshakes is adding one once you get to the window (in fact, adding or changing anything at the window after you've ordered). Once again, they take a long time to make.  Food items can also take a long time, especially if they are not ordered in advance but added at the window.

Rant #4: Getting out the Money

Sitting through a drive through usually takes a long time. So I'm always surprised when a customer gets to the window and doesn't have their money ready.  They have just sat still for 2-8 minutes, yet somehow they didn't have 30 seconds to reach into their wallet and get the money ready to pay? It's actually rather funny.

Rant #5:  Extra Ketchup?

When I'm working the window at drive through, I have to ask if customers want condiments like ketchup or any special sauces.  Sometimes the customer will tell me what they want before I ask them.  "I'll take two mayonnaise" or "some honey mustard".  But the best one is.... "I want extra ketchup." The reason I ask customers what condiments they want is because I don't put any in the bag to begin with.  Zero. 0. More ketchup (extra ketchup) than zero ketchup is just one package of ketchup....

It is also funny when I ask if they want condiments and they say no, but after I give them their bag they say, "Oh yeah! Can I get extra ketchup?" 

They didn't want ketchup 30 seconds earlier.... So they get just one.  Because that's more than they originally had.

Rant #6: Please Leave

On drive through, my goal is to get through each transaction as fast as possible. I always hate sitting in line for a long time and I don't want anyone to suffer through that.  Customers who sit at the window for a long time after they've received their food make my goal extremely difficult to accomplish.

Rant #7: I'm not a Turtle

I always thought I was being polite by ordering slowly and clearly when I went through the drive through... Until I started working at fast food.  Employees are so familiar with the menu that they can type up an order at practically any speed. I honestly feel insulted by customers who order slowly and don't give me all the information at once. It doesn't take anyone ten seconds to press a button, it takes just a fraction of a second.  I'm not a turtle, I'm a hare.  Give me your fastest order and I'll take it!

Conclusion: I hope those who read this will be smarter fast food customers, especially when going through the drive through.  Fast food employees world wide will be eternally grateful for you.