You know.. this has been an issue for years, but I prefer to stay quiet about it, because... well at the end of the day, it doesn't really make a bit of difference what I think about customer service these days, so why say anything at all.
Except if there is one thing we can do on Steem, it's vent. So here I am, venting about my terrible service from local Fast Food here in Nashville.
Of course it happens all the time, at all sorts of restaurants (using the term loosely), but this particular experience happened at good ole Mickey D's this weekend. My wife and I had both done a ton of yard work, and neither of us felt like cooking. I was out cleaning out the SUV which was coated in wheat straw from the 5 bales of hay I had shoved in with bags of top soil and various other landscaping crap. But that's a different story. So once the hay was vacuumed out, it was time to get some dinner.
My son decided of all the various fast foot around the house, McDonald's was his choice because he wanted a McFlurry for desert. So to the drive thru we go.
The first thing that has changed about Customer Service is the greeting. When I was 16 and working at McDonald's taking orders in the Drive Through, the mandatory welcome went something along the lines of "Welcome to McDonald's My Name is Mike, I'll be happy to take your order whenever you're ready."
Of course that particular welcome is long gone, usually replaced by some recorded blurb about whatever it is that is on sale today that they want you to buy. But now, that is even gone, replaced by "you're bothering me" infused:
"Go ahead with your order"
So I place my order. I've worked in customer serve for decades, and like I said, I have been a drive through order taker at McDonald's, so I know that a lot of things influence the order taker's ability to hear. Sometimes people are too quiet, they have their radio on, they have a loud vehicles, all sorts of things. So I make a point of eliminating those issues, and being plenty loud slow and clear whenever ordering fast food.
Despite this I had to repeat every item on my order twice, and sometimes three times before this girl understood me. When it came to desert I asked "Do you still have the Rolo McFlurry?" Because it isn't on the menu.
"Yes" She responded.
"Okay, then I need two regular Rolo McFlurry, and a small Oreo McFlurry."
"What kind of sauce?"
Do what... what kind of... "for your nuggets." she finishes after a pause. Well I already told her no sauce twice, so whatever. "No sauce."
"Pull Around." No total, no order on the screen for me to verify, just "Pull Around."
So I pull up to the first window. No one is there. I wasn't told to pull to the second window, so I sit there for a minute, until I see the car in front of me handing over a credit card at the second window, so I guess there's that. I pull up.
The order is okay until the girl comes over with the McFlurry deserts. 3 Oreo McFlurry. I'm sorry, I ordered two Rolo and one Oreo.
The girl at the window turns to the girl prepping the food and says I ordered two rolo. The girl looks at me with a "Oh No You Didn't" face and say "I took your order, that's what you said."
I was brought up in a "The Customer is always right" customer service mentality. I don't really believe that to always be the case, but come on now. Why would I ask if you still have Rolo and then not order any.
"That's not what I said." I respond a little out of sorts. "Well I need two Rolo McFlurry." Hell if I have to pay for it, whatever.
The look of disgust deepens as she walks away, to come back a minute later with two cups of ice cream with chocolate chunks on top, that have obviously not been blended at all, and nearly throws them at me. I wouldn't be shocked if she spat in them.
All this is what we expect out of Fast Food Customer Service these days. The courtesy has gone completely out the window. We're lucky if we get the right food in the bag, and don't have to go in and get something fixed, or something we paid for that wasn't given to us, or something. Or worse, we drive off only to find that they didn't give us something once we are miles away and there is no way we are turning around.
So all this to come back to the idea that Fast Food workers deserve a $15 an hour wage. No... No you don't.
When you give $15 worth of service, then and only then do you deserve $15 an hour. I'm not opposed to good work for good pay, but half assed work for good pay doesn't float with me. At the end of the day, food service is an Entry Level position. Maybe eventually someone who is making a career out of food service should get $15 an hour. But to walk in off the street, fill out an application, and do a job poorly does not qualify you as Skilled labor worth the extra hourly income. I'm sorry.
For me... In the end, I am just as happy with the concept of ordering from one of these:
At least then I will know my order was sent to the kitchen correctly! Whether it ends up correct or not is still 50/50, but I cut out one source of potential issue.
Annnyyyway.... That's my Sunday Funday Vent. What do you think? Does Food Service deserve $15 an hour? Are there other things that irk you about customer service? Or do people in your area give awesome service and deserve awesome wages? Sound off in the comments!
I wish more people would get this. If you want more money, you have to do shit. If the job sucks, complain for better working conditions and maybe less hours or something.
Edit: I think a $15 wage is justified when you have to deal with shitty customers and management all the time. So always be respectful, then you can complain about them not being it :)
img credz: pixabay.com
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I think this is why Chick-fil-A is so popular in the US where they have a presence. They pay their employees more than the average fast food restaurant, but they also expect more of them. They always prioritize their relationships with customers, even having "hospitality specialists" in their dining room and taking orders in person in the drive thru. I hardly ever go to McDonald's because you're right, they don't prioritize customer service like other restaurants do. Hopefully you'll not have any more experiences like these, especially when you're having fun with your son.
Thanks for sharing.
I was going to mention Chick-fil-a, as you are right, they have a consistency in service. But they also are a lightning rod with the owner's political views. So I didn't talk about them. But you are right. It is always a welcome greeting and a "it will be my pleasure to serve you". They do a very good job with their staff.
I personally think the media blew that controversy way out of proportion. If we actually made spending decisions based on whether we agree with the views of a company's CEO, we wouldn't buy anything, haha.
I've never had a poor customer service experience at Chick-fil-A. I think they have a great reputation and their food is delicious. I can't say the same about other fast food restaurants, although they have made attempts in past years to improve this.
Chick-fil-A's restaurants also average much higher sales per restaurant than McDonald's, so they're clearly doing something right.
Anyhow, I hope you don't have any more negative experiences any time soon. They're never fun. Thanks for the response.
There's a lot of places to go get food, and it doesn't take much to turn you off from going somewhere. McD's is on my shortlist of 'never again', along with Applebees and a couple others, due to a string of bad experiences. I don't need that. I'm willing to take my money elsewhere.
If 15/hr gets better service without raising the price of food, I might reconsider McD's, but I have to think something will get cut if employee costs go up.
Of course it will! You don't raise expenses without it being passed to the consumer. You either reduce expenses elsewhere, like inplimenting. Kiosk ordering system reducing 1/3 of your staff, reduce the quality of the product, which is already borderline to begin with, or raise prices. Or all of the above!
Unfortunately, convenience keeps me from being able to start my own never again list. And I suppose that is part of what they are banking on.
Uggggh I really hate that argument against $15/hour. It's so subjective (this one time I had terrible customer service so they don't deserve it). In addition, how do we set value on work? Why do you deserve, at the time of this comment, $1.29 for sitting in front of your computer? Based on physical labor, you didn't do much. Am I paying you based on the time you spent? On the quality? On the thoughts and whether I agree with them?
If the purpose of working is to be able to afford to live in our current society, then $15/hour isn't enough. No one can afford a roof over their heads and food to feed their family on that. Especially in some cities, where cost of living is utterly outrageous. They certainly can't on what minimum wage currently is.
Our grandparents could afford to feed their families with the jobs they got on a high school diploma, buy a car, buy a house. The $15/hour argument is a distraction by the government to keep you from looking into how much of your money the 1% is keeping, and how bad inflation has gotten. They are reaping MASS profits- completely eradicating the middle class. They want us to keep fighting over how much the little guy is getting paid so that they can keep collecting their cash.
If it was one bad experience one time I might be more apt to agree with you. But this is the new normal. Good service is the exception, not the rule. It should be the reverse.
I had started a much longer comment than this going into loads of detail, but really, I don't care how much fast food service people make, I care about being responsible for the work you are being paid to do. When you take a job, the amount you will be paid, and the service you are meant to offer are laid out as part of the process. If people don't agree with it, they don't have to take that job. Provide good service consistently, and better opportunities will open up to you. Provide crappy service consistently and you'll be left with nowhere to go.
The number of times orders come out wrong is terrible, really.They either give you the completely wrong item, or something's missing I ordered a McChicken Burger Meal a few weeks ago. Get home, no patty on the bun!! I didn't even bother to go back. I recon I have things missing or incorrect at least a quarters of the time. It's everywhere!!
Nice rant by the way!! :)
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