The Types of Customers All Fast-Food Workers Know and Hate.
There once was a time where I was the fast food drive-thru customer who urged the worker at the window to get an attitude adjustment. I would think to myself (not say aloud, because I'm not that bold) things like:
"Nobody is forcing you to work here, beloved."
"He/she needs some dayum service with a SMILE." and
"Wow, this heifer is really charging me for an extra sauce packet?!"
And then the tables turned on me. Boy, did the tables turn. Because, my senior year of high school, I found myself draped head to toe in a McDonald's uniform. From a visor all the way down to a pair of standard non-slip shoes.
I was actually happy to be there initially. I was 17 years old and excited to finally be making my own coins. In my experience, working fast food does not magically turn you into an angry individual. Being trapped inside of McDonald's four walls asking "Hi, would you like to try a combo?" all day is humbling, to say the least; but simply existing in that space wasn't naturally frustrating for someone like me. It was that person on the other side of the window or counter who could potentially make or break my good mood.
That's right: the customer.
Now this is not to say a bad attitude in the workplace is ever warranted, because it isn't. What I'm simply saying is that I found myself getting internally pissed at customers for generally doing all the things that I would do prior to working fast food. There are so many different types of customers out there who, when repeatedly dealing with them, can quickly turn you into "the rude worker". So let's explore:
The Types of Customers All Fast-Food Workers Know and Hate.
1. The Customer Who Refuses to Put Money in Your Hand.
Now this sounds like a very miniscule thing to get your feathers ruffled about. But, each time a customer ignored my outstretched hand while I was working at a register, and instead opted to slide their money across the counter to me, my smile would diminish
via giphy
. There's something almost belittling about customers choosing the option that doesn't involve contact with you.
Similar to that type of customer, are drive thru customers who barely put their wrist out of their vehicle to hand a worker money. Why customers would watch me struggle as I hopped halfway out of the drive thru window and nearly into their vehicle just to collect their funds, rather than meeting my outstretched hand halfway is still beyond me.
But it's cool, God saw that. And he sees all of you who still do that to fast food workers.
via giphy
2. The Customer Who Will Not Pull Up.
When you originally put your order in at a drive-thru, the worker likely goes, "Is that all for you today?", and you likely say "Yes!"
So when you pull up to the second window like "Can I also get a ..." you officially double as an annoying customer and a liar (I'm dramatic). But honestly, that's not the annoying piece. We all can and have experienced indecisiveness while ordering food. The annoying part comes into play when customers add something new to their order at the window, and when asked to pull up to the curb to wait for that added item, they refuse.
via hunterxhunter
Personal note: My manager was the type to only leave his office in the event of a crisis. So, when he would look onto the drive thru monitor to see that the line of cars was at a stand still, he would immediately pop out of his office demanding answers. The rebel drive thru customer would be sitting in their car watching ME get blazed because of THEM like
via giphy
How happy of a camper do you think I was after that? Of course, when customers decided to go against my request, and instead, park in front of the window, it's easy to turn into that employee that is so rude and that "no one forced to work here". Each time I found myself in this situation it killed me not to say anything to the customer along the lines of:
"Ma'am. We still have to make what you just added to your order. Because you literally just added it. Therefore, it's not ready. I'm sorry that you didn't remember Little Daquante wanted a Happy Meal until you got to the second window. But, you mean to tell me, you would like to hold up a whole entire rush hour line of cars, and get me cussed out by my manager, because of a mistake on your part?! You thought it was, sis. Pull your simple ass up to the curb and wait for somebody to bring the got dayum Happy Meal out."
3. The Customer Who Complains When They're the Problem
If you're going to complain about how slow the drive-thru is moving (which honestly is annoying in itself, and usually never the person at the window's fault), the least you can do is have your money ready by the time you arrive to the window at last. You know, since according to your complaints you clearly had ample time to do so. It's a paradox for you to pull up and fuss about how long you've been waiting, yet still have to reach all into your purse and count all your lil money out, forcing the customers behind you to, you guessed it, wait summo'.
So now you're part of the problem boo. "Have a great day."
4. The Customer Who Forgets Workers Are People Too
Overall, just because someone "gets paid" to do something does not mean that it's your duty to make their job as hard as possible. My time as a fast food employee showed me just how aggressive people can really be when you're in a uniform and can't react. By standing in the position of someone serving burgers for $7.25/hr., for some reason there were those who believed I didn't deserve a certain level of common courtesy such as a "you too" or "thank you" in response to me telling them to "have a great day".
giphy
Workers are there to serve your needs as the customer, but it won't hurt you to throw a little respect on their name.
So the next time you feel like a fast food worker is being rude, do a little inward looking. And I say this from my personal perspective of a customer and a former employee. Your attitude as a customer can be the difference between:
"Extra sauce is .25 cent extra, sir."
via giphy
and, "Sure sir, here's a few extra sauce packets! :)"
via giphy