Introduction and Fast Food attack

Just because I need to get this off my chest, I thought I would finally start up a blog and give my few cents on just about everything that impacts my life.


Fast Food
So here is the thing; My first over all job was at a Fast Food restaurant. A small burger and fries place owned by a guy who wanted to do his own thing. I was taught everything from greeting a customer with a smile and a "Hi, how are you today?" Additionally I was taught several key points in Food Service and I still remember most of them today.

I have been eating fast food regularly for the past year or two. My wife and I have 3 kids and its a quick solution to the "what should we eat for dinner" question, but of course ends up costing us in the end. But that's another rant for another time. So I'll give an example and get to the point; I was approaching the drive up at Jack in the Box. There was nothing coming out of the speaker, but as polite as I could be I waited. Eventually a female voice came crackling out of the menu sign and asked "What can I get you?" So it wasn't "Hi, how are you today?" which was fine so I proceeded. I had three orders and begain with the first. A simple order of Chicken Strips, curly fries and a soda, large size. The woman gives me the total and tells me the window where I can pay. *pauses to blink a few times* So now I have to tell her to hold on because I have two more orders. She responds back, "Okay *pause for 2 seconds for what I assume is her opening back up the order on the computer* go ahead." This slightly annoys me, but again I try to be a nice guy and continue with my order. A children's chicken strips meal and then my Jumbo Jack Meal with no onions. I was given a new total. I thank her and proceed to drive up to the next window.

Now, I drive an 85' Chevy Cavalier which is fairly low to the ground, and not by my choice. When I get to the window I have to hand up the money, a single $20.00 bill. When I get my change back, I get a few singles and some silver. The money is just lumped into my hand and the girl starts walking away to get my order without making sure I have a handle on it. I drop probably just a penny, but then start putting the change into my wallet. Before I can sort out the silver, the girl is handing out the soda to me. So now I just put my wallet and the change on the passenger seat and start receiving the soda when I realize that it is three sodas and I have no where to put them. I ask her for a drink carrier, she groans slightly and then puts one together to give to me that only holds two sodas. Again, I bite my lip, accept and move on.

Now this is the big part that brings me to this entire rant; I'm being handed out the food in bags at an angle that keeps my arm at an awkward position. I try to pull the first bag in with my other handon the bottom just to be safe and she starts shoving the 2nd bag out at me. Well I take my time in putting it in the passenger seat because I have the soda and my wallet with loose change now sitting over there. I go to get the 2nd bag which is the kids meal and she just lets go as I grab it and closes the window. No pause to make sure I got what I ordered correctly or to make sure I am situated. No "Thank you, have a nice day" said to me as I smile and drive away. There was no one behind me and I know for a fact they had someone at the front counter server only 1 person in the lobby. And to top it all off, the thing that bugs me the most, is that the opening to the bags of food were just left open when they were handed to me.

I was taught to seal the bags with a nice firm fold over and that helps to not only keep the heat in and keep food fresh, but also serves as a safe way to grab the bags of food. When a server just holds the side of a paper sack bag and hands it out, it has the chance of ripping on them and then spilling the food on the customer. Believe me, I've witnessed this several times. Now I know that this probably isn't a big deal to others and that I may be coming off as someone who has nothing better to do than complain. Bit the thing is, that if this was just the first and only time it happened I wouldn't even worry about it. I really am a patient man. I try to be kind and polite as best as I can because I know what it is like to work Fast Food or any other customer service industry. I understand that this person could have been just having a bad day. But the thing is, this wasn't the first time. This isn't the only resturant that this happens at. I get this at every fast food restaurant I get. And if I were to put a number to it, I would say 9 out of 10 places I get poor customer service.

So what do I do? Do I write all this up and mail it in to the company's? Would they even care? Do I take it to the local level and address this with their General Managers? Do I suck it up and take it like a man?

Oh, and my burger with no onions... had onions on it.

-Greg Scott Bailey-