Open Letter To The Burger King Girl
Posted by admin on July 21, 2007 · 71 Comments
Dear Laminta,
When you take someone's order at the drive through while you're laughing and text messaging, chances are you can make some errors. When you read back the order and are corrected on every single item there's no need to get nasty about it.Â
I ordered my burger with no pickles. I didn't order extra saliva. As a matter of fact, you can hold the saliva alltogether. And if my milkshake is going to be half a cup of warm milk with cookies crumbled in it, I guess you can keep that too.
When you are handing the bag out the window, you really should make sure you have a good grip on it. Don't just hold the edge and hope the bag doesn't rip to shreds. I wonder how much food gets dumped out right there at the window because you don't know how to handle a bag full of food. It's odd really, because it is your job to handle bags full of food.
When the food does drop to the ground and spill out everywhere, please don't ask me to open my car door to try to pick it up. I'm not going to do it and it's just going to make you angry when I roll my eyes. Also don't turn around and tell everyone you work with that I dropped the food. You know that *I* didn't drop a mf-ing thing. Anyone can make a mistake, but blaming it on me is only going to make me angry.
Thanks for the new bag of food though. I really appreciate you acting as though it was charity. It's great that at BK I can have it my way, all wrapped up and in a bag and stuff.
There's no need for attitude when I ask if straws are in the bag. It's a relevant question since I did order 4 drinks. If you tell me they are in the bag, could you please make sure that they are before I take the bag and check? It just irritates me when you lie. And it irritates you even more when I sit there and refuse to move until you give me straws.
Also, when you ask me if the kid's meal is for a boy or a girl, and I say boy, please don't make the mistake of putting a doll in the bag for him. Walter doesn't really like dolls, he would prefer a car or one of the Transformers or a Simpson's toy if you have it. I really wish you wouldn't screw this up every time. It makes us really unhappy when we get home and realize polly pocket hitched a ride with us.
I think if you can take my suggestions we can have a much better time on my next visit. Assuming there is a next time.
Sincerely,
Gerri
Awesome. You nailed this one. There’s a McDonalds by our house that is just as bad.
Get this. I ask for three creams and sugars for my coffee. The drive through person rolls her eyes and gives them to me.
I ask for a stir spoon. Because I don’t want to use my finger.
Rolls her eyes again.
It’s not like she’s getting paid to give you food and stuff. It’d be better if she could just sit there all day.
Jeeze. Maybe it’s better that we don’t eat that crappy food anyway. We’ll live longer.:roll:
LOL.. agreed. We should stay away from fast food drive thrus and fast food in general. They so obviously don’t want our business anyway! I try but sometimes the call of a cheeseburger is more than I can stand.
I’ve noticed more and more young people who seem unable to tear themselves away from their cell phones, whether talking or texting…
I was making some purchases in a pet store recently. There were two employees. Both looked like teenagers. The boy was talking on his phone, loudly describing friends who were high on drugs and doing stupid things which led to their deaths. The girl was texting non-stop. I did not feel either of them were very attentive to their pet store jobs or their pet store customers.
It’s absolutely ridiculous to expect good customer service from fast food, or to expect that people making minimum wage will really be meticulous about their job, if you want good service, you have to pay for it. And you’re not exactly improving your health or the health of your child by eating there.
Speaking as someone who works at burger-king and constantly tries to actually be helpfull I have to agree with this post, most people seem to think since they are only working there to get money, thast the customers are something that cause trouble, rather then the whole reason they get paid in the first place
Jaya.. I agree, the cell phone epidemic is out of hand. I’m a secret shopper and there are times when I truly wish I was on a shop when I see things like you describe.
Al, thanks for your concern for my child and I. We’re fine, thanks. As for what I expect? I expect people to do their jobs without attitude towards paying customers. I didn’t ask her to grate cheese for me or light a candle. I expected her to take my order, correctly, and hand me the food I paid for. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Katrina, there is another girl who works at Burger King that has waited on us before that is SO nice. Even if she makes a mistake I don’t really care because she’s such an upbeat person and I know it was an honest mistake. I just can’t stand it when an employee of any place acts like the customers are a problem. If they are that unhappy they need to find new jobs.
At one point last year, I worked at an Arby’s in a mall food court because there weren’t many other jobs around and I was in a pinch.. I ended up quitting after about a week because I couldn’t handle it.
Not to say I couldn’t understand the job- with their turnover rate they just put all the instructions on the walls and gave up training people- but the pace was extreme and 90% of the customers were in a bad mood. I couldn’t handle that, and I give kudos to anyone who can do it with a smile on their face.
I never looked at my cell phone in the place, never really talked to the other employees other than to tell them the chicken would be up soon or something, tried my best to give the customers a reason not to scowl- but they did anyways.
So I quit and now I sell chocolate to happy people who deserve great customer service. But whenever I go to the food court, I remember what it was like to work there.. and smile at the employees I deal with.
True Story. I ordered two plain cheeseburgers at mcdonalds drive thru and said I didn’t want anything on the cheeseburgers but meat and cheese. When I got home the bag contained two paper containers and in them were two patties and cheese but no buns.
They so obviously watched Clerks a few too many times!
You are so right. The assholes that work there think they are more impportant than the customers that help pay their saleries.Just remember that if that dummy wasn’t working at Burger King she would be probably be doin’ tricks in the parking lot for cash
Hey guys, good service costs money. I really feel sad for people who work for fast food. They are exploited and get miserable wages. If you want to feel an important costumer, go to a fine restaurant (of course, you can’t) you might be one of those people that mistreat clerks in restaurants and ask for order changing. Wake up king! Fast food is as crappier as you are!
You’re old enough to drive a car and still go to Burger King? Shame on you!
You got it!!
I should print it and hand it over to the chick at Tim Horton!
LOL
Humans arent robots, they get paid minimally to give the most minimal output they can so u can eat your cheap meal. Also, being told off by customers is the only genuine social interaction these people get most days, you’re only doing them a favour. Take it from someone who’s worked there.
People are people. You can’t change them no matter what uniform you put on them or what counter you stick them behind. A good person will be kind and attentive no matter what job they do or how much they make. As for the others, They’re gonna be pissy no matter what they do or how much they make.
I used to work at subway, and i loved my job, and i was VERY good at it so good in fact I had “regular customers”, and they were very nice to me, mean to other people i worked with, but nice to me. And I for one take offense to the people that go in to fast food places, and think they are the shit because they arent working there, well too bad, I’m sure if you drove up to the window and smiled and was polite to them they wouldnt treat you like the asshole you are!! It really pisses me off. But on the other hand if you are a bitch or an asshole I think maybe you should not be working in an environment were you have to handle customers!!>:XX
Look jheid, I’m not rude or mean to anyone. However, I will say the attitude that someone gives me directly reflects my attitude towards them. I’m very nice until someone gives me a reason not to be. I know food service is a tough job and workers are very much underpaid but that does not change the fact that they took the job. If you can’t handle a job you shouldn’t be doing it.
So as for them treating me like the bitch that I am? Step back honey, I don’t treat anyone poorly and you, my dear sandwich artist, are WAY out of line.
I am lucky I have snarky smart ass kids working at my local McDonald’s… It is fun to take jabs at them and them fire back…
I really could care less if they get paid crumby wages and have to work 24 hours shifts. It was their choice, and as such, they need to capitalize in that decision. I HATE when I ask for something -me the customer who is helping make a job at wherever -and they roll their eyes or scowl. Deal with it and stop whining.
If you are paying for food the least a business can do is provide courteous service. Then again it is Burger King so you can’t expect much.
I agree entirely with the letter. Granted, in fast food you dont get paid a lot, but take that out on your employers, not the guy driving up who just wants a cheeseburger and no hassle. Or at very least the pissy customers that are asking for it. lol
I work at a beer&wine drive thru, and I put a lot of effort into being polite and curtious, but even so I can understand how the 90% of customers that are pissy and regard you with an attitude can irritate you twards the other 10. It’s amazing how someone can get a meal for less then $4 without getting off their rear to do it, and can still have an attitude about it. Next time you’re at a drive thru, be polite. Odds are the person you’re talking to has already dealt with a lot of other people’s BS ^^
heh, how about just not going to bk or mcdicks at all. i’m sure your body will thank you.
If you want proper service go to a proper restaurant and stop eating burger king you fat bastards.
How about complaining to the manager and getting their stupid asses fired?
I have worked retail but not fast food. I was always friendly to everyone except those who came into the store looking for a fight. you get the customer Service you deserve. If you go into a store and act like a total jerk then you will be treated as one. Now that I have a job that is not retail and behind a counter I defend people who have that position I once had. Now if someone treats me like that then I just walk out. Spend my money where it is appreciated.
People who work these positions get paid next to nothing and to say that it’s the job they have “chosen” is ignorant. Many times it is the only position available to someone with no experience in the field they want to be in.
Then again why would you be eating at McDonalds or Burger King to begin with? Has anyone ever heard of cooking?
I eat at fast food places all the time and I’m not fat. Why? Is it metabiboblism? :crazy:
You will find fast food customers to be some of the most ignorant customers of all. For those of you who have never needed to work because everything is handed to you, you will not understand this concept of “you get what you pay for” $8/hr = make the food, clean a little bit, give food out nothing more nothing less
Don’t they pay those retards at the window 10-12 an hour anyway? That’s more than those guys digging holes for landscaping companies make… and I bet those hole digging laborers could do a better freakin’ job putting burgers together too.
Good hitting there. I work at one of these places and agree that some of the employees…or in my case co-workers need some improvement in not only their social skills but their work ethics…not only that but it’s a two way street: What I mean is that not only do the employees need to watch what they say and do at work…but the customers also need to watch the way they act…especially in public. Some of the assumptions made in this letter are full crap. Ignorance is a huge thing here and when the employees and customers go against it…they lose.
When you look at it…some people just are plain assholes. Nothin’ you can do about it but put your self higher than them…not using your ego however. Politeness, sales pitch and talent is what i use to combat assholes…that and a 12 gauge up their ass if needed, but that’s if all else fails. If you’re doing your job…also do it right, if trained right. But that’s a different topic.
Gerri you’re so *** **** anal it’s pathetic…You are also guilty of the same charges you put to this employee. When you look at it…both of you might need to be whiped from the gene pool.
Mike, I’ve worked for everything I’ve ever had in my life so don’t give me that line of crap about not understanding the concept. Agreed, it’s a tough job. If it were a situation as you describe “nothing more and nothing less” then I doubt there would be complaints. It’s the “nothing less” that you are wrong about. In my experience that I described in this open letter I received A LOT LESS courtesty and compentency than the minimum that is required to run a drive through window.
As I’ve said several times here, I am always polite to the staff when I visit a fast food restaurant or anywhere else for that matter. I don’t arrive on the scene with an attitude. Even when I realize someone behind the counter is having a bad day, I still try to be courteous. Anyone can have a bad day, we are all human.
What I COMPLETELY object to is when someone who is there to do a job is first of all flat out rude to me, right off the bat. As if I’m an inconvenience instead of a customer.
There have also been plenty of times when my food wasn’t quite right. I don’t complain, as long as it’s edible I figure anyone can make a mistake and it’s not a big deal.
So for anyone thinking I rolled up as a bitch with attitude ready to look down on and start some crap with Laminta – you are wrong. I just went there to pick up some food for my son and myself so that I could take a break from cooking. We ordered milkshakes, which are usually a rare treat for us, but in this instance I would describe them as anything but “a treat”.
Laminta was offensive from the get-go and that’s my grievance with her. Had she even attempted to be civil it would have been fine with me. I’m not a chronic complainer and I can’t stand people who are. I just wanted her to try to do her job – just an effort would have been fine.
A little more effort and a lot less attitude would have been great.
Maybe EVERYBODY should just try to be a little nicer to EVERYBODY no matter what the situation… how hard is that?
Maybe u guys shouldn’t feed your kids this awful GD food i mean seriously have u not realized that when u guys eat this food by the time u reach the drive through u have not felt the need to poop ur self? how good can this be for ur child who need nutrients and vitamins to actually gro up to be a strong human……
Well I also agree with everyone here and it seems that people are too focused on their phones and are now spoiled with everything handed to them and working at burger king you get what you pay for true although you work to make the money to pay for the texts on that cell phone I have worked in fast food and it was not an easy job although I am never rude to a worker in any establishment since I am in customer service but if they are ever rude they hear about it from me cause you treat people the way you want to be treated am I right or wrong??
I am a manager at a Burger King and most of the youth today is hard to get under control and hard to get them off their phones. But I will say that at least 95% of the time it is the customers who either mess up by telling us the wrong thing, example the other night a customer thought he said no onion but instead said nothing to the matter. Then when I repeated back the exact words he said to me once he came back with the sandwich that only made him madder but he then relized he did forget to say that. Also, one more thing that bugs me is when you pull up and we say welcome would you like to try a whopper? you say no i want a whopper. Thats what I asked you. God clean the crap out of your ears and listen the first time. Anyways now that I have that off my back. I know alot of kids if not watch properly and screw things up but its not always the workers falt. Think about what you say and how you act before you pull up to the drive thru and please listen to what they ask instead of telling us no then order the same thing we just asked you, because what goes through our mind is your a dumbass. thank you
I have been reading these comments on the post, and a lot of them are saying, You get what you pay for. Well I’ve been working in food service, and customer relations at a movie theatre for almost two years now. I am next to management. I have had to deal with people that are the nicest people you could meet, and some people that just come into the theatre to complain to try and get free stuff. The thing is tho, its my job to deal with these people. I may not be getting a 6 figure salary, In fact as i’m only part time i probably wont even have a 5 digit salary at the end of the year, But no matter what a customer in front of me does, I will never roll my eyes, or never get mad at them, but I will treat them with respect as it is my job to do so. What alot of you guys don’t realize, And what the author is trying to say, Is you are getting paid to deal with these people. If it wasn’t for these people buying food at BK or McDonalds, The people working at these places would be out of a job. Therefore, these set staff members should treat each customer with respect and dignity, never rolling there eyes, or getting mad at them because they are the reason you have a job in the first place. So next time before you start saying, “They get paid minimum wage, they are going to treat you like they get paid minimum wage” Think again, They should treat everyone with respect as they are the reason those people have jobs. And as for the people saying, Some people are just doing this job because they are in a pinch, Thats even more reason to do your job well and not risk losing it, because obviously you need the money. Thats just my two cents worth.
So here in Tokyo, I used to order take-away from a national burger chain, and the service was (as ever here) splendid. This one time I ordered some burgers and whatever plus a spicy chicken wing, which I discovered when returning home that they’d forgotten to include. I call them up, and what happens? They send a guy to my house with the chicken wing.
If there’s anything we could learn from the Japanese, it’s their attitude towards customers. They don’t whine and bitch about their pay, they do their job and make you feel comfortable in their store/restaurant/whatever. Most of the times that is
BK has the worst service out of anyone around here. McD’s are generally friendly, Good Times are wonderfully nice, and even Hamburger Stand is acceptable.
We have gotten to the point of sitting in front of the drive through person and handing them everything that’s wrong (which is always about half). They just sit there and look annoyed at us and give the right stuff back to us.
Well, in response,
Working at fast food places is not any where near as easy as anyone thinks, sure u think its as simple as slapping a few burgers together and fries, sticking em in a bag and throwing them out the window at you, but its alot of work, with serious deadlines to meet, one main reason is staff generally are required to meet deadlines, EG, 210 second service through most fast food places, if you forget to order it, dont give us attitude when u got to wait for it due to stupidity, and dont act like you did order it and the order takes stuffed up, were not deaf, and most headset systems record the orders for 10 mins anyways to ensure shit like that doesnt happen, but generally its faster and cheaper to shut you up with free crap,
Any you wonder why we get attitude, making thousands of dollars a day when your average sale is $6 is alot to deal with,
Customers still have a tendency to stare at the menu for 5 minutes before they order, when clearly it hasnt changed for years, just order already, if its not on the menu, dont order it, you just confuse the fuck out of us and to ensure we get it right we take way to much time trying to work out why you dont want pickles on your big mac, yet clearly theres pickles in the sauce anyways,
So in summing up,
Before you come to a Fast Food place, know what you want, and make sure you order it 100% clearly, speak in a nice tone and nice pace, and ensure you include details like, boy toys, if you want sauce, how many sugars and stuff you want, were not mind readers, and asking you will slow us down, sure if we forget, ask for it, but dont think for one second were deadbeats in a dead-end job,
In response to the mobile incidents, it comes down to management, managers try theyre best to stop crew from using theyre mobiles on shift, if you see it, let a manager know nicely, im sure they will act, but be nice about it, just a simple, just so ya know, the person was using theyre phone is sufficient, but keep in mind, dont be expecting 100% service next time you come through too busy on your phones to bother giving us your attention for that 15 seconds of interaction,
Just things we all should remember,
Cathelest
Ok so this is about BK, I have a Tim hourtins around the conor from our house, my cousin was here from france and we went to tims before leaving for the airport. it was a 15 min wait in the drive thru, we were in a hurry but it didnt hold us back too much when we got up to the speaker i said one xlarge with cream 1 medium with cream and 1 med with milkshe repeted it back as 1 xlarge with milk and 2 med with cream i said no and repeted myself after going back and forth 5 times she finally got it right THAN i ordered a breakfast sandwhich and 2 bagles with cream cheese, she repeted that bakc right, when i got to the window paid and drove up i realized there was no breakfast sandwhich so i pulled in and went inside. i said i am missing a breakfast sandwhich THEY faught wth me telling me I had it, I replied WHY ON EARTH would i be standing here I have been in the drive thru for 20 min now and on my way to the airport you didnt give it to me I paid for it and NOW im late
finally the manager came out asked what the problem was I told her the whole story and she apoligized for the way i was treated and gave me all my money back. the point is it shoudl have not come to that at all. these people now a days are horrible at customer service. I am 24 and have worked in retail for 9 yrs, I now have a desk job and I love it, the thing is NONE of this would have been acceptable when i was working, now it is common!
I always bring a list to the drive through–written down exactly as I say it, never a special order that can be avoided (ie, no mayo is special because it’s smeared all over, but i can peel off a tomato) Being an analyst of many things, I have this to report about fast food service in my area: Wendy’s food: fast and hot, made with care 80% of the time, correct order, 70%, courtious service 90%. Mcdonalds (average of 3 locations and being generous) 65%, 70%, 50%. BK, 80%, 70%, 60%. KFC (average of 2 locations) 80%, 90%, 80%. Taco Bell, 85%, 80%, 85% (gut wrenching poo craps, 70%)Averages accumulated over at least 10 visits over the last year. For Mcdonalds the problems were so bad that it prompted a phone call–not to correct the order, but to alert them that they service and quality standards were so poor that it’s simply a miracle that they can still be open and turning a profit. BOYCOTT fast food–start a lunch group at your work with each member bringing a designated item. (I’ll grab the chips, jim will bring the drinks, etc..) Save time, money, health, and agrivation. For those who buy for their begging kids–tell them if they skip the junk and eat healty–you’ll take them to the dollar store where they can choose their trinket item. To those here who blame customers for their piss-poor workmanship– you are living in denial, go back to school, educate yourself online, seek professional help, whatever it takes…Stop blaming others or you’ll never make payscale above $10/hr. :no:
Just a quick comment reminding everyone not to judge all teenage fast-food employees by some bad ones. I agree, many of them are rude. I, however, work at McDonalds, and I, along with the majority of my co-workers are polite, and try to help customers in any way we can. It’s frustrating for us to automatically be grouped in with other people you’ve met. I’m NOT blaming the customer here. I am a customer as well as an employee, and I understand how horribly some restaurants treat you. Just try to remember: we’re not all idiots.
Hey i work at McDonald’s in Virginia and i personally don’t do drive through or cash register but i no exactly what you are talking about. I have a thing i go by when i am in the back and i see that a cash register girl is being a bitch I usually make the persons food better like if they order a cheeseburger i give them a double or something like that because i hate bitchy girls they are annoying but yea i try to help
well i just thought i would throw my input in there
Cody, thanks for your comment. That is so cool of you to give perks when you see us being treated badly
Your experience sounds exactly like mine tonight.
I wrote a letter to BK to document and complain, but I am not sure where to send it.
Which is how I pulled up your site.
My milkshake was liquid grossness too and everything was cold ( because the girl, same exact type, messed up the order) and then said to the boss, she says she ordered….
Hey rude CS person, I DID order what I said, you weren’t listening. I got the total eyes rolling when I asked for new fries, since they were ice cold by the time they figured out how to fix her mistake.
I won’t be returning to Castro Valley Burger King anytime soon.
Wow.. I didn’t know that anyone else could possibly have an experience as bad as mine. What is up with those milkshakes though, seriously? It’s like they start out with some room temp milk and just toss random stuff in the cup and serve it as is. I’ve never seen anything like that called a milkshake before.. but maybe they’ve just made their own definition.
This was AWESOME.. You have said everything I’ve ever wanted to say to every fast food joint in one open letter, now who is going to mass produce these flyers so they can catch the hint!
Yeah I work at Burger King as a job to help me save money for college after High School. I agree that yes there are some real keepers at BK with personality and brain capacity. I watched a girl actual ask “what does two bottom buns mean on this BBQ Crisp?”
I myself work the front of the store usually cashier. I try to be nice to all the people who come in. Hell I even chat to some of the really nice people when we arent in a rush. I even put up with the little punks that hold up my line paying in quarters and dimes for 15 orders of small cheesy tots. I even read orders back to people because I dont want them complaining. The thing that most people dont realise is that we are humans working behind the counter and we arent going to get every thing right.
I get old people who come in and give so much attitude when I read their order back to them.
And the old saying “the customer is always right” isn’t true. When You demand a Mocha Joe and I tell you “They are in the fridge cooling, they will be done in about 30 mins.” And you demand that you have the Joe now, it doesnt work like that. When I tell you that the Iced Cherry is on defrost and you can’t have that item and I get the death look along with eyes rolling in the back of the head along with a cocky attitude makes you feal great to be where you are.
The best one is when it is a Saturday rush hour lunch and the line is behind the door, and I give you you’re change back and you decide that you found that 37 cents that was going to go with the 50 dollar bill (that I had to get checked by the manager) for a 5.94 meal.
You do have to realise however the screens in the kitchen are always lit with food and the people who make the food are always actually making the food. They rarely get the time to rest when they have 15 orders to make all within a reasonable time. Just because you ordered a Ultimate Whopper with cheese and x-tra ketchup, doesnt mean the Kitchen stops to make sure that the entire sandwhich is built to specification, they make it and send it down the chute and move on to the next 14 burgers.
Most of the time the line is held up because the customer that just realised that he wanted no pickles on his burger, decides to argue with the people up front to remake the sandwhich for free.
Tip: Go to BK at like 5pm if u want good service. The shifts changed and it is less busy.
The way that you treat the workers is a factor in how the service is. If you treat someone like the scum of the Earth than be ready to have a bad time. Treat someone the way that you want to be treated. If the Cashier is a complete Jackass just remember that he is the one that will not get anywhere with an attitude like that.
If you want error free service go to a resturant and order. If you go to BK we try our best to make it so you can “have it youre way”….or at least some of us do, I know I try my best to!
Give the kids a break. If they were smarter, they wouldn’t be working the dead end job (summer job or regardless). Remember they are only getting minimum wage to provide half decent service.
I cannot believe that people are actually defending this bad behavior. My God, “You get what you pay for!?!”
It’s not about being nice to people. It’s about having pride in yourself, pride in doing a job well, and pride in serving your customers. Pride is not something that comes with higher wages. Pride is something you’re taught by decent parents before you get your first job.
Bruce: AMEN!