America as a whole may run on Dunkin but your personal day runs on the your local Dunkin employees. And your local Dunkin employees run on you being as helpful and as clear as possible. So I've been working at Dunkin Donuts for a while now and I love it, but what I don't love is when customers aren't being corporative or understanding of their barista's and bakers. There's tons of things I wish our customers would understand, so I'm here to tell you, in the hopes that maybe your future Dunkin visits will be better on the employees.
1. Regular means regular cream and sugar for that size.
Regular doesn't mean black coffee or original blend!! I cannot stress this enough, one of the most annoying things is when a customer asks for a regular coffee and then gets it and says that there's supposed to be nothing in it.
2. Please tell us what size you want.
We aren't mind readers, if you don't tell us what size you want we can't make your coffee.
3. Please tell us if your coffee is hot or iced.
If you don't tell us, we have to assume it's a hot coffee. It's super annoying when we make a coffee and hand it to a customer and they say, "It's supposed to be iced."
4. Please tell us if you want the flavor shot or the swirl.
Shots are unsweetened and the swirls are sweetened. The swirls also have dairy in them, with the exception of the darker swirls, like mocha, peppermint mocha, fudge brownie, etc.
5. We run out of the different types of bread.
The bakers only make a certain amount of bagels, and croissants a day, so yes we run out. I am a baker and I bake over 100 bagels and over 50 croissants at 3am. I can't be at the store all day to pull and bake more breads if we run out, I have a life.
6. We run out of bakery items.
We can almost always guarentee that we won't have the speciality donuts anytime after 10am.
7. We have a camera on the drive-thru.
We can see every face you're making at me while you place your order.
8. Don't order half the menu in the drive-thru.
We are on a timer, and it back the lines up to the point where we can't even take orders over the headset and there is a line of cars down the street.
9. Don't order gift cards in the drive-thru.
It really annoying when somebody asks for 10 gift cards all with different amounts in the drive-thru. Also, fun fact, you can't buy a gift card with your app.
10. When we say, "We'll be right with you", don't tell us your order.
We're obviously all busy and need a minute.
11. We get really busy especially in the mornings.
If you're in the drive-thru and we don't answer right away with, "How can I help you" or "I'll be right with you ", both of our hands are doings something. Just be patient and don't scream ,"HELLO" at the speaker.
12. Don't have the passenger order.
We can barely hear the driver with the headset up all the way and all the background noise between the store and the outside.
13. Your on the go might not be ready when you get to the store.
Please don't be that person that places an on the go order and then walks in, it isn't going to be ready. We also most likely have a line to the door and a line of cars to the street that have been waiting longer than your on the go.
14. Menu changes come from cooperate.
That huge menu change that happened in August made a ton of customers upset enough to yell at the employees instead of complaining to cooperate. I can remember being yelled at over a reduced fat blueberry muffin at 6am, as if I made the decision to discontinue them.
15. Some flavors/items are seasonal.
Don't except a Pumpkin donut in May.
16. We can't shake your macchiato.
It's meant to be a layered drink, shake it yourself.
17. Lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, colattas, and frozen drinks take time.
We have to steam milk and hold the milk foam for the top of hot expresso drinks. We have to mix milk and the powder for frozen winter beverages. It's going to take a a minute or two. We also only have one espresso and Oasis machine to use.
18. Box of Joes/box of hot chocolates take some time.
It takes two full pots of coffee for a box of Joe and during the morning rush we don't have two extra pots laying around so we have to brew some more, and brewing a pot of coffee takes exactly 4 minutes and 11 seconds. The box of hot chocolate needs to be filled with water and then dumped out first because the hot chocolate isn't hot enough to open the bag on the inside of the box. Plus we have to grab the box of joe bag and creamers from the fridge.
19. Anything from backbar takes some time too.
There's usually one person on the sandwich station making for both the drive-thru and the counter. Relax your food is coming.
20. The decaf and dark roast have been sitting out.
Unless it's the morning rush, these aren't as popular as people think they are. Most likely it's been sitting out but we will be more than happy to brew a new pot. They get done every 20 minutes, (dark roast is an hour), but if you don't want 15 minute old coffee thats fine.
21. During the later hours the original coffee has been sitting out.
But like I said we can brew you a new pot.
22. Half a cream or half a sugar isn't a thing.
Our machines have pre-measured amounts. I'm telling you right now, if you ask for 2.5 sugars we give you 3.
23. Please be patient with the crew member who is training.
We understand that you are in a rush and that they might not understand what you're saying or they might be a little slower than the rest of us but this is how they learn. Let them train without the attitude.
24. We don't like it when you trash our dinning room and our bathrooms.
Treat our dinning room and our bathrooms like you would treat yours at home.
25. We don't do combos anymore.
Please stop telling us that we charged you for the coffee and the sandwich instead of the combo.
26. Decaf coffee, and our teas have caffeine in them.
"I need decaf coffee because I'm allergic to caffeine." No, you obviously aren't.
27. Not every refill cup is the same price, it depends on the size.
We can't give you a refill price for a 32oz cup.
28. Not every Dunkin has senior discounts everyday.
It depends on the location.
29. Prices change from Dunkin to Dunkin.
Some states have tax on food and others don't. Dunkins that are in casinos are just about double the price of your local Dunkin.
30. Pay attention to what we call out after you place your order.
Take your receipt when you order food, we call out the order number on the top, and chances are you probably didn't hear us at the register telling you what your number was. Or when we call your drink out, don't walk away on your phone and ignore whats going on.
31. Call ahead for larger orders.
Please don't be that customer that comes in during a rush and asks for 5 dozen donuts and 200 munchkins and wants to pick exactly what goes in what box. Call ahead and tell us so we can have it ready for you, or almost ready for you.
32. We don't know the calories in every item.
There's so many different combinations of sandwiches and drinks, that it's nearly impossible to remember the calories in each item.
33. Corporate sends out mass emails about promotions but its not for every state.
Pay attention to the details in that email.
34. WE MAKE MISTAKES!!!
We're people and when you've been working since 3am or 4:30am without a coffee for yourself it's hard not to mess up but we will gladly remake your order with a smile on our face and apologize for the inconvenience.
I mean I honestly could go on and on for days. But I hope you take these things into consideration when stopping by your local Dunkin from now on. Oh, and make sure your grab your receipt, fill out the survey on the bottom and give the store good reviews it takes two minutes plus you get a free donut.
