Most people are familiar with the phrase, "The customer is always right." Though this quote is accurate in some situations, more than half of the time it is wrong. The customer is not always right. After working in fast food for more than three years, I've come to realize a few things. I've learned how to stay cool, calm, and collected in a stressful situation. I've learned how to fit 30 chicken strips into a medium sized box (it's quite the accomplishment actually). And lastly, I've learned that it's time to chill in the drive-thru because the customer is not always right.
I've had my fair share of bad drive-thru customer service, but after working in the same field for such a long period of time I've become a bit more understanding of the girl who takes five minutes to take my order, rather than the preferred five seconds. Working in fast food is hard. By no means is it comparable to being a doctor or engineer or teacher. But it is no walk in the park, either.
A typical shift in the fast food service starts at around nine and ends at five for most, unless you're the lucky duck, or should I say cluck (I work at a chicken place, I can't help it) that gets off around two. During those eight hours, the employees are on their feet for the whole time unless they're lucky enough to get a 15-30 minute break. Those eight hours are filled with grease, frozen batter, sticky soda, the aroma of fried food, and actual fried food dripping with grease just to name a few things. Add in dealing with money and customers to that mix and you might discover a little more sympathy for the guy in your math class that works at the local Sonic.
Around lunch or dinner time, most places get the expected rush which can back things up. It might take 20 minutes to cook your fried chicken or maybe 10 minutes to run your order out to you. But when you see that frazzled 17-year-old girl practically running out to your car, that's when it's most important to chill in the drive-thru. Odds are that the people giving you your food or even taking your money had nothing to do with the time it took to cook or pack it. Which is why it's time to chill.
It's time to cut these people some slack. I constantly see Facebook posts, tweets, or even texts that shame people who work in the fast food business for not being fast enough or messing their order up. But why? Why is it okay to publicly shame a person or a business on social media for a simple mistake? Why is it okay to yell at someone because the gravy was, "Watery"? Why is it okay to threaten getting a person fired because the price of the #1 is too much? The answer is that it is not okay. You do not have to be rude to get your order fixed. There is literally no benefit. As Hannah Montana once said, "Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days. Nobody's perfect." Which is SO true. Everyone makes mistakes throughout the work day. No one is perfect and sometimes accidents happen. And it may not even be their fault. And in case anyone forgot, it's just fried chicken. Or a big mac. Or some tacos. It's just fast food. Honestly, in my opinion, getting all worked up over fast food is one of the most ridiculous things a person can do. And if that is usually how you or anyone else you know reacts to that particular situation, you better expect to be the root of those employees jokes for all of eternity.
Just remember to relax the next time you're in a drive-thru. You will get your food. And try to be a little nicer, because as they say, "Kindness goes a long way." I hope you give the employee working the window a smile. I hope you ask how he or she is doing. I hope you say thank you. I hope you give him or her the rest of your change for walking to your car. I hope you show some respect, even if they're younger. But most importantly, I hope you realize that it's time to chill in the drive-thru.
