posted
Suppose you're getting fast food. You're getting it to go, so what they hand you is a closed bag rather than a tray.
Is it rude to open the bag and look to see if all your items are in there, right in front of the employee who has just handed it to you? Is that considered a personal insult? Or do they take it for granted that sometimes items do get forgotten, and it's perfectly reasonable for a customer to want to make sure they have everything before they get all the way home?
I would take the latter attitude, myself, but then, I've never worked in the fast food industry. Any thoughts?
(And "Don't eat fast food" is not an answer. I'm asking an etiquette question, not nutritional advice, thank you very much.)
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
I used to work at Popeyes, and it was expected that a customer would double-check their order. We were also supposed to tell each customer what we were handing them, so that they could catch any errors right away. It's not rude to check.
posted
I think you kind of have to, given that you'll otherwise likely be far away by the time you realize there are any problems. I mean, usually waitstaff will come back after serving and ask if it's okay as a matter of course.
You know, it never occurred to me that it might be rude. Now I'm interested.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
I would not be offended if you did it to me. I would, however, if I was you, move to the side a bit if there was a line so as not to clog up the queue behind.
Posts: 142 | Registered: Jan 2005
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When I worked at a service desk that cashed payroll checks many people counted the money again (even though I counted it to them). I never was offended, anyone can make a mistake...and it is better to catch it immediately.
Posts: 1901 | Registered: May 2004
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posted
I would agree that it is not rude. It's kinda the same as if you were at wal-mart and the cashier put the bags in your cart and you cheack to make sure all the bags were taken. The cashier can get distracted and sometimes miss something.
Posts: 38 | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: You know, it never occurred to me that it might be rude. Now I'm interested.
It had never occurred to me before today, either. I just went to KFC for dinner, and I checked the bag after the young lady behind the counter handed it to me. As I was checking, she said, "It's all in there."
She didn't sound offended; quite the contrary, she sounded perfectly helpful, like she was just trying to reassure me. Still, as I was heading back home, I started thinking about it. It wouldn't be difficult for me to imagine someone in her position thinking, "What, he has to check my work? He thinks I don't know how to do my own job?" It just made me wonder if it would have been more polite for me to wait until I'd gotten outside to check.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
While some people might get a little pissy the would probly prefre you cheacking at the counter or just to the side cause then they can play it down and not make a big deal about it. Where as if you go out and come back more people are likely to notice. Granted it really shouldn't be that big of a problem to do it anyway you are comfortable with.
Posts: 38 | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
Actually, her response sounds a bit rude in that it was not phrased as a question ("I'm sorry, did I miss something?") but rather a statement.
Posts: 142 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Where as if you go out and come back more people are likely to notice.
Good point. I suppose that would have made more of an issue out of it.
quote:Actually, her response sounds a bit rude in that it was not phrased as a question ("I'm sorry, did I miss something?") but rather a statement.
Well, tone of voice makes a huge difference. Her tone sounded helpful rather than offended or belligerent.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
I always check. The only fast food I eat anymore is once weekly at Taco Bell, and I've been gipped out of enough burritos to make it a point to always double check. It only takes a quick second to visually scan the bag and make sure there are the correct number of items in there. I just assume that the items are actually correct, even though somethings they still aren't, but I'm not going to tear my food apart looking for inaccuracies while I'm sitting in the drive through.
I've never been given even a funny look for it, so I assume they are okay with it, and understand that they too make mistakes. I work at a restaurant, and I make a mistake or two every shift, it happens to everyone. I don't get annoyed when servers double check to make sure the food I hand them is correct, I'd rather they catch my mistakes before they get to the table, in that same vein of thought, I'd assume the people working at the fast food window would rather you catch it immediately rather than get home with it and be pissed for something it's too late to fix.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
I guess I am in the minority. I do think it is rude to check right in front of the person. I usually take the food, turn my back, start walking out and then check. I did forget to check last night, though. I asked for a salad with no bacon and nuts. The girl next to the guy cashiering said she would make it for him and she confirmed, "So, you just want want cheese and tomatoes on that." I replied, "Yes." I get home and what do I find? A salad with thousands of little nuts and bacon bits. It took me 10 minutes to pick out that bacon (I was cringing the whole time). I just dealt with the nuts. They also forgot to give me a roll. I was livid.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
I always check, because I always have special orders (I hate raw tomato, and we usually have asked for a toddler toy with a kids' meal, among other things.) No one has ever taken it as rude. On the contrary, they're happier when I find things wrong right then rather than having to come back two minutes later.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
My brother and I have been 'short-changed on food' maybe a dozen times at drive-throughs, so we check. They've never accidentally given us extra fries.
Posts: 1762 | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
I too think it's slightly rude to check right in front of the person, so I step to one side or wait until I'm outside to check.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
I think it would be rude if you double-checked your order by lining up all your chicken McNuggets on the tray, gave them names and made them sound off, von Trapp family style.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
I had assumed you all were talking about the drive-thru, though I'm not sure why.
I certainly do step out of the line of traffic once I've received my food. If you want to check it, though, makes sense to check it at the counter, even if you are off to the side.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
I always check, whether at the drive-thru or inside. I also never order something without a least some minor modifications (I don't eat vegetables, and I don't like most condiments unless they're applied by me in specific dosages). It's been my experience that my order is wrong 30-40% of the time, so it'd be foolishly optimistic of me not to check.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I always check. I even check the quality of fries. For some reason, the fast food workers in my town think that because you are in the drive through, they can get away with giving you three day old fries.
Posts: 1766 | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
On drive-thru, I check it while still in the drive-thru window. My order has been screwed up enough times that I'm not leaving the window until I'm sure it's right. It only takes a few seconds.
Like the time my daughter asked for a hamburger with "no pickle" and instead got a hamburger with ONLY pickle -- lots of them.
posted
There is a difference between checking to see if you've got the right number of burritos and checking to see if they left the tomato off your hamburger or the nuts off your salad. It takes a lot longer to pull something out of the bag and unwrap it. If you need to check the latter, I think you should move out the way. Even if it's not rude to the cashier, it is rude to the person behind you that you're holding up.
Posts: 4625 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
I usually use the drive-thru, and I check after pulling away enough for the next person to get to the window. For some reason, though, my order only gets screwed up if I'm with my mom. This can be problematic because while I'd handle it fine on my own (I don't get upset but just go inside and politely ask that it be fixed) my mom gets really annoyed and angry and makes a really big deal about it.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
Around here, nearly every fast-food place does not give you your meal at the same time you order it, so the "move aside" thing isn't really an issue. You're generally the guy getting his order at that moment, so you're free to stand there at the counter and go through it if you want.
Half the time the person doesn't bother to wait around while you go through it. They smile, give you their "Have a nice day," then go on about their business while you riffle through the bag.
At Primal Curve's suggestion, I feel I shall now use this time I have to go through the bag, that apparently not everyone has, to stage full-on musicals with my food. I will use songs from the Ender's Game: The Musical thread.
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: I think it would be rude if you double-checked your order by lining up all your chicken McNuggets on the tray, gave them names and made them sound off, von Trapp family style.
quote:Originally posted by docmagik: At Primal Curve's suggestion, I feel I shall now use this time I have to go through the bag, that apparently not everyone has, to stage full-on musicals with my food. I will use songs from the Ender's Game: The Musical thread.
Suddenly, I'm sad that drive-thru fast food is not an option for me.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
I like it when they screw up my order, assuming I'm not in a rush. One can usually get a free dessert as a result.
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by imogen: El JT, you don't eat vegetables?
Ever?
*shrug*
I ate a pickle once. I didn't do anything for me.
I don't eat any vegetable except corn, and (if forced by circumstances or extreme hunger) green beans. I will not, under any circumstance, eat lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, spinach, cabbage, squash, brussel sprouts, okra, or mustard greens.
I think it's partially the taste, partially the texture (I don't like cold, wet, soft food in general), and partially psychosomatic.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Seriously, I find it bizarre. But each to their own, and all that.
(I know you're about my age. I know you're perfectly capably of taking care of yourself. But.... but... In Australia we have a "5 vegetable and 2 fruit a day" servings policy promoted kind of heavily. I'll stop now.)
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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My wife tells me that corn is not a vegetable. I refuse to believe her because that would mean the vegetables I eat could be counted on one hand.
Of course, that would take you down to zero. Maybe you should go with that so you can achieve perfection.
Posts: 4625 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Im, we have something similar here. And I'm resisting lecturing him on his health as well. But he's an adult. So he gets to make lousy diet choices, just like the rest of us. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Tom, no, but I've been meaning to start. The few colds a year I come down with could be traced to vitamin imbalances contributing to a weakened immune system, I'm sure.
Any recommendations?
Im, I love potatoes. Not crazy about sweet potatoes, but I'm well covered in the starch area.
rivka, I'm not so sure it is a lousy diet choice. I mean, my weight is good, my cholesterol and blood pressure are low, I have a full head of hair and a mouth full of teeth, and I'm rarely sick (and have never been seriously ill). I mean, sure, I could do better, but who couldn't?
I do eat fruit, though. I love bananas, apples, and oranges.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
You should also check your receipts at a drive-through, if you're not paying cash. We've occasionally been over-charged by an even number of dollars--wonder where those ended up.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Mostly, the only fast food I get is the Wendy's dollar menu items(baked potato, nuggets, salad, etc...). I'd say about 70-80% of the time they forget one or more sauces, or give me the wrong sauce. I'm not joking with that percentage. it's super frustrating.
There's also a direct correlation between me checking for the sauces and them being there. Meaning, if I check, they're always there. When I don't check, there are sauces missing. ALWAYS. The reason I don't like to check is because I almost always go through drive-thru, and I don't like holding up the line. But I also hate having to pull around and then go inside and ask for my sauce(kills the point of going drive-thru), or worse yet, finding out when I'm home.
Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I was inside the restaurant. There was no one behind me anyway, but, as docmagik pointed out, they didn't hand me the food while I was still in the order line. Even fast food takes a few moments to get together, so you order it and then get out of the way.
quote:I don't eat any vegetable except corn[. . .]
That's a grain, not a vegetable. Think "wheat" and "rice".
quote: I will not, under any circumstance, eat [. . .]tomatoes[. . .]
That's a fruit.
quote:[. . .]olives[. . .]
Also a fruit.
quote:[. . .]squash[. . .]
The gourds are also fruits.
Not trying to convince you that you do actually like those things, of course. You know what you like. Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:It's not that healthy. But, if you have a healthy weight and BP and cholestorol, then - *shrug* - why not?
(I was just... struggling with the concept of no vegetables.)
I wouldn't say that it's not that healthy, because I don't think my diet is unhealthy. I would say it's not ideal. Which I'm fine with.
And believe me, you're not the only one who struggles with the 'no vegetables' thing -- I've never had a first date where it wasn't a prominent conversational topic.
Edit: Verily, I'm well aware of all that. Point being, I use the classifications that most people use, to save myself from having to correct people about what family all their foods belong to. I'm perfectly aware that saying tomato is a vegetable is incorrect. I'm also aware that most of the population calls it that, and this is a case where I'm happy to cater to the masses.
Glad you're back, by the way. I haven't seen you around in a while.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I'd say it's not healthy - if not now, in the long run.
But then, the glass of red wine I am drinking while posting this is also not healthy (given I've had a couple of glasses with dinner earlier) so - meh.
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I used to hate most veggies. Ever since I gave up red meat, I can't seem to get enough of them. I have tried so many new ones in the past few years. I really like them too.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Personally I never check. But then I'm not usually particularly upset if something is forgotten, and it's actually been pretty rare. I can only think of two occasions in the past two years.
But as a person who works at a fast food place (a Subway), this is my biggest peeve:
"Hi! How're you doing today?"
"I'd like a turkey with lettuce and tomato."
"What kind of bread would you like that on?"
"A turkey! With lettuce and tomato!"
"What kind of bread?"
*looks blank*
*points to prominent sign illustrating bread*
"Uh, this one."
"And would you like that to be foot-long or six-inch?"
"I said white bread!"
"Yes, and would you like a big one or a little one?" (with hand gestures)
"Oh, big."
"And would you like American, pepper jack, cheddar or mozzarella cheese?"
"Just lettuce and tomato."
*puts on lettuce and tomato* *closes sandwich* *wraps up sandwich*
"Oh, and could I have bacon on that? And mayo?"
*growls to self*
I know that it's not that customers can't hear me. Polite customers answer my actual questions just fine.
But the vast majority of customers don't bother with anything I ask them because they're convinced that they know the ordering process better than I do, and then waste my time and theirs telling me things I don't need to know yet, may never need to know, and probably won't remember if I later need to know them. If they would just follow my verbal cues, we would both rest easier.
And furthermore, when I ask how you are, I would like an acknowledgment. I mean, I'm obligated to ask, yes, but it's nice if you pretend like I'm a person.
Posts: 1751 | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
JT, matt does the same thing. He will occasionally eat green beans, though, if they are prepared. Other than that, he considers mashed potatoes to be the greatest vegetable.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
He's very slim, never sick, and plays basketball easily. I don't find it odd. I do find it infuriating. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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quote:Originally posted by imogen: I'd say it's not healthy - if not now, in the long run.
But then, the glass of red wine I am drinking while posting this is also not healthy (given I've had a couple of glasses with dinner earlier) so - meh.
How so? This question, by the way, is usually were the discussion hangs up. Most people are convinced that dire consequences are forthcoming if I don't eat vegetables, but, when asked to clarify those consequences it's usually a bit fuzzy.
The most convincing argument I've heard so far for needing to eat more vegetables is that it will significantly decrease my risk of colon cancer.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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